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Badlands Ranch Information

Badlands Ranch is a new pet food brand that was recently launched in the United States. It was founded by the famous American actress Katherine Heigl, which many will recognize from her years as one of the main characters on the hit show Grey’s Anatomy.

The launch of pet food brands by celebrities is not uncommon, and there are several other examples.

These include Made By Nacho, which was launched by the celebrity chef Bobby Flay; Rachael Ray Nutrish, which was launched by the celebrity chef Rachael Ray; and Halo, which is associated with the famous tv host Ellen Degeneres.

While many will claim the launch of brands like this is a cash grab for celebrities, Katherine Heigl does have some history in the animal space as an animal rights activist.

In 2008 Katherine and her family founded a foundation focused on ending animal cruelty and abuse across the world. The brand claims that Badlands Ranch is an extension of this effort and aims to support the lives of pets.

Katherine Heigl Badlands Ranch

The launch of the brand did garner some media attention, including articles by Forbes and People.

However, outside of the association with Katherine Heigl, there is very limited information available online about the brand, including where the food is produced and if this is done by a third party.

For now, it appears you can only purchase the brand directly from their website, which means it isn’t available on common pet food websites like Chewy, Petflow, or Amazon.

The last general comment we will make is regarding Badland Ranch’s pricing and cost, which, to put it simply, isn’t cheap.

Comparing it to a very similar brand, Ziwi Peak, their air-dried beef recipe can be found on Chewy for around $60 for 2.2lbs, whereas Badlands Ranch’s recipe is priced at around $60 for 1.5lbs.

Given that Ziwi Peak is considered to be one of the best brands in this space, the pricing difference is significant and hard to justify, and many potential customers are already commenting on this.

However, Badlands Ranch does offer some bulk discounts for ordering 3 or 6 bags of their food, which you can see below; however, even with this discount, the cost is still high.

Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete Discount

Badlands Ranch Product Range

While Badlands Ranch only just launched, its product range is extremely small in comparison to most dog food brands.

So far, they only have a single air-dried dog food recipe which is known as Superfoods Complete – Beef Flavor, and then this is joined by a single dog treat called Superfoods Bites.

Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete

If Badlands Ranch achieves the success they are aiming for, it’s likely they will expand this range to include additional flavors of Superfoods Complete, perhaps Chicken, Salmon, or Lamb.

Many other similar brands also expand to produce nonfood products like supplements, and we will have to see if the brand goes also goes in this direction.

Badlands Ranch Nutrition

Given that Badlands Ranch’s dog food recipe is air-dried, it will come as no surprise that it provides excellent nutrition, high in animal-based protein and fat.

You can see this visualized below in our estimation of its nutritional content.

Badlands Ranch Nutrition

With a sum of protein and fat at 65% of the recipe’s nutritional content, this is far above most typical dry dog food recipes.

Most dry dog food recipes would typically have a sum of protein and fat in the 40-50% range.

However, while this sum is impressive when compared to dry dog food when it is compared to some other air-dried dog food brands like Ziwi Peak, this is less impressive as they often have sums in excess of 80 or 90% protein and fat.

Regardless this nutritional profile is well suited to most dogs, especially those that are younger or more active.

We will also note that sometimes we look out for levels of other nutrients such as the Omega Fatty Acids, but sadly Badlands Ranch’s Guaranteed Analysis does not show these as it is not mandatory.

Badlands Ranch Ingredients

High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients

  • Beef
  • Beef Liver
  • Beef Heart
  • Salmon

Given that there is only a single recipe of Badlands Ranch’s Superfood Complete available at this time, there is a very limited number of meat and fish ingredients used by the brand.

Despite this, all of the ingredients found in that recipe are high-quality additions and fantastic sources of animal-based protein and fat.

In addition, the use of organ meat ingredients like Beef Liver and Beef Heart is fantastic as they can boost levels of protein and fat, as well as be dense sources of several beneficial vitamins and minerals that are not abundant in traditional meat cuts.

If that wasn’t enough, many dog owners find that the inclusion of organ meats such as these can improve palatability and taste, making the food more appealing to their dogs.

You can read more about why brands use organ meat ingredients in their recipes in our article Organ Meat Ingredients In Pet Food.

Other Notable Ingredients

The first listed plant-based ingredient found in Badlands Ranch’s Superfood Complete is Flaxseed which is one of the most common ingredients used in the industry.

Flaxseed is added to thousands of pet food recipes throughout the world and is one of the best plant-based sources of the Omega Fatty Acids.

These fatty acids are thought to have several health benefits to dogs, including an improvement in the condition of their skin and coat, as well as improved brain function.

