Mar 2023 - International Petfood magazine

Perendale Publishers Ltd

7 St George’s Terrace

St James’ Square, Cheltenham, Glos, GL50 3PT, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 1242 267700

Publisher Roger Gilbert rogerg@perendale.co.uk

Managing Editor Joy Nelloolichalil joyn@perendale.co.uk

Technical Editor Joe Kearns joek@perendale.com

Nutrition Editor

Prof Simon Davies simond@perendale.co.uk

Editorial team

Shannon Parsons shannonp@perendale.co.uk

Niamh Cassidy niamhc@perendale.co.uk

Community Manager

Levana Hall levanah@perendale.co.uk

International Marketing Team

Darren Parris

Tel: +44 7854 436407 darrenp@perendale.co.uk

Latin America Marketing Team

Clarissa Garza de Yta

Tel: +52 669 120 0140 clarissag@perendale.com

Turkey, Eurasia and Middle East Marketing Team

Mehmet Ugur Gürkaynak

Tel: +90 537 3646457 mehmetg@perendale.com

Egyptian Marketing Team

Mohamed Baromh Tel: +20 100 358 3839 mohamedb@perendale.com

India Marketing Team

Dr T.D. Babu +91 9884114721 tdbabu@aquafeed.org

Asia Marketing Team

Dante Feng Tel: +886 0227930286 dantef@perendale.com

Nigeria Marketing Team

Nathan Nwosu Tel: +234 8132 478092 nathann@perendale.com

Design Manager

James Taylor jamest@perendale.co.uk

Layout Editor

Cristina María Roldán Otero

Tel: +44 1242 267700 cristinaot@perendale.co.uk

Circulation & Events Manager

Tuti Tan

Tel: +44 1242 267706

tutit@perendale.co.uk

Development Manager

Antoine Tanguy antoinet@perendale.co.uk International

FEATURES

14 Vegan dog food?

18 Insect Based Petfood

20 4 reasons to include soy in diet

22 Providing right nutrition for your pet rats

It’s mid-March already and we are publishing our third edition of International Petfood for the year. As you will already know it’s produced in both English and Spanish - although the Spanish edition follows close on the heels of the English issue, and goes out in the third week of the month.

It’s important to publish so that readers of our Spanish-language edition are able to access the magazine in the month of publication.

Roger Gilbert Publisher – International Petfood

We are convinced that we can publish this magazine in other languages as well!

With that said we would be interested to learn what languages should be included and the reasons for your choice. So please let me know if you have a suggestion or two for us to consider.

This month

This is the month VIV Asia 2023 was held at the Impact Expo Centre, its new location, in Bangkok, Thailand. This year it celebrated its 30th Anniversary and the 14th edition (hosted every second year but interrupted by the Covid pandemic in 2020-2021).

While Impact is a distance from the city centre hotels, the exhibition space is superb.

However, without the ‘Sky Train’ connection being completed - which was delayed by the Covid pandemic - there were some transport disruption experienced at the end of each day. But this did not detract from a full-on success of the three-day event that presented over 1180 exhibitors from 57 countries and attracted 47,500 visitors from 112 countries.

This is a phenomenal achievement by the organisers and demonstrates the strength and power of the livestock industry globally!

Pets, pet food ingredients and additives and petfood processing were all in evidence in displays across four of the five sectors making up VIV Asia; which was held in the massive single Challenger Hall that requires no supporting pillars.

The VNU Exhibitions Asia-Pacific will be organising it’s Pet Fair SE Asia later this year (October 25-27, 2023) in Bangkok, but as it will be a smaller show it will be held in the Bitec Centre which does have a ‘Sky Train’ connection.

Pet Fair is joining forces with SuperZoo for mutual support and

Our last edition

Did you miss our February 2023 edition? If so, don’t panic!

You can still read all of the great quality content that we published last month on our App – which you can download from Apple Store, Google Play or online at: https://magstand.com/petfood – with the latter platform granting you the opportunity to see all of our back editions on the screen of your desktop computer.

What you may have missed…

which we report upon in this edition.

Both Thai expo centres are exceptional and the ’Sky Train’ (which should be completed to the Impact Centre by 2025) ensure that visiting Bangkok is a must for everyone working in the petfood manufacturing sector. Note: Please don’t overlook the Victam Asia event, which also includes Health and Nutrition Asia, at this time next year - from March 12-14, 2024.

In this edition

I’m pleased to see our Petfood Tech Editor Joseph Kearns focuses his editorial on the IPPE event from January in Atlanta, USA which gave him an opportunity to meet with extruder manufacturers and his attendance at GEAPS (The Grain Elevator and Processing Society) which took place in Kansas City in the USA in the closing days of February to meet with those in the grain sector handling materials that eventually end up in petfood processing.

Our Petfood Nutrition Editor, Professor Simon Davies has also been travelling extensively and joined our team at VIV Asia 2023 this month.

His editorial focuses firmly on the importance of the amino acid Taurine, a crucial ingredient in maintaining eye health in cats.

Professor Davies’ contributions each month are greatly valued by those who formulate petfood diets, especially when it comes to managing not only the health of our pets but also the avoidance of likely conditions that could come about if overlooked in the formulation process.

Besides our news section we carry features on Vegan Dog Foods, Insect-based Petfood and reasons to include soy in pet diets before reviewing the right nutrition of pet rats.

We have our regular training and troubleshooting pages followed by our Production Focus Sector and Industry Profile - this time it’s the PLP company, which specialises in powder and liquid applications in the production process, that we feature from Italy.

We have our show report section and Victam Insights before concluding with an interview featuring Thomas Kaeser of the 100-year-old German company Kaeser Kompressaren. It’s fascinating to learn about this important company and the man at the helm!

Enjoy this edition!

puppies are small balls of adorable nightmares. The teething process for puppies varies from each breed and their individual health but the average timeline begins and ends roughly between the ages of 3 to 8 months. This article looks into the discusses about best ways to feed puppies when they are teething.

Soothing your Puppy – Teething and Dental by Shannon Parsons,

magazine With sharp little teeth and their playful attitude,

International Petfood

To read more, go to:

https://flickread.com/edition/html/index.php?pdf=63c7dd25c3c64#18

The year is continuing with a fever regarding attendance at trade shows. Already this year having attended the IPPE in Atlanta and the GEAPS show in Kansas City it appears the attendance is up as people are excited to be out and moving among friends and colleagues.

The IPPE show or poultry show as well as the GEAPS show covers many areas for grain and material processing and handling, many used in the petfood industry. Visiting with a number of suppliers it became obvious that new innovations and interest are at an elevated level. Some of the companies visited with possible follow up articles about their advancements in future issues include AGI: supplier of solutions and systems for storage, handling, structures, processing and controls for all types of feed and food industries. They have announced supply and design of the complete lines for pet food production. Extruder suppliers included Marel (Wenger and Extru-Tech), Famsun, Andritz, Ferraz and Buhler were pleasant to meet and see what is new. Other suppliers with related goods such as lab equipment, plant cleaning services and products, roller mill grinding and many others were on display. Specific follow up articles are intended. GEAPS being a material handling show had many interesting exhibitors from magnets, sifters, pneumatic systems, buckets, belts and many others of which most are in your standard pet style feed plant. Follow future issues for articles on these exciting topics as well.

Joseph P Kearns Editor, International Petfood Magazine

No set regulated levels of fresh meat protein or fat for these different styles of products. It is known that increases in liquids and or fats in the extrusion process reduces friction in the extruder barrel thus less expansion and less cook. This is where the shear parameters come into play, also discussed as the specific mechanical energy inputs into the system for that formula style. The other factor is the thermal energy inputs also being modified when petfood fat and meat inclusion levels change.

Topics of the month center around flexibility, vacuum coating, extrusion shear parameters and baked treats. With regards to baked treats, their basis goes back to some of the originally sold cooked petfoods which were typically baked scraps from the various baking industries, bread, cookies and crackers. The other topics amazing fit nicely together as they interrelate. If you don’t have the flexibility to control the shear parameters or energy input then getting the right cell structure for vacuum coating is doubtful.

When discussing flexibility in petfood production product appearance and formulation immediately come to mind. When walking down the petfood aisle what do you see? A wide arrange of product shapes and formulas for various dogs, cats and other pets and their stages of life. Formulas having a big impact on the petfoods for various dog and cat conditions. What is the major function of the extrusion process, cook the formula and as formulas vary the style and type of cook also can vary. You might have to get extreme in formula changes but usually some sort of mechanical change or running conditions are needed for a flexible processing facility to make a wide range and styles of product. Larger producers might have a line for each product they sell while the mid-range and smaller producers need production line flexibility.

Making a simple brown and round kibble is usually the easiest to produce as they would have a lower protein higher starch content thus easy to expand and coat. In this case a basic barrel with lower restriction and high production. As formulas change and more meat and fats are added in the formula and passed through the extruder, single or twin, then the cook level or energy input or amount of shear needs to increase. The industry does not have a set of rules to define the different product types we see in the market, premium, supper premium or ultra-premium, it is simply advertising.

Looking at fat inclusion into the extruder for example, low level inputs or in the area of 7 to 8 percent total fat is usually just the fats existing in the ingredients selected. When adding fat as a liquid pumped in the level can be increased to about 12 percent before any effects are seen in the product. Above 12 percent in many cases the product extruded will start to get heavier in density as the amount of fat added is limiting expansion. The expansion rate reduces as the fat level continues to increase. At about 22 percent total fat in the extruder expansion starts to become more difficult. Up to this point most changes to the extruder would to be restrict the die flow yielding more pressure in the extruder barrel. Development of flow restriction valves at the discharge end of extruders have allowed for this to occur while running. If expansion or the cook desired is not achieved as fat and meat levels increase, then extruder components can be changes to increase shear and retention time in the barrel. Keep in mind restriction to flow increases the shear or SME input in the extruder barrel. In single screws these include screw design and or segmented lobes. Twin screws are similar but designed for twins, 2 sets of lobes or cut flight screws and other possible elements. High meat and fat inclusion levels might require multiple disruption zones along the barrel greatly assisted by variable frequency main drives.

Thermal energy inputs started out by simply preconditioning ingredients to bring them up to temperature and moisture before the extruder barrel. Years of development has shown this to be an important step in the process for high-capacity high yield production over many hours without any ill effects. As formulas changed so did preconditioning to improve mixing, retention time, meat inclusion, cook levels, consistency and controlled temperature at the discharge before the extruder as well as total control of liquid inputs.

Let’s review the use of vacuum coating. First used in aquatic feed production so as to increase the total fat in finished pellets. The situation soon developed that the increasing coated oil did not stay in the kibbles. This is when the technology and understanding of SME and or friction in the extruder barrel coupled with all the other production aspects including water and steam added so as to control the kibbles cell structure to hold the oil. Large cells give up the oil easier than a fine cell structure kibble.

As a final note, systems now exist that take all of these years of developments and technology into account and build production equipment that fits the needs of today’s market, less cereal grains, higher meat, fat and vegetables with controlled cook levels for bacteria control. This is the approach for balancing of thermal and mechanical energy inputs for the modern day petfood production requirements.

Professor Simon Davies Nutrition Editor, International Petfood

Cats Eyes and Nutrition

Cats have excellent vision, which is one of the reasons they are such effective hunters. Our domestic cat is no different to its larger big cat cousins such as the tiger and lion. Cats are able to see well in low light conditions due to their highly sensitive rod cells, which allow them to detect even small amounts of light. This gives them a significant advantage when hunting in the dark. Cats have excellent depth perception, thanks to their binocular vision. Their eyes are positioned on the front of their face, which allows them to focus on a single point and perceive depth accurately. While not as good as humans, cats are able to see some colours. They have two types of cones in their eyes, which allow them to distinguish between blues and yellows, but not between reds and greens.

The cat eye consists of several structures, including the cornea, iris, lens, vitreous humour, retina, and optic nerve. The cornea is the clear outer layer that protects the eye and helps focus incoming light. The iris is the coloured part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil and regulates the amount of light that enters the eye. The lens focuses incoming light onto the retina, which contains specialised cells called photoreceptors that convert light into neural signals that are sent to the brain via the optic nerve. The eye is dependent on a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to function correctly. Oxygen and nutrients are supplied to the eye by blood vessels in the eye and the surrounding tissues. There are several pathologies that can affect the physiology and metabolism of the cat eye, including cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal degeneration.

