Briantos Senior Grain-Free: Turkey & Potato review

Landing in our Good band puts this shoulder to shoulder with the typical adult dry food. Transparency reads Excellent, value is level with the overall placing in Good, and protein and processing and nutritional balance both sit on Average. That is a fair result for a light recipe: seniors need fewer calories, and trimming fat and energy tends to push carbohydrate up, here to an estimated 50.9% of dry matter against the typical 46.2%. The named 25% turkey and a fully dosed additive panel are what keep it comfortably mid-table.

Ingredients, as declared: 25% turkey protein (dried), 22% potatoes (dried), potato starch (dried), cellulose, 5% sweet potatoes (dried), dried beet pulp (desugared), poultry fat, 3% poultry protein (dried), protein hydrolysate, peas (dried), monocalcium phosphate, fish oil, chicory (dried), yeast (dried, incl. 0.1% mannan oligosaccharide, 0.06% beta-glucan), psyllium, sodium chloride, celery (dried), carrots (dried), glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate

Dried turkey protein at 25% is a strong, specific opening. Turkey is leaner than chicken, which is partly why it keeps appearing in senior recipes, and in dried form the declared figure feeds through to the finished biscuit. Protein converts to 25.6% of dry matter.

The turkey does not travel alone, though. Poultry fat and a further 3% poultry protein come along for the ride with their species unstated, so a dog on a strict one-bird plan is not fully covered here.

Potatoes at 22% with potato starch bind the kibble, and 5% sweet potato earns its separate billing with extra fibre and vitamins. Cellulose, higher up the list than we would like, is refined bulking fibre and the least nourishing entry on the label.

The senior touches are thoughtful: psyllium for smooth digestion, taurine dosed at 200mg for the heart, yeast contributing mannan-oligosaccharides at 0.1% for the gut, and fish oil for omega 3s. The glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, printed without quantities, are the only supplements the label declines to measure.

Calcium converts to 1.28% of dry matter, a comfortable maintenance level, and the vitamin and mineral doses are all in print, part of the zinc arriving in chelated form.

£2.83 a kilo for the 12kg bag.

Using the customary 840 kcal maintenance allowance for a 15kg adult dog in moderate condition (110 × bodyweight^0.75), feeding runs to about 284 grams and £0.80 a day. The maker's table offers 150 to 180 grams for a 10kg dog, so split the difference with an eye on condition.