However, there are other benefits to Flaxseed that many are not aware of. You can learn more about these in our article Flaxseed In Dog Food.

Flaxseed Meal

Another inclusion in the recipe is a small portion of Sweet Potatoes, which are a starch ingredient. While not as common as White Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes do see regular inclusion in dog food recipes.

They are typically present to provide a portion of carbohydrates and dietary fiber, and they can be a dense source of both.

However, while they do provide some additional nutrition outside of this carbohydrate content, it is not hugely notable.

Sweet Potatoes

A less common inclusion in dog food recipes that has made its way into Badlands Ranch’s recipe is Pumpkin.

Pumpkin is best known for its high fiber content, which many dog owners and dog food brands take advantage of to improve dogs’ digestion and encourage regular stools.

However, it is also a source of carbohydrates, and it has some other benefits, including high levels of vitamins and minerals like Beta Carotene and Vitamin A.

You can learn more about the use of Pumpkin in dog food and some of the best Pumpkin-including recipes in our article Best Dog Food With Pumpkin.

Pumpkin

Lastly, the recipe contains a tiny portion of Carrots as a minor plant-based ingredient. Carrots are not common in dog food recipes but are used by some brands.

Similar to other vegetables, they can provide a mix of carbohydrates and fiber but also some beneficial vitamins and minerals, most famously, high levels of Vitamin A, which can help to improve and maintain vision.

Badlands Ranch Animal Testing

At this time, we have no information on whether Badlands Ranch participates in invasive or laboratory testing of animals.

However, given Katherine Heigl’s history of animal activism and welfare, we highly doubt this would be the case.

It would be excellent if Katherine and Badlands Ranch could confirm what testing they perform on their website to reassure their customers.

Many smaller dog food brands do not disclose information regarding testing, and this worries many dog owners who think that the food may not be sufficiently tested for long-term consumption.

Regardless, we are strongly against the use of invasive or laboratory testing for the production of pet food recipes and hope that any brands that continue to do so end this practice as soon as possible.

Badlands Ranch Recalls

Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), we do not believe that Badlands Ranch has ever issued a recall which makes Badlands Ranch a recall-free dog food brand.

However, given that Badlands Ranch just launched and is such a young brand, this recall-free record is not a surprise or impressive.

It will take many years of consistent production and distribution for Badlands Ranch to prove that its food is produced with high quality and safety standards.

Recall records are an essential trait for dog food brands, especially young ones like Badlands Ranch, and they can make or break their success.

Regardless of their current record, we always encourage dog owners to be vigilant of any future recalls from Badlands Ranch or any other dog food brand to ensure their dogs remain healthy and safe.

Best of Badlands Ranch

Superfood Complete – Beef Formula Review

Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete

As we touched on earlier, so far, Badlands Ranch only has a single dog food recipe which is the above Superfoods Complete – Beef Recipe.

Sadly, this means we can’t dig into which of their recipes is the best when compared to each other.

However, despite this, the recipe is impressive and worth consideration for many dogs.

A large portion of Beef ingredients, including Beef, Beef Liver, and Beef Heart, is joined by a small portion of Salmon to provide an ample portion of animal and fish-based content.

Thanks to these ingredients, the recipe contains a minimum of 30% protein and a minimum of 14% fat which is above average, especially when compared to traditional dry dog food.

Outside of its meat and fish ingredients, the recipe contains smaller portions of several plant-based ingredients, including Flaxseed, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, and Carrots.

These ingredients help to provide a modest proportion of carbohydrates and fiber, along with several beneficial micronutrients like the Omega Fatty Acids, Vitamin A, and Beta Carotene.

Superfood Bites – Beef Liver Treats Review

Badlands Ranch Superfood Bites Treats

While Badlands Ranch may not offer a wide range of dog food recipes, they do already allow you to accompany your food orders with some treats.

The above Beef Liver treats are Badlands Ranch’s first treat offering and are one of our favorite types of dog treats.

Beef Liver or other organ-meat-based treats are a fantastic choice, both for their nutritional value and their appealing taste.

As they are 100% meat-based, these treats can help to complement your dog’s diet and provide some additional animal-based protein and fat, as well as several beneficial vitamins and minerals.

If that wasn’t enough, organ meats like Liver are extremely appealing to many dogs, making the treats a useful tool for training and obedience.

Badlands Ranch Featured Articles

At this time, Badlands Ranch has yet to be featured in any of our articles.

Badlands Ranch Full Product Range

Dog Food

Superfood Complete

Dog Treats

Superfood Bites