The role of vitamins and minerals on eye health in the cat is an important topic, as the eyes are a vital part of a cat’s overall health and well-being. Vitamins are essential nutrients that the body needs in lesser amounts to function properly. They are divided into two categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s fat cells, while water-soluble vitamins are not stored and must be consumed regularly to maintain adequate levels. One of the key vitamins that is important for eye health in the cat is vitamin A. This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for the proper functioning of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that is responsible for converting light into electrical signals that the brain can interpret as images. Vitamin A deficiency can cause a number of eye problems in cats, including night blindness and dry eye.

Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, is also important for

eye health in the cat. It is a powerful antioxidant aiding the eye from damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and tissues in the body. Vitamin C can help to reduce the risk of cataracts, which are cloudy areas that form in the lens of the eye and can cause vision loss.

Other vitamins that are important for eye health in the cat include vitamins E and K. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is also an antioxidant, while vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for the proper functioning of blood clotting. Both of these vitamins are thought to be important for maintaining healthy eyes in cats. In addition to vitamins, there are other nutrients that are important for eye health in the cat. These include minerals such as zinc and selenium, which are essential for the proper functioning of the retina and the eye’s immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish such as salmon, are also important for eye health in the cat. It is vital to ensure that your cat is getting all of the nutrients it needs for optimal eye health. This can be achieved through a balanced diet that includes a variety of high-quality cat food, as well as supplements if needed. Taurine 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is a non-proteinogenic amino sulfonic acid that is widely distributed in animal tissues. Taurine is essential for maintaining the health of cats, particularly their eye health. Cats have a higher requirement for taurine in their diet than most other animals, including humans. Taurine is essential for the normal function of many physiological processes, including vision. In cats, taurine deficiency can lead to a condition called “central retinal degeneration,” which can result in blindness. This is because taurine is involved in the development and maintenance of the retina, the part of the eye that detects light and sends signals to the brain. Cats obtain taurine primarily from animal-based protein sources, such as meat and fish. Many commercial cat foods are supplemented with taurine to ensure that cats receive an adequate amount in their diet. However, it is still important to choose high-quality cat food that contains sufficient amounts of taurine to support your cat’s eye health and overall well-being.

In summary, taurine is crucial for maintaining the eye health of cats, and a deficiency in this amino acid can lead to serious eye problems. Feeding your cat a diet that is rich in animal-based proteins and supplemented with taurine can help to ensure that your cat receives adequate amounts of this essential nutrient.

The PetFood Journal

Petfood Journal is a new online publication by Perendale Publishers Ltd., United Kingdom with a distinguished track record of technical and trade magazines in the agricultural sciences. This new peer-reviewed scientific journal will serve academia and the commercial petfood industry with high quality papers relating to the science and technology of petfood development and production for the rapidly expanding companion animal sector. It is envisaged to address fundamental and applied nutritional research addressing requirements for advanced feed production manufacturing for dogs, cats and many other species such as guinea pigs, rabbits, rats and exotics e.g. reptiles, amphibia and fish (aquatics). The journal will embrace information on essential amino acids, proteins and energy sources as well as key vitamins and minerals pertaining to maintenance, growth, feed utilisation efficiency and health. A major area will be studies that focus on feed ingredient assessment and in particular those that are sustainable alternatives to traditional sources. Therefore investigations directed towards plant and next generation proteins like insect meal, algae and microbial sources would be desirable areas. Novel oils and lipids that provide essential fatty acids would be of considerable importance. Studies on functional ingredients affecting the health and immune function of pet animals are attractive. We would welcome papers researching the role of prebiotics, probiotics and phytobiotics on gut health, mucosal immunity and their interaction and modulation of the intestinal microbiota. Petfoods play a significant role in animal behaviour due to palatability and smell. Research on these interactions would be welcome and of interest to the scientific community and stakeholders. Given the diversity of different types of commercial diets ranging from wet, canned and extruded dry diets as well as treats and speciality diets, there is much scope to provide information on these advances. We also cover papers on feed production manufacture such as milling, pelleting, shaping and texture of petfoods such as extrusion. The journal recognises that petfood science & manufacturing technology plays a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of our pets. Optimal feed management and environmental impact of diets are worthy of inclusion.

Manuscripts can consist of scientific work in the form of typical standard papers, short scientific communications or as review articles.

In essence, Petfood Journal will appeal to the veterinary practitioner, scientist, technician, feed manufacturer and at various levels in academia such as undergraduate, masters, PhD students and post-doctoral, researcher, being an invaluable source of validated information and a potential location for their own research findings.

The manuscripts will be fully peer-reviewed by appropriate members of our editorial board and approved finally by the Editor-in Chief. These OA papers will be available on our official website Internationalpetfood.co.uk and printed as well as being downloadable. Links will be provided within our existing International Petfood magazine.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any queries at journal@perendale.co.uk.

United Petfood announces intention to acquire a stake in Lider

United Petfood, international producer of dog- and cat food, announces its intention to take a stake in Turkish manufacturer Lider Pet Food.

Lider Pet Food is a petfood producer with two high-tech production facilities in Turkey. The company has 15 years of experience in the production of dry petfood for dogs and cats as well as feed for birds, rabbits and rodents. Lider also supplies wet petfood and treats for several of its own brands.

“The aim of this partnership is to exchange knowledge and grow together. Lider remains fully self-managed,” according to United Petfood.

“We see a perfect strategic and cultural fit between the two companies, and we believe United Petfood is the ideal partner in continuing our growth journey in Turkey and in our export markets,” according to Lider Pet Food.

SuperZoo and Pet Fair South East Asia join forces to bring the United States and Asian pet industry together

SuperZoo, a leading pet industry tradeshow in North America, and Pet Fair South East Asia, the pet industry’s new trade hub in Asia, are excited to announce their new show cooperation. This partnership aims to unite the United States and Asian pet industry and promote intercontinental collaboration among stakeholders. Throughout 2023, the organisers of SuperZoo and Pet Fair South East Asia, The World Pet Association and VNU Asia Pacific, will be working together on various levels, including cross-promotion of their respective shows and conference content creation.

