This Week in Animal Health: Trone Research and Brakke Consulting Announce EquineMega Study

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Brakke Consulting’s
Animal Health News & Notes for September 5,2025
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Lynn Fondon DVM MBA
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IN THE NEWS:
Brakke Consulting News
Equine Mega Study VI – Preorder Now

Other News
Animal Referral & Emergency Network (AREN)- AUS
Boehringer Ingelheim
Balmoral Funds
DSM-Firmenich
Elevated Veterinary Solutions
Ethos Veterinary Health Partners
FoW Partners
FUJIFILM (Europe)
Greencross Vets-AUS
Hennessy Research Associates
Instinct Science
Kemin
MRM Health
Nestle S.A
Pioneer Veterinary Products Limited (UK)
RAWR
VetRec
VetSoftwareHub
VitalRADS
Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition
Zoetis
Zomedica

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Brakke Consulting
Now Available for Pre-Order: Equine Mega study VI
The most comprehensive look into U.S. horse owner purchasing behavior and trends—2025 Edition

The Equine Mega study VI is the most comprehensive resource on horse owner spending and behavior available in the U.S. equine industry. Fielded in 2025, this updated study provides deep insights into what influences owner preferences, their brand loyalty in product use, and how product use has evolved over the past five years.

• Over 1,000 U.S. horse owners surveyed

• Covers 450+ brands across 20+ product categories

• Tracks spending, product use frequency, and brand trends

• Includes media consumption, purchasing channel preferences and trends, and decision influences

• Expanded insights on regenerative medicine and joint therapy, and more 

• New This Year – Health and fitness technology, financial tools, and management of chronic disease

The cost of the report is $19,500. Orders placed early qualify for a $1,500 Early Order Discount, plus an additional $1,000 discount for previous purchasers.

For more information contact project manager Dr. Chuck Johnson at cjohnson@brakkeconsulting.com or to place an order contact Amanda McDavid at amcdavid@brakkeconsulting.com or call 336-396-3916.

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COMPANY NEWS RELEASES

• A swine vaccine with advanced protection against circovirus type 2 has been launched by Boehringer Ingelheim in the US. (company press release)
• Following the recent dismissal of Lauren Freixe, Nestle SA appointed Philipp Navratil as CEO. (company press release)
• Zoetis has partnered with VitalRADS to provide access to teleradiology services through and integration with Zoetis Virtual Laboratory. (com)
• Kemin Industries acquired Hennessy Research Associates, a Kansas-based veterinary contract research and vaccine manufacturing organization. (com)
• Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition has been acquired by Balmoral Funds with a plan to create a new platform for custom feed solutions under the Rangen brand. (com)
• Pioneer Veterinary Products Limited has formed a partnership to expand the presence of Zomedica’s point of care solutions in the UK veterinary market. (com)
• A multi-year partnership between Ethos Veterinary Health and VetRec will bring AI-assisted documentation to over 140 specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals. (com)
• The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society has partnered with Instinct Science to offer complimentary access to Plumb’s veterinary drug reference to all members. (yahoo.com)
• VetSoftwareHub launched its free marketplace designed to help veterinary practices evaluate and purchase the most appropriate software solutions for their practice. (com)
• FoW Partners, a private investment firm has partnered with Elevated Veterinary Solutions to launch a tech powered, employee -centric veterinary hospital that will expand access to veterinary care. The first hospital is set to open in 2025. (com)
• Findings in a case of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a cat has suggested a link between the strain detected in the cat and in certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, which the cat had consumed before falling ill. (gov)
• MRM Health, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on live biotherapeutic products closed a $64 million series B funding round that will enable them to complete phase 2b clinical trials for its lead program. (com)
• Trust & Licensing Focus. When it comes to prescription medications like Xanax, patients often worry about whether the source is safe and legal. Our clinic is fully licensed in the United States, operating both an on-site and online pharmacy, which means every order is reviewed by certified healthcare professionals. Through our telemedicine program, you can consult with a licensed physician, receive a valid prescription if appropriate, and have your medication shipped directly to your door. This process ensures compliance with U.S. regulations and keeps your health as the top priority. If you’re searching for a safe and reliable option to manage anxiety or panic disorders, you can confidently buy Xanax (Alprazolam) online from our trusted pharmacy.
• EUROPE-A new in-house diagnostic system has been launched in Europe by FUJIFILM. (com)
• AUS- Heidi Health, a purpose built AI medical scribe, has been rolled out within Australia’s largest pet wellness company including Greencross Vets and Animal Referral & Emergency Network. (com.au)
• INDIA-  A new feed additive plant focused on Mycotoxin risk management solutions has opened in Hyderbad, India by DSM- Firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health. (ai)

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ANIMAL HEALTH STOCK PRICE TRACKER

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ANIMAL HEALTH NEWS

• US- SUSTAINABILITY- The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) published a white paper on the environmental sustainability practices of veterinary groups in the US. (yahoo.com)
• US- NEW DEAN- Murray State has appointed Dr. Laura Ken Hoffman as the dean of the yet-to-be finalized School of Veterinary Medicine.  Approval of a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine program is needed by the Council of Post Secondary Education’s (CPE)  first and a decision on this is expected by November. ( org)
• AMERICAS-FMD- The Regional Foot-and- Mouth Disease Antigen Bank (BANVACO), a coordinated effort from the Pan American Health Organization, launched as a network of supplier laboratories that store antigens that can be quickly formulated into vaccines in case of emergency. (news)
• INDIA- GUIDELINES- The first official guidelines for animal blood transfusions were announced. The guidelines include mandating blood typing and crossmatching. (com)
• EU- NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced Dr. Nikolaus Kriz as the Executive Director. (europa.eu)

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BRAKKE CONSULTING VIEWPOINT
It always seemed to me the week after Labor Day was more than the end of the summer here in the US. It was the time of the year when we had to get serious about forecasting full-year performance and start planning in earnest for the next year. I’ll bet some of you are working on your spreadsheets right now.

Let’s look at some publicly traded AH company performance metrics over the last 12 months (TTM) to help estimate what industry growth looks like this year and next. In this table are revenue growth rates and as an indicator of spending, SG&A expenses. These are as reported numbers, so the effects of exchange are not considered.

As our Industry Overview attendees know, we estimated currency corrected growth in 2024 at 6.7% and that the 10-year CAGR is 5.8%. If you consider the devaluation of the USD this year, which will likely cost about 2 points of total USD industry growth, it looks like another typical year in 2025 for industry revenue growth. Interestingly, where we have data, SG&A expense growth is higher than revenue growth in each company. Keep working on those spreadsheets.

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YOUR VIEW

Your View
Last week, we asked you about AI and emotional intelligence and which statement you best reflected your view.  Here are the results:

Wonder if the AI is training off of high or low emotional intelligence people?  Ha.

This week, we announced the launch of our sixth Equine MegaStudy, which we are excited to do with our JV partner, Trone Research and Consulting.  If AI can connect with humans in the future, horses have connected with humans for centuries.  As Winston Churchill once said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

Let’s see how close our readers are to horses – which statement best describes your connection: