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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for June 12, 2015
Copyright © Brakke Consulting, Inc.
Editor: Lynn Fondon DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke Consulting news
new consultant joins Brakke
US Animal Health Industry Webinar
Transaction assistance
earnings news
Sanderson Farms
other news
BF Treat Company
Blue Buffalo
Boehringer Ingelheim
Burns and Associates
Chuck Latham Associates
Ethical Products
Marshall Pet Products
Merial
Neogen
Procter & Gamble
Spectrum Brands
Vets Plus
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BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
DR. CARY CHRISTENSEN JOINS BRAKKE TEAM
Brakke Consulting is pleased to announce that Cary Christensen, DVM, has joined Brakke Consulting, Inc. as a senior consultant after over 20 years at Bayer Animal Health. In his role at Bayer, Dr. Christensen was responsible for sales, marketing and technical support for the food animal and equine lines of pharmaceutical and parasiticides; he was also in charge of the US business development prior to managing the food animal business. Dr. Christensen will be focusing his consulting on the production animal and poultry markets.
Cary will be based in the Kansas City area and can be reached at crychris123@gmail.com or 913-205-6578.
www.BrakkeConsulting.com
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COMPANY EARNINGS RELEASES
> Sanderson Farms reported results for its fiscal 2015 second quarter ended April 30. Net sales were $717 million, an 8% increase compared to the comparable period in the prior year. Net income was $71.2 million, a 40% increase compared to the prior year comparable quarter. (Feedstuffs)
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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES
> The Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) Health Management Center has developed and will offer, starting July 1, the industry’s first commercially available quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Lawsonia (ileitis) using fecal samples. Uniquely, the new quantitative PCR test provides customers with bacterial concentration levels. (Vet Advantage)
> Neogen announced the launch of the new AccuPoint Advanced ATP Hygiene Monitoring System. The system features samplers with new technology to more consistently collect any potential residues left behind after sanitation efforts; an enhanced compact instrument to better detect any residues collected by the samplers; and user-friendly data management software to organize and analyze the system’s test results. (company press release)
> Vets Plus, Inc., the manufacturer of Times Square Foods’ My Skinny dog treats, will now also be the distributor for the line of 12 soft chew and jerky treats. The company will bring the treats to new channels, including pet specialty and veterinary, and expand the line. (company press release)
> Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc. announced it has filed with US regulators to raise up to $500 million in an initial public offering of its common stock. The company is backed by private equity firm Invus Group. Blue Buffalo, founded in 2003, said in the filing that it has about 6% share of the $26 billion US pet food market. (Reuters)
> Marshall Pet Products announced the launch of Earth’s Balance Advanced Hydrogel Wound and Skin Care. The product creates a micro-barrier gel that protects the wound and removes dead tissue to help skin cells regenerate and renew. (Pet Business)
> Ethical Products announced it has acquired the BF Treat Company, maker of Healthy Balance dog treats. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Pet Business)
> Chuck Latham Associates (CLA) announced it has acquired Burns and Associates, a leading manufacturer representative firm in the Southwest. The deal follows CLA’s purchase of Tomas Sales earlier this year. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Pet Business)
> FRANCE Merial announced it will spend EUR 40 million ($45 million) on its Lyon Porte-des-Alpes facility, Merial’s largest biologics production facility, to increase its global biologics manufacturing capacity. The funds will be used to introduce the latest generation of bioreactors to the facility. (Animal Pharm)
> EU Spectrum Brands Holdings Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of Procter & Gamble’s European pet food business, consisting of the Iams and Eukanuba premium brands for dogs and cats. Financial terms were not disclosed. (PetFoodIndustry.com)
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BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
US ANIMAL HEALTH INDUSTRY WEBINAR
JULY 7, 2015
Brakke Consulting, Inc. will present a two-hour webinar entitled “The U.S. Animal Health Industry” on Tuesday, July 7 from 11 am – 1 pm CDT.
Presented by senior consultants John Volk and David Goodnight, DVM, MBA, the two-hour presentation will include a review of the current issues impacting the U.S. animal health industry and veterinary profession. The webinar will also highlight results of a just-completed study on how pet owners are changing their purchasing patterns for animal health products. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
The cost of registering for the webinar is $385 per person. The deadline for registering is Wednesday, July 1.
