For most healthy adult dogs, N&D Ancestral Grain wins — the low-glycemic spelt and oat blend gives you Farmina's high animal-ingredient ratio without an all-legume carb base. Choose Prime only if grains are off the table, and reserve the Quinoa Functional line for a specific, vet-confirmed issue. Carb source is the deciding factor. Start by browsing our dry dog food selection.
Farmina is an Italian brand with a Serbian and Italian manufacturing footprint, and it shows up constantly in conversations at our counter because the bags all look similar but the formulas behave differently in the bowl. If you want the broader brand background first, our Farmina dog and cat food review for Canadian buyers covers sourcing, recalls and quality control. This piece is narrower: three product lines, side by side, with the numbers that actually change your decision.
What do the guaranteed analysis numbers say about each N&D line?
Across adult formulas, all three Farmina N&D lines sit around 30% protein content, with fat content ranging from roughly 18% in Ancestral Grain and Quinoa recipes to about 20% in several Prime formulas. Caloric density lands near 3,950–4,100 kcal/kg, which is high relative to many mainstream kibbles.
That density matters more than the protein headline. A food at 4,065 kcal/kg feeds a smaller daily gram amount than one at 3,500 kcal/kg, which changes how long a 12 kg bag lasts. Fibre content typically runs 2.5–3.5% in the standard lines, climbing in weight-management and digestion recipes where beet pulp and psyllium are used deliberately.
A few other numbers worth checking on your specific bag's guaranteed analysis:
- Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio — Farmina publishes this on most labels, often in the 5:1 to 8:1 range for chicken recipes and tighter on fish-based Quinoa Skin & Coat formulas.
- Glucosamine and chondroitin — listed in mg/kg on joint-focused recipes; the standard adult formulas rely on cartilage and fish oil rather than high supplemental doses.
- Calcium and phosphorus — relevant if you're feeding a large-breed puppy, where AAFCO growth profiles cap calcium for dogs expected to exceed 70 lbs as adults.
Every N&D recipe we stock is formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for its stated life stage. A 2026 revision to AAFCO's model regulations continues the push toward clearer nutritional adequacy wording on pet food panels, so the life-stage line on the back of the bag is the one to read before the marketing on the front.
How do the ingredient panels and carbohydrate sources compare?
The single biggest structural difference between the lines is the carbohydrate base: Ancestral Grain uses low-glycemic spelt and oats, Prime is completely grain-free and leans on peas and pea fibre, and the Quinoa Functional line swaps in quinoa as a pseudo-grain carrier alongside targeted functional botanicals.
Farmina describes Ancestral Grain as roughly 60% animal ingredients, 20% ancestral grains, and 20% fruit, vegetables, vitamins and minerals. Prime shifts that to approximately 70% animal ingredients and 30% botanicals with zero grain. Both use dehydrated and fresh meat near the top of the ingredient list, plus pomegranate, blueberry or orange depending on the recipe.
Why does the carb source matter in practice? The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine has investigated reports linking some grain-free diets heavy in peas, lentils and potatoes with dilated cardiomyopathy, and while no causal mechanism has been confirmed, many veterinarians now prefer a grain-inclusive formula unless there's a documented reason to avoid grain. Ancestral Grain lets you keep Farmina's meat ratio while sidestepping that conversation entirely.
The Quinoa Functional line is a different animal. These are single-purpose recipes — Skin & Coat with herring and quinoa, Digestion with lamb and fennel, Weight Management, Urinary, and Joint — built as limited ingredient style diets with one primary protein. In our store we see customers reach for these during spring and fall allergy swings, and they often work well as a trial food. They are not, however, a replacement for a prescription diet or a proper elimination trial supervised by your vet.
Which kibble size and life stage fits your dog?
Ancestral Grain and Prime both come in breed-size variants — Mini, Medium and Maxi — while the Quinoa Functional recipes are generally offered in a single mid-size kibble. Mini kibble is a small, dense disc suited to dogs under about 10 kg; Maxi kibble is noticeably larger and encourages chewing in dogs over 25 kg.
Kibble size isn't cosmetic. A Chihuahua gulping Maxi kibble will drop pieces, and a Labrador fed Mini kibble inhales it without a single chew — which contributes to the fast-eating pattern nobody wants in a deep-chested dog. Our nutrition experts at the North York store ask for weight and breed before recommending a bag, because switching from Medium to Maxi has solved more "my dog won't finish his food" complaints than changing protein ever has.
On life-stage formulation, Farmina splits into Puppy (Mini/Medium/Maxi), Adult, and Senior-appropriate adult recipes, plus specific starter formulas. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association recommends matching food to life stage rather than feeding a single all-life-stages product indefinitely, particularly for large-breed puppies where controlled calcium intake affects skeletal development.
Quick line-by-line fit notes
- Ancestral Grain — healthy adult dogs, active dogs, owners who want grain-inclusive without corn or wheat.
- Prime — dogs with a confirmed grain sensitivity, or households already running a grain-free rotation.
- Quinoa Functional — targeted support for skin, digestion, weight or urinary concerns, used alongside veterinary guidance.
How do you calculate Farmina feeding cost per day?
Divide your bag price by the grams your dog eats daily to get true cost per day. A 25 kg adult dog eating Ancestral Grain Medium needs roughly 270–290 g per day, so a 12 kg bag lasts about 41–44 days. On the slightly denser Prime formulas, that same dog eats closer to 265–280 g daily.
Run the math with your own dog's weight rather than ours. The formula is simple:
- Find your dog's daily gram amount on the feeding chart (or calculate from kcal needs ÷ kcal per gram).
- Divide total bag weight in grams by that daily amount to get days per bag.
- Divide the bag price by days per bag.
Worked examples at roughly 4,000 kcal/kg:
- 7 kg small dog — about 110 g/day; a 2.5 kg bag lasts roughly 23 days, a 7 kg bag about 64 days.
- 18 kg medium dog — about 215 g/day; a 12 kg bag lasts roughly 56 days.
- 35 kg large dog — about 350 g/day; a 12 kg bag lasts roughly 34 days.
Two practical notes. First, buying the largest bag your dog will finish within six to eight weeks of opening almost always lowers cost per day — fat oxidizes once the bag is open, so don't buy a 12 kg bag for a 7 kg dog. Second, our price match guarantee applies to Farmina, so the per-day figure you calculate should hold.
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Skip each line if these describe your dog
No single N&D line suits every dog, and the honest mismatches are easy to spot. Grain intolerance rules out Ancestral Grain; cardiac history or a vet's grain-free caution rules out Prime; and a healthy dog with no specific complaint doesn't need the Quinoa Functional line at all.
Skip Ancestral Grain if your dog has a diagnosed sensitivity to spelt, oats or gluten, or if an elimination trial pointed at grain. Also skip it if you need a true single-protein limited ingredient diet — these recipes include multiple botanical ingredients by design.
Skip Prime if your veterinarian has flagged grain-free diets for your breed, if your dog has a heart murmur or DCM-predisposed lineage such as Doberman or Golden Retriever, or if legumes have historically caused gas and loose stool. Pet owners tell us pea-heavy foods are the most common trigger behind "my dog is suddenly gassy."
Skip Quinoa Functional if you're shopping on symptoms alone. A dog scratching in July in the GTA is far more likely reacting to ragweed and grass pollen than to chicken, and a food swap won't fix an environmental allergy. Get the diagnosis first, then match the formula. Supportive add-ons from our dog health and wellness range often make more sense in that window than a full diet change.
Farmina N&D line comparison table
| Feature | N&D Ancestral Grain | N&D Prime | N&D Quinoa Functional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Healthy adult and active dogs | Confirmed grain sensitivity | Targeted skin, digestion, weight or urinary support |
| Carbohydrate base | Spelt and oats (low-glycemic) | Grain-free; peas and pea fibre | Quinoa plus functional botanicals |
| Animal ingredient ratio | Approx. 60% | Approx. 70% | Single primary protein, limited ingredient style |
| Typical protein / fat | ~30% / ~18% | ~30% / ~20% | ~30% / ~18% |
| Kibble sizes | Mini, Medium, Maxi | Mini, Medium, Maxi | Generally one mid-size kibble |
| Price tier | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Available at Ashario | Shop dry dog food | Shop dog food | Shop wellness picks |
Shop the Brands Mentioned in This Article
Find Farmina, Acana, and other premium pet supplies in-store or Browse dry dog food online →.
Common questions about switching between Farmina N&D lines
Can I switch from Prime to Ancestral Grain without a transition period?
No — transition over 7 to 10 days even within the same brand. Start at 25% new food for three days, move to 50% for three days, then 75%, then full. The carb base changes from legume to grain between those lines, and gut microbiota need time to adjust. Rushing it typically causes loose stool for 48 to 72 hours.
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, stretch the transition to 14 days and consider a probiotics supplement during the changeover. When a customer comes in mid-switch with soft stool, that's usually the first thing we suggest before anyone blames the food itself.
Is Farmina N&D worth the price compared to other premium kibbles?
On a cost-per-day basis it's competitive with other high-density premium foods, because the ~4,000 kcal/kg density means you feed roughly 10–15% fewer grams than a 3,500 kcal/kg kibble. The sticker price per bag is higher; the per-meal cost narrows considerably. Compare using grams fed, not bag price.
That said, brand loyalty matters less than fit. Canadian-made options like Acana and Orijen hit similar protein content with a different ingredient philosophy, and our made in Canada pet products page is a good place to compare if domestic sourcing is a priority for you.
Which Farmina line should I feed a puppy?
Choose a Farmina N&D Puppy formula in the breed size matching your dog's projected adult weight — Mini under 10 kg, Medium 10–25 kg, Maxi over 25 kg. Large-breed puppies need controlled calcium, so the Maxi puppy formula is the right call rather than an adult recipe. Confirm the life-stage statement on the bag.
Feed to body condition rather than the chart alone. A visible waist from above and ribs you can feel under light pressure are the targets; research summarized by the National Center for Biotechnology Information links lean growth in puppies to lower lifetime orthopaedic disease risk. Any limping, appetite loss or persistent digestive upset during growth is a veterinary question, not a food-swap question.
At a glance: Ancestral Grain is the default pick for healthy adult dogs thanks to its low-glycemic spelt and oat base and roughly 60% animal ingredients. Prime raises the animal ratio to about 70% but is grain-free and pea-based, making it a conditional choice. The Quinoa Functional line is a targeted tool for a diagnosed issue, not an everyday upgrade — and at roughly 4,000 kcal/kg across all three, cost per day differences come down to grams fed, not bag size.