“We are honoured to have World Pet Association and SuperZoo as a global partner for the United States of

America, the world’s largest pet market,” says Johannes C. Kraus, Project Manager at Pet Fair South East Asia. “This new partnership will certainly accelerate collaboration between the U.S. and Asian pet industry stakeholders.”

Mike Karsting, Senior Vice President of Events at The World Pet Association, comments, “We are thrilled to partner with Pet Fair South East Asia and work together to bring the global pet industry closer. This collaboration will provide a unique opportunity for businesses to connect and explore new opportunities worldwide.”

SuperZoo 2023 is set to take place from August 16-18, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Pet Fair South East Asia will follow two months later, from October 25-27 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Kettering Pet Food auction gains global attention

Sanderson Weatherall has achieved an auction realisation exceeding all expectations for Gold Line Holdings in Kettering.

The directors of Gold Line Holdings instructed Sanderson Weatherall’s auction team to dispose of the assets following the sale of the business.

A major two-day sale, which included over 1,000 lots of dry petfood, animal feed milling equipment and factory equipment, gained attention following a full global marketing campaign for the auction, with the highest value lot realising over £45,000.

Stephen Jepson, partner in Sanderson Weatherall’s auction team comments, “This was a fantastic sale in which we achieved great results for Gold Line Holdings, it goes to show; with full global marketing there is still great demand for second hand equipment.”

“We attracted 325 bidders from UK, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Jersey, Latvia, Netherlands, Jersey, Poland, and Turkey, and successfully sold over 80 percent of lots from the two auction sites.”

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Purina announces 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize winners

Five pet care startups from across the U.S. and Canada have been selected as the 2023 winners of the seventh annual Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina. From a pet age test that provides easy and accurate at-home age estimations for dogs and cats, to an app that uses artificial intelligence to measure how your pet is feeling, the 2023 class of Pet Care Innovation Prize winners represents some of the latest technology in the $123 billion pet care industry.

The 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize Winners are:Artie Phoenix, Arizona-based Artie is the only countertop appliance system in the U.S. to prepare artisan-inspired, home-cooked meals for dogs at the touch of a button. Artie Harvest Bowls are a mix of highly nutritious meals featuring whole proteins, vegetables, fruits, grains, and essential vitamins.

EpiPaws

Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based EpiPaws is the maker of a pet age test kit that can help determine a pet’s estimated birthday with a quick oral swab. Once the pet’s age is determined, EpiPaws offers nutrition, behavior insights, and other helpful information based on the pet’s life stage for proactive healthcare management.

Happy Bond

Los Angeles, California-based Happy Bond makes preservative-free dog food with no fillers, and no additives. Each jar is filled with premium, human-grade ingredients and doesn’t need to be refrigerated until it’s opened. The company also makes supplements to support healthy hips and joints based on a pet’s age.

PDX Biotech

Huntsville, Alabama-based PDX Biotech is the creator of OraStripdx, a first-in-class, rapid screening test for veterinarians to detect periodontal disease in dogs and cats early in the disease, while it is invisible. Results are returned in 10 seconds so that proper care can be quickly recommended.

Sylvester.ai Calgary, Alberta Canada-based Sylvester. ai creates predictive visual healthcare products using artificial intelligence. The company’s first app, Tably, uses AI trained on vet-approved pain scales to see how a cat is feeling, based on subtle facial cues. It’s especially useful after a procedure, to make health-related decisions.

Nearly 140 companies from across the United States and Canada applied for the 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize. Each of the five startup winners will receive $25,000, mentorship from the Pet Care Innovation team, and will participate in an accelerator boot camp at Purina’s

headquarters in St. Louis, MO, featuring pet experts from across Purina and the pet care industry.

During a culminating pitch competition in March at Global Pet Expo, an annual trade show in the United States presented by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association, the five finalists will present their businesses to an audience of industry influencers and investors. A grand prize winner will be chosen to receive an additional $25,000 in cash.

“Enriching the lives of pets and the people who love them is our purpose and our passion at Purina. Working with startups who share our passion for pets and the tireless pursuit of innovation allows us to inspire and help each other on this journey,” says Blair Morgan, co-lead of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group, and vice president, strategy and innovation for Purina. “This year’s class of winners showcases the breadth of opportunities that exist in the pet industry, and our team is excited to help mentor and support them as they grow.”

As Purina’s corporate venturing group, 9 Square Ventures is focused on connecting with pet care startups. The team’s mission is to leverage Purina’s knowledge, experience, and financial resources to help emerging pet care startups scale their businesses and make a positive impact on the lives of as many pets and their owners as possible. The group has been steadily investing millions of dollars in a diverse set of early-stage pet care startups since it was founded in 2014.

The Pet Care Innovation Prize is a collaborative effort of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group and investing leaders Active Capital to support and connect with early stage pet care startups that are currently in market with an innovative business addressing pet and pet owner needs in the areas of pet health and wellness, services, technology, and food, treats or litter.

Nutrition Technologies the first company in Malaysia approved to import insectmeal

In June of 2022 insect producers in Malaysia became eligible to export insect-based material to the EU for the first time, following Malaysia’s inclusion on the list of countries approved to export insects and insect-based products to the EU, joining a small selection of countries including; Canada, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and South Korea, with permission to do so. This is a boon for the Malaysian economy, a major food producer which is heavily reliant on agricultural exports. On the 19 of February 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture approved Nutrition Technologies to export its insectmeal and oil into the EU & UK markets, making it one of a handful of companies around the world, and the first in Malaysia with this level of approval. Previously only available to customers across Asia-Pacific, this development opens the doors to the rapidly growing insect-based petfood sector in Europe, which is leading the way in sustainable petfood production. Nutrition Technologies manufacture and supply insect protein meal, oil and frass (insect manure) to help feed the growing agriculture and feed industries around the world. Using a combination of beneficial microbes and Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) using a low-energy, zero-waste production model to grow their insects, the larvae are reared on clean and traceable agro-industrial byproducts. The insect-based products are suitable for application in pet

food, livestock and aquatic feed, and have a range of proven functional benefits which improve the animals’ health and growth. The insectmeal is also suitable for therapeutic applications in pets that have allergies to common petfood proteins such as beef and lamb. What’s attractive to many manufacturers is the potential impact on GHG emissions that can be achieved through switching to insectbased meats in place of traditional protein sources, as approximately 25 percent of the GHGs associated with meat production is generated through use in petfood. Since tropically farmed insects produce a fraction of the GHG emissions of traditional meat - this can make a big impact on the carbon footprint of petfood production.

The insectmeal is produced to the highest international safety & hygiene standards with full batch traceability, where the larvae are fed only vegetable-based agro-industrial materials such as palm and grain by-products. The insectmeal is fully compliant with EU regulations, and the facility is both GMP & HACCP certified.

Nutrition Technologies have a lowenergy tropical production system that uses a unique combination of micro-organisms and Black Soldier Flies to bioconvert 60,000 tonnes of waste organic by-products into its value-adding products. As a tropical species, the Black Soldier Fly larvae

grow quickly and efficiently in the ambient Malaysian climate, meaning that very little energy is required to grow or breed the flies. This low-energy model means that the company benefits from a very low cost of production, but with the same high standards as any European or North American manufacturer and is able to pass-on those savings to the customer. This makes Nutrition Technologies’ products one of the most competitively priced insect products in the world. The company currently ships industrial volumes of material throughout Asia & South America, from the two hectare factory in Malaysia.

“This is a significant step forward in giving European petfood manufacturers more sustainable options in their choice of feed ingredients. While there is a rapidly growing demand for sustainable petfoods, there is very little product available in Europe. This development opens the door for new manufacturers to release insect-based products, and for existing manufacturers to both reduce their costs and improve their environmental footprint,” says Nick Piggott, Co-CEO and Co-founder, Nutrition Technologies.

Vegan dog food? All your questions answered!

by Alice Oven, The Pack, London, UK

As any pawrent knows, how you feed your four-legged friend can be a contentious issue. And we’ll bet that you are bone-tired with all of us dog food companies barking information at you! So today we thought we’d put the ball between your paws and answer the questions you most want the answers to. We’ve pulled the most-asked questions on Google related to plant-based pet feeding and given you some quick answers, with links to more in-depth info, should you want it. Ready, set, FETCH!

Can dogs be vegan? Don’t dogs need meat?

Well, this is obviously the big question. The simple answer is ‘YES, they can be vegan’ and ‘NO, they don’t need meat’! We’ve dug deep into this in our blog posts here and here, but the gist of it is that our dogs’ internal make-up has adapted over thousands of years of domestication to allow them to easily digest and process plant-based diets. Today, they can get everything they need, nutritionally, from a meat-free diet. And yes, that includes protein! Protein molecules are made up of strings of 20 amino acids. When a dog eats a protein source, their digestive system breaks it down into amino acid

building blocks, which are then used by their bodies to make lots of different proteins (the ones needed to build muscle, produce hormones or fight infection). Dogs can make half of the 20 amino acids by themselves, including taurine, while the other 10 amino acids need to be eaten. If a dog food contains enough of all 10 of these essential amino acids, it can be labelled ‘complete’. And yes, you’ve guessed it: high-quality plant protein can contain all ten! Dogs can get all the nutritious proteins they need from vegan dog food.

Is it healthy for dogs to be vegan?

You’re right, there’s a distinction between being able to function on a certain diet and being able to thrive on it. Happily, the answer is once again ‘YES’: not only can dogs do fine on plant-based food, but they can also live their absolute healthiest, waggiest lives. In this blog we discuss a recent research paper that studied over 2500 dogs and found that nutritionally sound (i.e., labelled ‘complete’) vegan diets appear to be healthier and less hazardous than conventional or raw meat-based diets. In our articles here and here, we describe all the various health benefits of vegan dog food, from maintaining a healthy weight and living a longer life to showing off shinier fur and suppler joints. We also show that, by contrast, meat-based food often isn’t that healthy at all, being linked with growing cancer rates, obesity and allergies. Which leads us to…

My dog has allergies: should I feed a vegan diet?

Abso-fur-lutely! In the past, people have mistakenly blamed grain for allergies in dogs, assuming that, like humans, dogs are often gluten intolerant. Now we have plenty of science to show that this isn’t the case at all and, actually, animal products are responsible for most allergic reactions in dogs. As far back as 2016, a peer-reviewed study showed that animal-meat ingredients (beef, dairy, chicken, lamb, egg, pork, fish and rabbit) were responsible for 236 cases of food allergies in dogs, whereas plant-based ingredients (wheat, soy, corn, rice, barley, kidney bean and tomato) were involved in only 77 cases. Anecdotally, we’ve received numerous stories from pawrents who’ve seen their itchy pups’ skin problems clear up once they’ve chucked the chicken and binned the beef. This isn’t surprising when we think about all the artificial dyes, flavourings, preservatives, stabilisers and, in many cases, dodgy slaughterhouse ingredients in commercial meat-based pet foods. In fact, if you look at the ingredients on medical dermatological or hypoallergenic diets for dogs, you’ll often see that nutritionists have created meatless prescription foods, using ‘novel’ vegetarian protein sources. These might not be marketed as ‘meat-free’ dog food but that’s precisely what they are!

Should dogs eat vegetables every day?

This is an interesting one. Because dogs have evolved to effectively digest the starches in vegetables and use the nutrients from these plant-based produce in their bodies, there’s no reason why they can’t eat them seven days a week. In fact, just like with humans, eating a decent helping of veg every day is a great way to keep the dog doctor away! However, variety is key. After all, if you ate too much of one thing, no matter how healthy, it would be likely to give you indigestion. Dogs are no different. Instead of feeding a whole bowl of broccoli or a plate of carrots, you want to make sure that your dog is eating a good mix of different veg, fruit, pulses and even grains to ensure a balanced and ‘complete’ diet. Luckily, pet food companies like THE PACK do this for you! We create delicious meals that include a whole range

of vegetables and other plant-based ingredients, delivering all the nutrients that your pup needs to thrive.

Is vegan dog food ethical?

Obviously not all vegan dog food is created equal. However, the very fact that your bowl doesn’t include animal products means it’s going to be a more ethical meal than a meat-based doggy dinner: no living creature has been raised and slaughtered to feed your dog. Even if your pet food uses by-products of meat already produced for humans, an article for the National Renderers Association admits that by ‘recycling’ meat in this way, the pet food industry allows animal farming to exist: “the sustainability of animal agriculture depends on a reasonable and practical use of the by-products generated.” Most of today’s animal agriculture is ‘intensive’, which means animals are kept indoors in non-organic systems, commonly undergoing routine mutilations like tail docking or beak trimming and unable to express natural behaviours. So even when we feed leftover meat to our dogs, we’re inadvertently supporting unethical factory farming. What’s more, most vegan pet food companies refuse to test on laboratory dogs, meaning the food is cruelty-free in a way a lot of meat-based food from large corporations is not. Finally, when we take the meat out of dog food, we reduce the amount of CO2 emissions we’re contributing to the atmosphere, as well as your dog’s environmental pawprint in terms of land use, water use and rainforest/habitat destruction. For those interested in learning more about the environmental benefits of vegan dog food, have a read of this post.

Is vegan dog food expensive?

In comparison to most commercial meat-based dog food, it would appear so. However, the lower price of those meaty chunks is a false economy, taxpayers like you actually funding all those additional costs associated with rearing animals for food. Meat-based dog food is cheaper because meat, dairy and eggs are heavily subsidised by the government, which means paid for by your taxes. We explored exactly why vegan dog food is priced higher than the meat equivalent in our blog here, including other additional costs associated with responsible manufacturing. It’s also important to remember that you’re paying for quality when it comes to investing in a plant-based dog food like THE PACK. Most cheap, commercial meat-based food has a low percentage of actual meat content, padded out with poor-quality cereals, and the meat that is included is often the rubbishy by-products that humans won’t eat. Compare this overcooked grey mush with the superfood ingredients in our plant-based meals, where each spoonful is loaded with visible veg, pulses and fruits. Clearly,

when you pay extra for this kind of delicious plant-based food, you’re investing in all the nutrients your dog needs without the nasties. Which means that, in the long-term, you may end up spending less money on vet bills…

Would vets recommend vegan dog food?

Because your veterinarian tends to be the person you trust the most when it comes to your dog’s health, this is a question we get asked a lot. We delved into it in our blog here, quoting vets who loudly endorse vegan pet food, including Professor Andrew Knight, a small animal vet whose website is packed with evidence-based facts supporting a vegan diet for dogs. More recently, the President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), Justine Shotton, stated: “We recognise that there is growing interest in this area – particularly from a sustainability perspective – and that this goes hand in hand with a growing body of scientific research. We are really open to exploring how this evidence base could support vegan diets as a more sustainable option and plan to review this in depth in due course.” As the evidence to support the health benefits of vegan dog food mounts, vets are becoming more open to this ‘novel’ way of feeding.

What’s the best vegan dog food in the UK?

Well, obviously we’re biased but we have to answer ‘THE PACK’! ‘Best’ is a subjective term and there are plenty of fantastic vegan dog food options out there, giving ethically and environmentally conscious pawrents more choice than ever before. We support this wholeheartedly, because it means every dog can find a plant-based food they love, whether they’re kibble fans, fresh food fanatics or wet-food wonders. However, there are a few reasons why we think our food is a cut above the rest.

• Firstly, the variety of superfood ingredients: fresh papaya for healthy digestion, vitamin-rich kale, whole lupin beans for gut health, pea protein for strength, butternut squash for tummy fibre, broccoli for calcium, blueberries for immunity, hemp seeds for joints, algal oil for omega 3 and 9, sunflower seeds for skin and shine, and blackberries for waggy energy… the list goes on.

• Secondly, the high protein content of our food. The percentage of protein content given on our labels (10 percent for each flavour) refers to the final test result after cooking. This seems obvious, but many pet food companies provide the pre-cooking percentage on their labels and actually lose 1-2 percent during the cooking process. Not THE PACK – as with all our ingredients and nutritional composition, what you see on our labels is exactly what you get!

• Thirdly, the fact that we use biochemical analysis to ensure nutritional adequacy every time a new batch of our dog food is created. This ensures consistent high-quality ‘complete’ nutrition for every can.

• Fourthly, our emphasis on sustainability. All our packaging is fully recyclable, and we’ve conducted a carbon pawprint assessment of our products measured against meat pet foods, demonstrating that every one of our meals has a lower CO2 emission than conventional meat equivalents.

• Finally, THE PACK food simply tastes amazing! The feedback we’ve received from pawrents of pooches of all breeds and ages shows that your dogs are loving our food and quite literally begging for more. Because who cares how healthy a food is if your pup won’t touch it?

Insect Based Petfood

Sustainable & Innovative solution

by Harry Bremner, Founder, Tuggs, UK

5years ago I read about the legalisation of insects for use in aquafeed in the EU and was blown away by the potential that insects possess to transform our consumption habits and pose a viable solution to aspects of the global food crisis.

Last year I began researching the pet food industry and was equally astounded to learn of the strain that pet food is having on our resources, with pet food constituting 25–30 percent of the environmental impacts from animal production in terms of the use of land, water, fossil fuel, phosphate, and biocides in the US alone.

However, I found that not only does the pet food industry pose an environmental strain, but it is also dangerously unhealthy; the majority of dry dog food is void of fresh ingredients, carcinogenic and engineered for a shelf life of up to 2 years without refrigeration. These unhealthy foods are directly responsible for continually increasing rates of cancer, obesity and diabetes in dogs. Meanwhile, recent research has shown that dogs fed a freshly-prepared diet could live, on average, 32 months longer than dogs fed commercial dry dog food. Eating a fresh, varied diet is clearly the better choice for our own nutrition, so why are we not extending this logic to our canine friends?

With these findings in mind, I spent 12 months researching and developing a potential solution to provide dog parents a selection of recipes designed to let their dog thrive, and not just survive, without sacrificing the planet. In the end, I founded Tuggs – a dog food startup creating freshly-prepared dog food in a sustainable way using black soldier fly insects alongside other meat and vegetables.

Why did we include insects?

