McAdams

McAdams Senior / Light: Free Range Chicken review

Name: McAdams Senior / Light: Free Range Chicken
Brand: McAdams

52.3/100Good

DryAdultSenior

One recipe asked to do two jobs: keep an older dog comfortable and a heavier dog in shape. It lands in our Good band. The joint care pack is printed on the label with real doses, which most foods leave as a claim.

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Our view

Likely to suit

Older dogs with stiffening joints. Glucosamine and MSM are each printed at 2,134.5 mg per kilo
Dogs on the heavy side, with fat at 8.0% and energy at 330 kcal per 100 grams
A weight plan: L-carnitine at 96 mg per kilo, and fibre at 4.9% of dry matter to help a dieting dog feel fed
Choosy older eaters. Few dogs turn chicken down
Toy breeds to giants, adults and seniors alike, from the one bag

Worth watching

Chicken and salmon oil both run through it, so it suits neither a fish-free bowl nor a chicken-sensitive dog
Carbohydrate at 56.0% of dry matter against 46.2% for typical adult dry food, the trade for holding calories down

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

How this scores

How we score

52.3/100Good

Protein and processingAverage

Nutritional balancePoor

TransparencyOutstanding

ValueGood

The details

Dog fit

Listed for adults and seniors of every size. The bag's own table asks 195 to 210 grams for a 15 kg dog, so start there and trim to the shape of the dog.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Adult, Senior

Breed size

Toy, Small, Medium, Large, Giant

Main protein

Chicken

The score, in context

Free Range Chicken 52.3

All one Good. Typical dry food: Good.

The named meat and the printed joint doses lift it; the starch that fills the space left by the low fat holds it back.

What's in it

Whole British free range chicken50%Weighed fresh, so the oven drives most of it off as water. Protein settles at 21.2% of dry matter.
Sweet potato26%The pick of the starches, with some fibre and micronutrients.
TapiocaStarch alone.
Pea protein, lentilsPea protein raises the protein figure without meat's quality.
Yeast, chicken gravy
Pea fibre, vegetable fibreHelps an older dog stay regular.
Joint care packGlucosamine and MSM at 2,134.5 mg per kilo each, with chondroitin sulphate named. Working amounts.
Chicken fat, salmon oilSalmon oil means this is not fish free.
Prebiotics FOS and MOS, yucca extract0.23% and 0.15%Yucca takes the edge off stool odour.
Marigold, seaweed, orange, green lipped mussel, botanicals0.03% down to 0.01%Trace level throughout.

Vitamins A, D3 and E, trace minerals named and dosed as sulphates with zinc at 83 mg per kilo, and L-carnitine at 96 mg per kilo.

No calcium figure on the label.

Named ingredients

Whole British Free Range Chicken (50%), Sweet Potato (26%), Tapioca, Pea Protein, Yeast, Chicken Gravy, Pea Fibre, Vitamins and Minerals, Lentils, Joint Care Pack (Glucosamine 2,134.5mg/kg, MSM 2,134.5mg/kg, Chondroitin Sulphate 1,SOOmg/kg) Vegetable Fibre, Chicken Fat, Salmon Oil, Prebiotics (FOS (0.23%), MOS (0.15%)), Marigold, Yucca Extract, Hand Cut Irish Seaweed (0.03%), Dried Orange, New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel (0.02%), Camomile, Carrot (0.01%), Cranberries (0.01%), Rosemary, Spinach, Tomatoes, Lavender.

Against the range

One recipe, built on whole British free range chicken at 50% with sweet potato at 26% taking the starch. Fat is held to 8.0%, and the joint care pack and trace minerals are printed with their doses.

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

330 kcal/100g

Protein

19.5%

Fat

Fibre

4.5%

Ash

8.5%

Dry weight

Protein

21.2%

Fat

8.7%

Fibre

4.9%

Ash

9.2%

Carbs

56%

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

52.6%

Carbs

43.9%

Veg

0.3%

Oils

0.2%

Other

2.9%

Pricing & size