All dog foods just meeting AAFCO minimum recommendations, DM or caloric bases, will be nutrient deficient as they are normally fed. These AAFCO-compliant raw and kibble diets will not meet minimum NRC standards, upon which AAFCO is based.
Note: some of the more expensive dry foods contain more than minimum amounts of minerals and vitamins and may be okay when fed at reduced amounts. I’m gathering data. Raw foods formulated to meet AAFCO minimums for Mg, Mn may be most problematic.
Here is why.
The AAFCO and FEDIAF nutrient per 1000 kcal and nutrient per kg DM standards were developed using the recommended amount of nutrient per kg3/4 listed in NRC 2006 and FEDIAF 2021.
Mn 0.16 mg per kg3/4 daily
Mg 0.02 g
For a 33-pound, 15.4 kg dog recommended minimum amounts per day
Mn 1.25 mg
Mg 0.156 g
These numbers are generated using a K factor (active dog) = 132*(kg3/4).
15.4 kg dog is 7.78 kg; fed at 132 K factor rate, 1,027 kcal per day,
7.78 * 132 (K factor) = 1,027 kcal per day.
7.78*0.16 = 1.25 mg of Mn per day,
7.78 *0.02 = 0.156 g of Mg daily
AAFCO adult minimums daily amounts per 1,000 kcal
Mn 1.25 mg/1000 kcal
Mg 0.15 g / 1000 kcal
Most adult dogs are not active and should not be fed at daily calories = 132*(kg3/4) and are fed at the rate of K factors 85- 95. A 33-pound dog needs only 660 – 730 kcal per day, but still needs1.25 mg of Mn and 0.156 g of Mg daily. Therefore they need to consume more Mn and Mg per calorie than they would if eating a K factor 132: the K = 85 or 95 upon which we’re building our recipes for less active dogs.
At K=95, European less active, the dog may consume only
0.93 mg of Mn, or 75% of minimum recommended amounts in an AAFCO-compliant food.
0.111 g of Mg, the dog may consume only 0.111 g, or 72% of minimum recommended amounts.
An American less active dog, K=85, the dog would consume only 64% of minimum recommended amounts of Mg, and 67% of Mn.
If the food were formulated to our 85 K factor and not AAFCO’s 132 K, the dog would consume 0.156 g of Mg and 1.25 mg of Mn daily, which meets NRC.
A real-world example: Pedigree
It appears that they are using a K factor = 85 for their feeding directions.
Zn, the only nutrient they list, at 80 mg/kg (AAFCO DM minimums) is 84% of minimum recommended amounts NRC and FEDIAF. It is not a “complete and balanced” food.
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