The UN estimates that by 2050 there will be 9.7 billion people on the planet and, in order to feed this exponentially growing population, more food will need to be produced in the next 50 years than has been produced in the entirety of human history. However, with the shrinking availability of crop-bearing arable land combined with forecasted water shortages, humans will be unable to produce the volume of livestock required to feed the world unless alternative, sustainable protein sources are utilised. With this in mind, insects have become a leading contender in the future of food production. Livestock production accounts for around 15 percent of global greenhouse gases, but insects are a sustainable source of protein with a carbon footprint 4 percent that of beef. Additionally, insects use 95 percent less land than beef and 94 percent less water for the same output of protein, permitting a much more effective means of food production. As a result, insect-based products are being slowly integrated into western society as an alternative, sustainable food source.

So what type of insect did we research?

The black soldier fly (BSF). Black soldier fly larvae contains up to 50 percent of high-quality protein, as well as necessary vitamins, fats, and all essential amino acids required to form a complete canine diet. They are also rich in antimicrobial, medium-chain fatty acids which have proven gut health benefits. BSF has also been shown to have antioxidant properties. A research paper studying BSF’s potential health benefits in 2020 noted that BSF protein derivatives were effective in protecting animal cells from oxidative damage - oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins and DNA and subsequently can play a role in the development of health conditions such as diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Are insects actually suitable for dogs though?

One concern that is often targeted at insect-based foods is the digestibility of the protein and nutrients, with an argument that there may be a health trade-off by substituting traditional meats for insect protein in the diet. A 2016 study which looked at the In vitro digestibility and fermentability of black soldier fly in dog food concluded that the “in vitro digestibility of amino acids of selected insect larvae was high” with levels similar to that of traditional meats. Further research has concluded similarly, with a 2021 research paper concluding that “the digestibility analysis of a dog food containing insect meal as the sole source of protein (36.5 percent inclusion) showed promising results in terms of it presenting similar values as a meat-based diet, indicating its suitability as a sustainable protein source for pet food.” Therefore, one can conclude that there are little health concerns regarding the digestibility of insect protein, with a permissible argument that insect protein is akin to traditional meats in this regard.

A 2015 study researched whether “edible insects [are] more or less ‘healthy’ than commonly consumed meats”, concluding that insects and meat do not show significant divergence in nutritional composition and that there is no health-related trade-off in promoting insect foods over meat. In fact, in 2019 The British Veterinary Association (BVA) said that some insect-based foods may be better for pets than prime steak.

Therefore, the team at Tuggs reached the conclusion that insects offer an innovative solution to reducing livestock production whilst including a novel protein that offers them the same nutritional benefits without compromising on any of the benefits of meat. We include 20 percent insect in our meals in order to meet these goals and in line with the research we have to date.

Product

Spotlight - The Holmen

This year we will be working with an Asian-based therapeutics company to research how the microbiome of a selection of dogs alters as they convert from a kibble diet to a Tuggs, insect-based diet. We have also undertaken research in collaboration with students from Glasgow University comparing insect-based food to raw dog food with fantastic results which will be released shortly.

If you’d like to read more please head to www.tuggs.uk

For any questions feel free to reach out to me at harry@tuggs.uk

NHP100 Portable Pellet Durability Tester

The Holmen NHP100 is Tekpro Limited’s entry level pellet durability tester used for calculating the Pellet Durability Index, also known as the PDI, of feed pellets or extrusions by simulating pellet transportation environment from mill to trough.

The complete Holmen range of Pellet Testers represent the culmination of over 20 years involvement within the pellet manufacturing industry The range consists of four models including the ever popular Holmen NHP100, which is supplied complete with a 2.5mm diameter mesh hopper as standard, although other mesh sizes are also available to suit aqua, poultry, kibbles, extrusions and larger cattle feed types.

Versatile Pellet Test Machine

The Holmen NHP100 portable pellet durability tester is a truly versatile entry level machine. Being portable it can be easily transported between different testing locations, requiring only to be placed on a flat stable surface to provide basic results for the operator It works by loading a pre-sieved sample of pellets into the test chamber which cascades them in an air stream causing the pellets to collide with each other and the perforated hard surfaces within the test chamber. When testing is complete the pellets are removed for manual weighing. The 'pellet durability index' (PDI) is the difference between pellet weight before and after the test recorded as a percentage. The tester provides the ability to manually calculate test results with limited repeatable accuracy. The operation is totally manual with a basic timer function only, unlike the manufacturers more advanced Holmen NHP200 where test length is adjusted according to pellet diameter

Holmen Testers Increasing In Demand Globally

The basic NHP100 is a popular machine for smaller companies, but quality focused feed mills typically now prefer the NHP200, this is due to its ease of use and the repeatable accuracy of the test process. For larger companies who manufacture pellets in bulk, Tekpro can also provide the Holmen NHP300, together with inline samplers to test directly after the press, before too much product has been produced, this can significantly help reduce the need for rework, and optimise production efficiency.

The NHP100 has always been a very popular machine since it’s original launch, but as feed mills further strive for greater levels of automation and consistent repeatability of processes, both the Holmen NHP200 semi automatic and NHP300 inline pellet durability testers from Tekpro have significantly increased in demand from all around the globe.

For further free information, visit www.tekpro.com/mag

4REASONS TO INCLUDE SOY IN DIET

FORMULATION FOR YOUNG ANIMALS

by Nicolas Anglade, Category Manager Ruminant, Hamlet Protein, Denmark

Soy protein is unquestionably the number one source of protein used by the feed industry. Its great market availability and its high level of concentration makes soy and its derivatives a must for feed formulators around the globe. Despite the many benefits of soy, there are still some obstacles, especially when it comes to feeding very young animals or when looking at its potential carbon footprint.

With a focus on sustainability, here are the top four reasons to incorporate Hamlet Protein’s specialty soy-based specialty ingredients into feed formulations for young pigs, calves, and young birds.

