Quote:
Originally Posted by tokipoki  Is the ash level normally on the bags or is there some calculation you do? Or do you have to just contact the companies to find out? Also what is considered a good or average ash amount? |
I'm actually just learning about this myself, so bear with me. I'll try to explain what I've gathered.
Why Is There Ash in Your Dog's Food?
Ash is used as a "bucket term" for all the minerals in a formula. Minerals is the residue that doesn't burn, so it's called ash. 5% to 7% is good. 8% to 9% is on the semi-high side. Everything above that is very high and you should start to question the quality of meals and other animal ingredients used. High levels of ash usually indicate high mineral levels (such as calcium, potassium etc)
There isn't any definitive standard but, apparently, it is widely accepted that the higher the level the more taxing to the body over time.
Most foods don't list the full ash content but instead some select minerals including calcium and phosphorus. It is an indication that the ash level is on the high side if you see ca/ph levels above 1.5%.
Here is Acana's:
Wild Prairie- 7%, Pacifica-8%, Grasslands- 9%, Ranchlands-9%
Lamb & Okanagan Apple is 9%, Duck & Bartlett Pear and Chicken & Burbank Potato have levels of 7.5%.
The Canine Caviar Open Sky formula has 5.7%.