Business update: Acquisitions prominent

Evonik acquires Norel’s probiotics business

Norel signed a purchase agreement on July 4, 2016, for the sale of the probiotics business to Evonik Industries. The agreement sees Evonik acquiring Norel’s probiotics product portfolio as well as the company’s site in Leon (Spain). The business will be integrated into Evonik’s Animal Nutrition Business Line. “

Norel’s probiotics business gives Evonik access to the product range and to more than 20 markets including the European market. “Our aim is to be able to provide the most comprehensive and effective solutions possible in the field of animal nutrition in order to contribute to the sustainable nutrition of a growing world population,” stressed Emmanuel Auer (head of the Animal Nutrition Business Line of Evonik).

Merck acquires foothold in Latin America

Merck Animal Health has executed an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Vallée, a leading privately-held producer of animal health products in Brazil. Vallée has an extensive portfolio of more than 100 products spanning parasiticides, anti-infectives and vaccines. The company was founded with the mission of producing a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine for Brazil and has expanded significantly, with distribution centres in Brazil and operations in Paraguay, Venezuela, Mexico and Bolivia.

Under terms of the agreement, Merck Animal Health, through a subsidiary, will acquire approximately 93% of the shares of Vallée at closing, in exchange for a payment of $400 million, based on current exchange rates. This agreement is subject to regulatory review and certain closing conditions.

Nutreco acquires South African firm Advit

Dutch feed company Nutreco has acquired Advit, a South African premix and feed additive company. Head-quartered in Johannesburg, Advit produces a wide range of premixes, farm minerals and animal health products. Trouw Nutrition, Nutreco’s animal nutrition business, entered a strategic alliance with Advit in 2015. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second half of 2016.

Harm de Wildt, Managing Director for Nutreco´s operations in EMEA and member of the Executive Committee: “With the acquisition of Advit we further strengthen our presence on the African continent. The company already has a strong position and reputation in the market. We can help it grow further using the Trouw Nutrition market approach of combining technical and application know-how with innovative products, models and services. Advit will serve as a stepping stone for further developments in southern Africa.”

Aaron Cowieson receives AFIA Poultry Nutrition Research Award

Aaron Cowieson, Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney and Principal Scientist at DSM Animal Nutrition and Health has been awarded the 2016 Poultry Nutrition Research Award by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) in partnership with the Poultry Science Association (PSA). Presented at the annual PSA meeting in New Orleans on 14 July, the award recognises his sustained contribution to poultry nutrition and an extensive portfolio of over 100 articles published in peer-reviewed journals.

Over the past 15 years Cowieson has held various research positions in international biotechnology businesses and in academia, most recently as Director of the Poultry Research Foundation within the Veterinary Science Faculty at the University of Sydney, Australia. The focus of Cowieson’s research is mono-gastric nutrition and in particular the effect of exogenous feed enzymes on animal health and nutrition.

Kemin receives FDA approval for chromium propionate use in US broiler diets

The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine has reviewed research from Kemin Industries and approved the use of chromium propionate as a source of chromium in broiler diets. Kemin is the only company with FDA approval to sell a supplemental source of chromium to the US broiler industry at this time.

“The product KemTRACE Chromium has been successfully part of swine (since 2000) and cattle diets (since 2009). More than a dozen peer reviewed journal publications support the use of KemTRACE Chromium. Offering this new nutrient for broiler diets allows producers the opportunity to increase profitability and grow healthy birds to meet consumer protein demand,” the company said in a release announcing the approval.

Pancosma discusses phytomolecules at US poultry conference

Phytomolecules, naturally occurring active components of plant extracts, have been gaining widespread interest due to their success in addressing the challenges of poultry production and performance. Pancosma discussed these issues at the Multi-State Poultry Feeding and Nutrition Conference held at Purdue University in Indianapolis, USA, from 24 – 26 May.

Pancosma’s Technical Sales Manager, Christian Bruneau, explained that in order to perform as an effective feed additive, plant extract blends have to be produced in a standardised manner to guarantee consistent and reliable results, with a clear mode of action. A standardized combination of capsicum and turmeric oleoresins was shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects in response to pathogenic challenge from bacteria and viruses. This blend of phytonutrients showed further beneficial effects in vaccination programs. When combined with a coccidiosis vaccine, broilers achieved the same level of performance compared to a standard rotation programme with AGP and coccidiostats, in response to pathogenic challenge with Eimera tenella.

Agrifirm acquires Polish compound feed company Paszmark

Royal Agrifirm Group has acquired the Polish compound feed company Paszmark. Paszmark has its origin as a family business focused on the poultry, pig and cattle sector and is domiciled in Płosnica near Żuromin. Due to Paszmark’s favourable location combined with the spread of the other three Agrifirm Polish compound feed companies in Szamotuły, Margonin and Topola, Agrifirm is taking an important step towards achieving full national coverage of the Polish market. This provides Agrifirm with an excellent basis from which to further increase its market share in Poland.

The acquisition of the Polish compound feed company Paszmark is in line with the implementation of Agrifirm’s strategy focused on its core activities compound feed, arable farming and horticulture, co-products and specialties. In the implementation of its strategy, Agrifirm is focused on the growth of its foreign activities in areas such as Central and Eastern Europe.