Animal Health News & Notes for November 26, 2003

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 Brakke Consulting’s
 Animal Health News & Notes for November 26, 2003
 Copyright © Brakke Consulting, Inc.
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You can now use this section to jump directly to a news item about a particular company.  Simply click on the company name.
 
JUMP TO:
 
earnings:
Virbac Corporation
 
other news:
Conagra Foods, Inc. (Pilgrim’s Pride)
Conagra Foods, Inc.  (UAP)
eMerge Interactive, Inc.
Hacco
Hess & Clark
Kyoto Boeki Kaisha
Neogen Corporation
Pilgrim’s Pride
Triad Specialty Products
Tyson Foods, Inc.
UAP (ConAgra)
UAP (Neogen)
 
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Upcoming Industry Events in 2004
please visit our website calendar for links to many of these events.
 
January
12         Brakke Consulting 2004 US Animal Health &
            Nutrition Overview  NYC
17-21    North American Veterinary Conference
28-30    International Poultry Expo
28-31    Cattle Industry Annual Convention & Trade Show
28-1      PIDA Management Conference & Annual Mtg
February
08-10    AAFP Winter Conference
15-19    Western Veterinary Conference
26-29    Midwest Veterinary Conference
28-29    PIDA PETS 2004
March
01-5     AFIA Spring Forum
05-7     Malaysia Int’l Pet Expo 2004
06-9     AASP Annual Meeting
17-19    APPMA Annual Pet Products Trade Show
20-24    AAHA Annual Meeting
29-31    Pet Food Forum
April
16-18    HH Backer Pet Industry Spring Trade Show
13-16    Interzoo
16-18    AVDA Meeting
June
09-12    ACVIM Meeting
10-12    World Pork Expo
16-20    Southeast Veterinary Conference
July
07-10    Canadian VMA Convention
24-28   AVMA Annual Convention
August
09-13   Cattle Industry Summer Conference
26-29    Rio Vet Trade Show & S. Amer. Vet Conference
28-31    Central Veterinary Conference
September
23-25    AABP Annual Meeting
23-26    Southwest Veterinary Symposium
October
06-9      WSAVA World Congress
07-10    Wild West Veterinary Conference
08-10    HH Backer Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show
12-14    Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference
15-18    AAFP Fall Conference
December
04-8     AAEP Convention
 
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COMPANY EARNINGS RELEASES
 
> Virbac Corporation announced that, based upon information developed thus far in an ongoing inquiry conducted by the Audit Committee of its Board of Directors, the Company expects to issue revised financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2001 and 2002 and for the quarters ended March 31 and June 30, 2003 and that its previously issued financial statements for these periods should no longer be relied upon.  (Business Wire) top

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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES
 
>  ConAgra Foods Inc. completed its previously announced divestiture of its chicken processing business to Pilgrim’s Pride. This divestiture is part of ConAgra Foods’ ongoing plan to reshape its portfolio to focus on its branded and value-added food businesses.  For its chicken business, ConAgra Foods received $300 million in cash, and more than 25 million shares of Pilgrim’s Pride stock. The sale price was based on the $545 million book value of the chicken business at the time of closing. (PRNewswire) top
 
>  ConAgra Foods Inc. completed divestiture of United Agri Products (UAP), its US and Canadian crop inputs business, to Apollo Management, LP. This divestiture completes the strategic reshaping of ConAgra Foods into a branded and value-added packaged foods company.  For United Agri Products, ConAgra Foods received $500 million in cash, and $60 million in the form of preferred securities.  (Business Wire) top
 
>  Neogen Corp. acquired Hacco, Inc., and Hess & Clark, Inc. both wholly-owned companies of United Agri Products, a subsidiary of ConAgra Foods, Inc.  Hacco, a manufacturer of rodenticides, had revenues of approximately $8 million in its most recently completed fiscal year.  Hess & Clark’s primary products are disinfectants to rid pathogenic organisms from animal production and food processing facilities, and proprietary antibacterials for animals.   In its previous fiscal year, Hess & Clark’s annual revenues for these products were approximately $2 million. In exchange for the two companies, Neogen will pay ConAgra approximately $12 million, including the assumption of certain liabilities.  (company press release) top
 
>   Tyson Foods Inc. announced the formalization of the Office of Animal Well-Being at its Springdale headquarters, under the leadership of veterinarian and animal welfare expert Dr. Kellye Pfalzgraf. (AnimalNet) top
 
>  Triad Specialty Products introduced equine veterinarians to Serene Feed-Through Fly Control, a new product in the final stages of the regulatory process that drastically reduces fly populations in and around horse barns and stables.  Effective against both house and biting stable flies, the product targets immature flies.  Formulated as a pelleted top dressing given with each horse’s feed, the product passes directly through the horse and is deposited in the manure where flies lay eggs and breed.  (company press release) top
 
>  eMerge Interactive, Inc. announced it has shipped the VerifEYE Solo meat-inspection system to the Japanese beef industry through Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha (KBK), who has been appointed a distributor for the Japanese market. (company press release) top
 
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GET READY!
 
Brakke Consulting’s 2003 US Flea Control and Heartworm Markets will be available the first week of December, immediately after the US Thanksgiving holiday. 
 