To register, go to www.BrakkeConsulting.com and scroll down to the “What’s new” area.
www.BrakkeConsulting.com
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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS
> IRELAND – BSE A case of suspected BSE has been identified on a dairy farm in County Louth in Ireland. The suspected BSE was found in a five-year-old cow, and was identified through the Department’s ongoing surveillance system of animals which die on farms; the animal was not presented for slaughter and did not enter the food chain. The report comes just after the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) moved to recognize Ireland as a country having a “negligible risk” for BSE. (Independent.ie)
> NORTH AMERICA – COOL Following the May 18 World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling against the US COOL requirement, Canadian officials have filed a request for authorization from the WTO to impose more than CA$3 billion (US$2.4 billion) in retaliatory measures against US exports to Canada in response to US country of origin labeling (COOL) laws. Canada’s request is to be considered by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body on June 17. Mexico has also been actively seeking an end to COOL, and is requesting authorization for over US$653 million in retaliatory measures. (Watt Agnet)
> US – GMO LABELING The USDA has developed a new government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified organisms. The certification, which is the first of its kind, would be voluntary and companies would have to pay for it. If approved, the foods would be able to carry a “USDA Process Verified” label along with a claim that they are free of GMOs. (New York Times)
> US – AVIAN INFLUENZA According to Feedstuffs magazine, industry experts have estimated that current losses due to avian influenza in poultry production, egg production and related businesses are more than $1 billion. The losses in Minnesota alone are an estimated $310 million. (Feedstuffs)
> US – NON-ANTIBIOTIC DISEASE PROTECTION Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison claim to have developed an antibiotic-free method of disease protection for a range of food animals. The researchers vaccinated layer hens to produce antibodies to the cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10), a small cell-signaling protein that can be manipulated by bacteria and other pathogens to defeat the immune system during infection. The researchers subsequently put the antibodies in eggs which were sprayed on animal feed. In experiments involving 300,000 chickens, animals which ate feed sprayed with the antibodies proved to be fully protected against coccidiosis. (Animal Pharm)
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BRAKKE CONSULTING, INC.
TRANSACTION ASSISTANCE
Depend on Brakke Consulting to build a market study to meet your company’s needs, whether it is:
• Assessing the feasibility of a new product or technology
• Identifying the opinions and trends of veterinarians, pet owners or producers
• Determining the current market for products
With our in-house database of veterinarians and the ability to custom-tailor surveys of a wide variety of target audiences, we provide reliable insights into this unique industry. We also produce multiclient reports in a number of high-interest animal health market areas. For more information, see our website or call our Dallas office at 972-243-4033.
www.BrakkeConsulting.com
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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
The newsletter this week covers several stories related to several new activities or programs in the OTC pet market. There appears to be a never-ending supply of pet treats into an already crowded market. However, pet treats is one of those areas that keeps growing and encouraging new product entries. If the label claims of these types of products are not too misleading, there is a limited amount of regulatory oversight so the time to market is fairly rapid. There are also a couple of stories related to new diagnostic products or software. We continue to believe that diagnostics has a great future in the animal health, food safety and pet markets.
It is with a great deal of pleasure that we are able to announce that Cary Christensen, DVM has joined Brakke Consulting. Many of you know Cary from his more than 20 years at Bayer Animal Health where he held a number of management roles. Cary will focus on the food animal sector of our consulting business and will be able to provide our clients with recent expertise and insights into the changing food animal sector. Cary will be based in Kansas City and can be reached at 913-205-6578 or crychris123@gmail.com. Please feel free to call or email Cary directly.
Have a great weekend!
Ron Brakke
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Any use of the contents herein should be approved by and appropriately attributed to Brakke Consulting, Inc.
For more information about Brakke Consulting’s services and syndicated studies, visit our website at www.brakkeconsulting.com.
Brakke Consulting, Inc.
12005 Ford Rd., Suite 530
Dallas, TX 75234 USA