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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for October 7, 2011
Copyright © Brakke Consulting, Inc.
Editor: Lynn Fondon, DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke news
Strategic planning
other news
CentaurVA
Ceva
Granco Minerals
Phibro
Prince Agri-Products
Prinova Animal Nutrition
Vetech Labs
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BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
STRATEGIC PLANNING ASSISTANCE
Brakke Consulting is an excellent resource in the strategic planning process. Brakke Consulting’s past assistance in strategic planning has included:
– reviewing the revenue estimates and success probability of the product pipeline
– reviewing the timing of various new product introductions
– benchmarking various functions against company competitors in the larger markets
Brakke Consulting can provide insights and professional assistance that improves the likelihood of success. Please contact us if you would like the benefit of professional assistance in any of these areas. Contact information for all offices are available on our website at www.brakkeconsulting.com or email info@BrakkeConsulting.com .
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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES
> Ceva Sante Animale announced the acquisition of two Canadian companies: Vetech Laboratories Inc., and CentaurVA Animal Health, a division of Centaur Pharmaceuticals Inc. Vetech produces live coccidiosis vaccines for poultry under the trade name Immucox. Centaur’s range of products includes nutraceuticals, joint therapies and infection-control products; the acquisition will provide Ceva with a base for its expansion in the Canadian market. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Feedstuffs)
> Prince Agri Products, Inc. (Prince), a subsidiary of Phibro Animal Health Corporation, announced it has acquired the intellectual property, including patents and trademarks, as well as manufacturing assets for Animate from Granco Minerals, Inc. Animate is an anionic mineral supplement for non-lactating dairy cows. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. (MarketWatch)
> Prinova USA announced the formation of Prinova Animal Nutrition, a new business unit dedicated to its animal feed and pet food industry products. The new unit currently encompasses Crest Flavors palatability products for pet food and commercial animal feed. (Pet Product News)
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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS
> US – FELINE CONTRACEPTIVE Researchers at the University of Florida are testing a contraceptive for cats. Researchers developed the vaccine, called GonaCon, with the help of the USDA. In a recent study, cats injected with the vaccine remained infertile from five months to more than five years; 93% of the cats treated with GonaCon remained infertile for the first year. GonaCon is currently registered for use on female white-tailed deer; the vaccine has also proved successful with other mammals, including bison, horses, elk, and squirrels. (news4jax.com)
> AUSTRIA – CANINE DIABETES A research team at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria has shown that GlucoDay, a continuous subcutaneous blood glucose monitoring system for humans developed by Mennarini Diagnostics, can also be successfully used to provide accurate blood sugar measurements in dogs. The research was published in Veterinary Record. (PRWeb)
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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
This week I had the privilege of participating in a strategic plan review session for one of the leading veterinary schools in the Midwest. In reflecting on the meeting, I’m struck by the number of challenges that the veterinary teaching institutions are facing. The current economic environment has reduced government funding to those associated with land grant colleges, which will need to be replaced by private funding which seems to be slow in developing.
In addition, the rapidly changing pace of the practice of veterinary medicine in both food and companion animal is requiring institutions to look closely at their curriculum and teaching systems. We’re in a new period for veterinary medicine and it appears to us that veterinary schools may be operating under an outdated instructional model.
Several industry participants at the meeting voiced their views regarding how their organizations have already gone through the process of restructuring or reorganizing their operations to compete in a competitive and changing animal health marketplace. The veterinary teaching institutions are hampered by outside and internal constituents that appear to be inhibiting their ability to create significant changes in a timely manner.
One concern we have is that many veterinary schools appear to be resolving their economic issues by increasing the numbers of out-of-state and out-of-country students, who pay higher tuition rates. How long is this approach sustainable in an environment where veterinary students are graduating with well over $125,000 of debt and starting salaries are not increasing at a commensurate rate? The veterinary schools and profession, with industry’s assistance, need to address many of these issues sooner versus later.
Have a good weekend!!
Ron Brakke
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