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Merrick vs. NutriSource

In this comparison article for Merrick vs NutriSource, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Merrick and NutriSource, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.

Throughout this NutriSource vs Merrick comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Merrick Review Page or NutriSource Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: NutriSource vs. Merrick

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.

Merrick Dog Food vs. NutriSource Dog Food

Dry Dog Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Crude Protein	35.9%	28.9%
Crude Fat	17.2%	16.8%
Crude Fiber	4.2%	7.1%

Wet/Canned Dog Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Crude Protein	43.9%	43.4%
Crude Fat	21.1%	33.0%
Crude Fiber	8.3%	7.2%

Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food

Protein is an extremely important part of your dog's diet. Without sufficient protein, dogs can develop a wide-range of serious health problems.

Our analysis shows that Merrick guarantees 7.01% more protein than NutriSource dry dog food recipes. For wet dog foods, Merrick and NutriSource provide roughly the same amount of protein.

Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food

Fats are an absolutely vital component of a balanced canine diet. Not only do fats provide energy, but they also serve important roles in the normal development and function of your dog's body. For example, fats help dogs produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among many other significant functions.

NutriSource and Merrick both provide roughly the same amount of crude fat. For wet dog foods, NutriSource provides significantly more fat (about 11.96% more).

According to our data, NutriSource guarantees 2.91% more fiber than Merrick. Although this difference is relatively small, it's still a notable difference. For wet dog foods, Merrick and NutriSource provide roughly the same amount of fiber.

Merrick Cat Food vs. NutriSource Cat Food

Dry Cat Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Crude Protein	40.5%	36.4%
Crude Fat	15.7%	17.9%
Crude Fiber	5.1%	7.8%

Wet/Canned Cat Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Crude Protein	46.9%	46.4%
Crude Fat	21.3%	31.4%
Crude Fiber	6.0%	5.2%

Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food

Protein is an extremely important part of your cat's diet. Without sufficient protein, cats can develop a wide-range of serious health problems.

There is a relatively large difference between the protein content of Merrick and NutriSource. On average, NutriSource dry cat food recipes contain 4.09% less protein than Merrick recipes. For wet cat foods, Merrick and NutriSource provide roughly the same amount of protein.

Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food

There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):

Fats help with the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
Reduce inflammation associated with arthritis
Slow the growth of yeast infections
Prevent or reduce the likelihood of certain heart problems.
Aid in the development of the retina and visual cortex.

There is a small difference between the fat content of NutriSource and Merrick. We can see that NutriSource guarantees about 2.18% more fat than Merrick. In addition, NutriSource wet cat foods also provide more fat than Merrick wet foods.

According to our average data, Merrick typically provides less fiber than NutriSource. However, this difference is relatively small and doesn't represent a significant difference between the two brands. For wet cat foods, Merrick and NutriSource provide roughly the same amount of fiber.

Merrick Pet Food Ingredients vs. NutriSource Pet Food Ingredients

Merrick and NutriSource both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:

Garlic

Canola Oil

Pea Protein

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Merrick.

Caramel Color

Meaty Femur Bone

Powdered Cellulose

Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by NutriSource.

White Rice

Brewers Rice

Dried Tomato Pomace

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Merrick and NutriSource both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Product Safety: Recall History of Merrick & NutriSource?

Merrick has been recalled 6 times.

Jan. 28, 2011: Salmonella
Aug. 8, 2011: Salmonella
July 2, 2010: Salmonella
Aug. 3, 2010: Salmonella
Aug. 13, 2010: Salmonella
May 23, 2018: elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone

According to our records, NutriSource has never been recalled.

Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?

Dry Dog Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Per Pound	$6.15	$2.64
Per Calorie	$0.0036	$0.0015

Dry Cat Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Per Pound	$4.09	$3.25
Per Calorie	$0.0025	$0.0018

Wet Dog Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Per Pound	$5.97	$3.21
Per Calorie	$0.0126	$0.0061

Wet Cat Food	Merrick	NutriSource
Per Pound	$7.55	$6.39
Per Calorie	$0.0168	$0.0119

The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.

If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Merrick or NutriSource, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.

Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Merrick or NutriSource will depend on your shopping habits.

Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Merrick and NutriSource. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.

Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!

Where To Buy Merrick Pet Foods

You can purchase Merrick pet foods from the following stores:

136 Recipes In-Stock Today

107 Recipes In-Stock Today

104 Recipes In-Stock Today

17 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy NutriSource Pet Foods

You can purchase NutriSource pet food products from these retailers:

75 Recipes In-Stock Today

30 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

Product	Merrick	NutriSource
Dry Dog Food	53 Recipes	41 Recipes
Wet Dog Food	58 Recipes	13 Recipes
Dog Treats	35 Treats	11 Treats
Dry Cat Food	18 Recipes	8 Recipes
Wet Cat Food	50 Recipes	10 Recipes
Cat Treats	None	None