This year’s report will include an all-new veterinarian survey, exploring such topics as K9 Advantix, ProHeart 6, the use of prescription fulfillment services, and the impact of internet and pet store sales of the products traditionally sold through veterinarians.  A poll of pet stores to determine the prevalence of the sale of veterinary flea products is also included.  The report will discuss pet owner compliance, the latest hot-button topic in small animal veterinary practice.  Up-to-date product sales and trends for the veterinary products, as well as an overview of the trends in OTC sales, including internet sales of traditionally veterinary-exclusive products, are also be included in the report. 
 
The report will be available until December 19, 2002 at an early-order price of $4,000.  Studies ordered after the Christmas holiday will be priced at $4,500.
 
For more information, call 972-243-4033 or email Dr. Lynn Fondon at lfondon@brakkeconsulting.com.
 
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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS
 
>  THAILAND  Plans were approved to standardize the local swine industry in three years as part of the governments efforts to promote 2004 as the year of food safety.  The plans would ensure a sanitary and chemical-free production process of pork from farm to table. (AnimalNet)

>  CHINA  Rabies cases leapt nearly 63% in China in the first 9 months of 2003.  Rabies, referred to as “mad dog disease” in Chinese, killed 1297 people, up to the end of September 2003, far exceeding the 1003 deaths the Health Ministry reported for all of 2002. This is the 5th straight year that China has seen a big jump in rabies infections.  Experts form the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention are blaming the trend on pet ownership, the shaky quality of vaccinations, the public’s weak awareness of vigilance and the low vaccination rate among dogs as the major causes of the rapid rise in cases.  The ministry said earlier this year that rabies was the most deadly infectious killer in China, well surpassing SARS and AIDS. (Animal Net)

>  US  Federal inspectors are finding less meat contaminated with salmonella, the leading cause of food poisoning, according to the US Agriculture Secretary. Inspectors found salmonella in just 3.6% of raw meat and poultry sampled in 2003, the lowest rate in six years. The rate was 4.29% in 2002, and 5.03% in 2001. (AP)
 
>  US   Broiler parts in September 2003 totaled 185,186 metric tons valued at $129.25 million, increases of 20.1% percent and 47.2%, respectively, over the September 2002 quantity, according to the National Chicken Council. Of the top 15 broiler parts markets, ten countries had both quantities and value above year earlier levels. Russia was the top market this September with 50,855 metric tons valued at $32.40 million.   During January to September 2003, broiler parts exports were 1.73 million metric tons valued at $1.01 billion, compared with 1.69 million metric tons valued at $998.9 million during the same period in 2002. (Meating Place) 
 
>   UK   Criminal gangs are making large profits from an illicit meat trade in the United Kingdom, according to Scotsman.com.  Wales is becoming a hotbed for the illegal production of smokies, an ethnic delicacy produced by blow-torching the skin of a sheep or goat that gives the meat a charred flavor.  Under European Union regulations, smokies are illegal because the spinal column is left intact. The multi-million dollar illegal trade includes conventional cuts of meat from sheep that are slaughtered illegally and without health or safety checks. (Meating Place)
 
>  US   Yorktown Technologies, LP announced that the first genetically modified pet will be available to consumers in the US immediately following the holidays.  The GloFish Red Zebra Danio, originally created to help fight environmental pollution is a bright red florescent zebra fish that will be sold in retail stores.  (AnimalNet)
 
>  US   The Hostway Corp. announced the launch of DomainsForYourPet.com, a new online service to register a Web site address for your dog, cat or any other non-human companion.  Pet owners or their friends can use DomainsForYourPet.com to establish full ownership of a Web site name for Spot or Tabby, set up a free “under construction” page, and have access to an online control panel for managing the site. (Business Wire)
 
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Brakke Consulting’s
2004 Animal Health and Nutrition Overview
“Your Customers, Now and in the Future”

The Brakke Consulting team is spending a great deal of time creating our 2004 Annual Overview Presentation of the industries we serve. The 2004 Overview will focus on the following areas:

 -How the customer has changed, and how that will impact your business in the future
 -Insights from our Practice Management Group on the small and large animal veterinary markets
 -Analysis and projections for the OTC animal markets
 -Analysis and review of the consolidation in food animals
 -How product mixes have changed and will change in the future
 -How management and personnel has changed, and will need to change to successfully meet future challenges
 -How companies will need to change in their recruitment and training programs to keep pace with the needs of a changing market
 -Brakke Consulting’s views on successes and challenges for the leading companies
 -Brakke Consulting’s industry projections for 2004        

 
You can register for the first two opportunities to attend the 2004 Industry Overview online at www.brakkeconsulting.com and use the links on our home page to complete your registration.
 
 – January 12, 2004 New York City
 – January 19, 2004 Orlando, Florida at the NAVC
 
For more details or to reserve your seat, please call Jane Morgan at 972-243-4033 or email jmorgan@brakkeconsulting.com.
 

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
 
Brakke Consulting wishes all of our subscribers a happy Thanksgiving holiday.

Ron Brakke
John Mannhaupt
Lynn Fondon
Roger Cummings
Karen Felsted
Jane Morgan
John Volk
John Short
Jay Lockhart
Ken Berkholtz
Kevin Scott
Dick Miles
Atsuo Hata
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Consulting, Inc.
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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.

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