DM% = 100 − Moisture% | DM Nutrient% = Nutrient% / DM% × 100
Comparing pet foods or animal feeds on an as-fed basis is misleading because moisture content varies dramatically: dry kibble 8-12% moisture, canned food 75-82%. To compare fairly, convert to dry matter (DM) basis: DM nutrient% = (as-fed nutrient% / dry matter%) × 100. Example: canned food with 10% protein and 78% moisture = 10/22 × 100 = 45.5% protein DM. Dry food with 25% protein and 10% moisture = 25/90 × 100 = 27.8% protein DM. The canned food actually has higher protein concentration! DM analysis is standard in animal nutrition for formulating rations and meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles.