Crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, moisture — four numbers that tell you less than you think. Here is what each one actually measures, what the panel leaves out entirely, and how to compare two products correctly using dry matter basis.
What a Guaranteed Analysis Panel Is — and Is Not
A guaranteed analysis panel is a regulatory disclosure, not a nutritional profile. It certifies that a product meets minimum or maximum thresholds for four values at the time of testing: crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, and moisture. Some manufacturers voluntarily add rows — omega-3 content, ash, calcium — but the four above are the legal minimum in most markets.
The panel tells you the nutrient composition of the food as a chemical extract. It does not tell you the source of those nutrients, the bioavailability of those nutrients after processing, whether those nutrients arrived in usable form, or how values shift across the product’s shelf life. Knowing what the panel omits is as important as knowing how to read what it shows.
Crude Protein: The Most Misread Number
The word ‘crude’ matters. Crude protein is not a direct measurement of digestible, bioavailable protein. It is a calculated value: total nitrogen content of the sample, multiplied by 6.25, based on the assumption that protein is approximately 16% nitrogen by weight.
The consequence: any nitrogen-containing compound registers in this figure, not only functional protein. The crude protein number does not distinguish between protein that will be absorbed and used, and nitrogen-containing compounds that will pass through. It also does not distinguish between protein sources with very different amino acid profiles. Two products can display identical crude protein percentages with substantially different digestibility, different essential amino acid ratios, and different outcomes for the dog consuming them.
What to look at alongside the number: the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in descending order by pre-processing weight. The first named protein source tells you more about protein quality than the headline percentage. Canine Plus+ Balance lists 28.4% crude protein minimum.
Crude Fat and Why Source Matters
Crude fat is a solvent-extraction measurement of total lipid content. It tells you how much fat is present. It does not tell you whether that fat is fresh or oxidised, what its fatty acid profile is, or what ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 it delivers. The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids has direct relevance to inflammatory response, coat quality, and joint health — and it is invisible on a standard guaranteed analysis. Canine Plus+ Balance discloses a minimum of 1.8% omega-3.
Crude Fibre: A Ceiling, Not a Measurement
Crude fibre is listed as a maximum, not a minimum — meaning the product contains no more than the stated percentage. The measurement method also captures only insoluble fibre fractions. Soluble fibre, fermentable fibre, and prebiotic compounds — which affect gut microbiome diversity and stool quality — are substantially underestimated or absent from crude fibre figures entirely. Two products with identical crude fibre maximums can produce noticeably different stool consistency, gut transit time, and microbiome outcomes.
Moisture: The Number That Changes Everything
Moisture is the water content of the product as packaged. Dry kibble typically runs 8–12%. Wet food typically runs 75–82%. Comparing the crude protein of a dry food at 10% moisture directly against a wet food at 78% moisture produces a misleading result.
The correct method: dry matter basis. Formula: Dry matter % = (Nutrient % as stated) ÷ (100 − Moisture %) × 100. Example using Canine Plus+ Balance (28.4% protein, 10% moisture): 28.4 ÷ 90 × 100 = 31.6% protein on a dry matter basis. Any comparison between two products should use dry matter basis values, not as-stated values.
What Is Absent from the Panel
Four nutritionally significant dimensions are not captured on a standard guaranteed analysis: digestibility coefficient (the proportion actually absorbed), amino acid profile (whether essential amino acids are present in adequate ratios), omega-3 to omega-6 ratio (absent unless the manufacturer adds a voluntary omega-3 row), and enzymatic activity (absent from guaranteed analysis panels across the industry).
How to Compare Two Products Correctly
A structured approach: convert all percentage values to dry matter basis before comparing; identify the first protein source in the ingredient list for each product; check whether omega-3 is disclosed as a voluntary minimum; note whether vitamins are listed as natural sources, synthetic premix, or both; look for an explicit ‘not in this product’ section. The guaranteed analysis panel is a starting point for evaluation, not a conclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ‘crude’ mean in a guaranteed analysis? ‘Crude’ indicates a chemical extraction method rather than a direct measure of usable nutrient. Crude protein measures total nitrogen. Crude fat measures total solvent-extracted lipid. Crude fibre measures acid and alkali-insoluble residue. These are proxies for nutritional value, not direct measures of bioavailability.
Is a higher crude protein percentage always better? No. A higher crude protein figure from a low-digestibility source may deliver less usable amino acid than a lower figure from a high-digestibility source. Source and bioavailability matter more than the headline number.
How do I convert as-stated values to dry matter basis? Divide the nutrient percentage by (100 minus the moisture percentage), then multiply by 100. For 28.4% protein at 10% moisture: 28.4 ÷ 90 × 100 = 31.6% on a dry matter basis.
What is a reasonable crude protein target for an adult dog? AAFCO minimum for adult maintenance is 18% on a dry matter basis. For active adult dogs, 25–32% DM from a high-digestibility source is a practical benchmark. Source quality is as important as the number.