Hill's Science Plan

Hill's Science Plan Mature Adult 6+ Large review

Name: Hill's Science Plan Mature Adult 6+ Large
Brand: Hill's Science Plan

37.2/100Average

DryAdultSenior

A large-breed kibble for the years after six, built the way Hill's always builds: around a tightly controlled formula, not a headline meat percentage. It sits in our Average band because cereal comes before any meat and the named poultry is small. It will feed a big older dog steadily, which is what it was designed to do.

Find it on eBay

Affiliate link. Off the Leash may earn a commission from purchases on eBay, at no cost to you.

Our view

Likely to suit

Large breeds from six years old
Big dogs whose joints have begun to complain, with pork cartilage and a glucosamine source on the list
A dosed mineral panel: zinc at 154 mg and iron at 88.1 mg per kilo
A named prebiotic, ActivBiome+ at 0.6%, with its oat bran and FOS spelled out
Dogs already settled on Hill's, moved up a life stage

Worth watching

Wheat and maize open the list, for a dog with form on wheat
Animal fat and digest unnamed, and crustacean shell on the list, which rules out strict elimination and shellfish-free plans
Estimated carbohydrate at 57.6% of dry matter against 46.2% for a typical adult dry food

Written by our editorial team. Independent guidance, not veterinary advice.

How this scores

How we score

37.2/100Average

Protein and processingPoor

Nutritional balancePoor

TransparencyGood

ValueAverage

The details

Dog fit

Listed for large adult and senior dogs. A large dog eats more than the 15kg estimate, so start from the label's feeding table and adjust by the waistline.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Adult, Senior

Breed size

Large

Main protein

Chicken

The score, in context

Hill's Science Plan Mature Adult 6+ Large 37.2

All one Average. Typical dry food: Good.

The placing reflects how little named meat the label commits to, not any doubt about how carefully the food is made.

What's in it

Wheat, maizeThe structure of the kibble. Wheat draws the most argument, though most dogs eat it without a flicker.
Chicken and turkey meal9% (chicken 6%)Dried before mixing, so it carries more protein than fresh meat at the same share. Still a small slice of the recipe.
Animal fat, digestNeither names a species. Digest is sprayed on for taste.
Maize protein mealLifts the protein figure without adding meat.
Vegetable oil
Pea bran meal, flaxseed, minerals
Oat bran, FOS0.6% ActivBiome+Feeds the bacteria the gut already holds.
Pork cartilageChondroitin source, no dose printed.
Crustacean shell hydrolysateGlucosamine source. A shellfish problem rules it out.

Iron, iodine, copper, manganese, zinc and selenium all dosed per kilo, with a natural antioxidant.

Protein converts to 18.9% of dry matter, gentle for a kibble.

Named ingredients

Wheat, maize, chicken and turkey meal (chicken 6%; total poultry 9%), animal fat, digest, maize protein meal, vegetable oil, pea bran meal, flaxseed, minerals, oat bran, fructo-oligosaccharides, pork cartilage (source of chondroitin sulphate), crustacean shell hydrolysate (source of glucosamine). ActivBiome+ Multi Benefit prebiotic blend (0.6%): Oat bran, fructo-oligosaccharides.

Against the range

One cereal-led kibble for large dogs past six. Wheat and maize open the list, a combined chicken and turkey meal follows at 9%, and the fat, digest and oil name no species. Every trace mineral carries a dose.

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

362.7 kcal/100g

Protein

17.4%

Fat

13.9%

Fibre

3.1%

Ash

4.6%

Moisture

Dry weight

Protein

18.9%

Fat

15.1%

Fibre

3.4%

Ash

Carbs

57.6%

As-fed composition

Estimated breakdown of the finished product by ingredient category, from the declared ingredient list and ingoing weights. These are estimates, not measurements.

Meat

22.8%

Carbs

69.4%

Oils

6.6%

Other

1.2%

Pricing & size