pork fat

What it is

Pork fat — lard, on some labels — is rendered fat from pigs, energy-dense and famously palatable. Like all rendered fats it arrives with a preservation system, usually declared right after it on the label.

Why it's in pet food

Dogs in particular find pork fat delicious, and it delivers concentrated energy with a named source. It appears in pork-first recipes and as the palatability layer in mixed formulas.

How Bowlmark scores it

Scores are deterministic math over the printed label — the rules below apply to every product identically, and nothing estimates or fills in a blank.

Pork fat moves no score: fat contexts are excluded from the named-protein bonus, and the unnamed-source deductions cover "animal fat" and "poultry fat", not named fats. Neutral to the engine; informative to the reader.

Read the full methodology

Foods that list pork fat

Ranked by score where scores exist. Placement here is never sold.

• ACANA Classics, Salmon and Barley Recipe87
• ORIJEN WILD RESERVE, Farm-Raised Beef & Lamb Recipe84
• Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Raw Blend Grain & Legume Free Red Meat Recipe78
• Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Raw Coated Wholesome Grains Red Meat Recipe78

Sources

• WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee — Selecting a pet food

Related ingredients

• menhaden fish oil
• olive oil
• pollock oil
• poultry fat
• safflower oil
• salmon oil

Further reading

• Calories on the label: kcal, ME and fair comparisons
• Storing pet food so it stays the food you bought