poultry by-product meal
Poultry by-product meal is rendered unnamed-bird by-products — the term the by-product deduction exists for. How Bowlmark scores it.
Also appears on labels as: poultry byproduct meal · poultry by-products meal
What it is
Poultry by-product meal is the rendered, concentrated version of poultry by-products: organs and frames of unspecified birds, cooked down to a protein-dense powder. Nutritionally it can be solid; verifiably, it is a black box.
Why it's in pet food
It is one of the cheapest concentrated animal proteins available, which is why it anchors many budget dry foods. Chicken by-product meal does the same job with the species named — the price difference between the two terms is the price of accountability.
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.
"Poultry" names no species: the ingredient-quality pillar applies its 20-point unnamed-source deduction, once for the class. The by-products informational note rides along at zero points. The named contrast is exact — chicken by-product meal takes no deduction at all.
Common questions
Answers come from this entry and the scoring rules above — reviewed before publish, like everything else on this page. For anything about your own pet, your vet knows best.
What is poultry by-product meal?
The rendered, concentrated version of poultry by-products: organs and frames of unspecified birds, cooked down to a protein-dense powder. Nutritionally it can be solid; verifiably, it is a black box.
Is poultry by-product meal the same as chicken by-product meal?
No — the difference is accountability: chicken by-product meal names its species and takes no deduction at all, while "poultry" names no species. The price difference between the two terms is the price of accountability.
How does Bowlmark score poultry by-product meal?
"Poultry" names no species: the ingredient-quality pillar applies its 20-point unnamed-source deduction, once for the class. The by-products informational note rides along at zero points.
Foods that list poultry by-product meal
Ranked by score where scores exist. Placement here is never sold.
- Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Adult Chicken & Rice Formula78
- Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Adult 7+ Prime Plus Chicken & Rice Formula Allergen Reducing77
- Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Kitten Chicken & Rice Formula76
- Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed Shredded Blend Lamb & Rice Formula75
- Purina Pro Plan Adult 7+ Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice74
- Purina Pro Plan All Ages Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula74
- Purina Pro Plan Kitten Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula74
- Purina Pro Plan Adult Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice with Probiotics73
Compare foods that list poultry by-product meal
Same species, same form, both scored — closest scores first, so the comparison is a real one.
- Purina Pro Plan Adult 7+ Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice vs Purina Pro Plan Kitten Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
- Purina Pro Plan Adult Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice with Probiotics vs Purina Pro Plan All Ages Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula
- Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed Shredded Blend Lamb & Rice Formula vs Purina Pro Plan All Ages Sport Performance 30/20 Chicken & Rice Formula
- Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Adult Chicken & Rice Formula vs Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Adult 7+ Prime Plus Chicken & Rice Formula Allergen Reducing
Sources
Related ingredients
Further reading
Cite this page
Bowlmark. "Poultry by-product meal in pet food — what it is and how it scores." https://www.bowlmark.com/ingredient/poultry-by-product-meal
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- Last verified August 22, 2026
No stored score to stamp yet — the engine and config above are the ones a scan runs today.