1: Sustainable Sourcing

Choosing soy as a source of protein is a responsible and sustainable choice. Favouring a protein of plant origin in animal feed has many advantages: less land requirements to produce the equivalent amount of animal protein while emitting fewer greenhouse gases and allowing proteins of animal origin (dairy, fish…) to be reserved for human health and consumption. When talking about soy protein specifically, soy has one of the highest protein contents and all essential amino acids that are required by young animals. On top of this, soybeans are part of the legume family and through their unique root system can absorb nitrogen gas (N2), meaning that the plants can utilise atmospheric nitrogen to make proteins. The ability of soy to fix nitrogen provides additional benefits to sustainability as there is less need for nitrogen fertilisers and a reduced risk of excess nutrients leaching into soil and water.

Based on these advantages, soy has a particularly low carbon footprint when it is produced responsibly without deforestation. Soy production that includes deforestation or unsuitable land use results in a carbon footprint that is tremendously increased. Hamlet Protein is a member of the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS) which promotes the growth of sustainable soy and includes zero deforestation as a requirement for certification. It also includes good practices to reach consensus on the key

economic, social, and environmental impacts of soy including production, trade and use. At Hamlet Protein, we provide an option for products made from genetically modified (GM) soybeans to be RTRS-certified, guaranteeing responsible production without deforestation. On the other hand, non-GM products can be ProTerra certified, promising non-GM products that are both traceable and deforestation-free.

2: Patented Production Process Leads to Superior Product

Antinutritional factors (ANFs) naturally found in soy-based feed ingredients can pose a challenge for nutritionist when formulating diets containing soy for young animals. While soy contains ANFs, it also contains all the essential amino acids required to support health and performance in young livestock. At Hamlet Protein, our patented production process removes ANFs, leaving behind soy-based feed ingredients that are rich in protein or high-quality fiber, supporting the initial growth phase in young animals.

Alongside the improvements to feed ingredient efficiency when investing in Hamlet Protein products, our use of innovative production technologies further contributes to sustainability initiatives. The technologies used in our patented bioconversion process allow the potential for less water and energy inputs while also minimizing residual waste through use of nearly all raw materials. Our Denmark production plant for example includes a heat pumping facility which harnesses excess heat that is produced during soybean processing and uses it to warm more than 3,000 local homes, helping to reduce the equivalent energy and corresponding carbon footprint.

3: Improved Gut Health for better young animal welfare

Choosing Hamlet Protein’s soy-based ingredients in young animal diets can enhance life-long animal health and performance. The removal of ANFs via our patented production process leads to the establishment of a healthy gut in young animals, right from the start. Removal of ANFs leads to decreased risk of digestive upset and can contribute to optimal

nutrient absorption. Contribution to a healthy gut can lead to improvements in overall animal status, lessening the amount of energy from feed going towards an immune response rather than into growth. The benefits of improved gut health support the idea that feeding with high quality ingredients contributes to animal welfare, a fundamental pillar of any sustainable production.

4: Doing more with less

Sustainability is a complex and multifactorial subject when applied to a particular activity, and among them animal nutrition. However, a simple formula sums up sustainability well: “doing more with less”. This is what soy does, a plant of the legume family, which synthesizes its own proteins by being able to grow without nitrogen fertilization. Doing more with less also means encouraging good soybean production practices by favouring its sourcing in historically dedicated regions and without resorting to new areas reclaimed from natural areas. Doing more with less means finally adopting precision feed for farm animals that provides the right dose of nutrients in the right form and in the right place. Hamlet Protein products have been developed to both provide the essential ingredients for initial growth but also to contribute to gut health and more generally to the well-being of young animals. By providing more digestible proteins with a reduced ANF content, we are bringing our humble contribution to driving the diet of young animals more sustainable.

Hamlet Protein and sustainable sourcing

For many, the primary concern about soy relates to its cultivation. Stories about rainforest, cleared to make way for soybean plantations, are disturbing to say the least. To address

this, the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS) was founded in 2006 – a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization that promotes the production, trade and use of responsible soy.

As a member of RTRS, Hamlet Protein offers RTRScertification on our genetically modified products. This secures that the soy is produced environmentally correct, socially appropriate and economically viable which means without deforestation or conversion of natural habitats.

For those who seek a non-genetically modified alternative, Hamlet Protein draws on raw materials certified under the ProTerra standard for soy from a fully traceable, non-GMO source.

Providing right nutrition for your pet rats

by Jyothsna Nelloolichalil, International Petfood, UK

Rats are intelligent, highly social pets who are very rewarding to look after. They form close bonds with their carers, they are fiercely independent and also loyal to their companions. Rats have a life span of two years, rather shorter than most pets, so it is important to provide them with the right nutrition that they require.

Do's and Dont's

Feeding them with pellets for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters etc can turn out counterproductive as they will not provide rats the nutrition they need. It is necessary to feed rats the food designed for rats. Since rats are omnivores, it is always good to feed them with variety. Give them supplements of fruits, vegetables and eggs as part of their diet. It is important to give them these as part of their daily diet and not as extra because rats are prone to develop obesity.

Avoid harmful foods such as onion, citrus fruits, walnuts, rhubarb, grapes, raisins and chocolate. Also avoid sugars and high-fat foods such as dairy. Rats like sweet and fatty food, but it can cause health problems if they eat too much of it, so only use these as treats and rewards during training.

What and when?

Rats are to be fed at dusk and dawn, and they drink mostly during the night. It is also important to remove uneaten food from their bowls. It is encouraged to feed rats in ceramic bowls because this allows them to carry food and handle or eat it wherever they want. It’s a good idea to encourage natural foraging behaviour, as rats enjoy holding and manipulating food in their paws.

This might be shocking, but rats need to eat fresh feces. It is their natural behaviour that helps them absorb all the nutrients and minerals they need to stay healthy. Stopping this could cause nutritional deficiencies and health problems.

It is also necessary to keep your rats hydrated. So it is important to provide them a continuous supply of clean water. It also recommended to give them water in bottles rather than bowls to avoid contamination. Also, if you have several rats at pets, it is better to give them several bottles so that all your rats can drink at the same time, as this means they won’t be competing for water and means they will still have water if one of the bottles gets blocked.

Check their water bottles morning and evening and refill them twice a day to ensure they’re never thirsty. Clean them regularly to stop algae and bacteria build-up and check them every day for blockages and leaks.

Their optimum diet should consist of:

• Rat nuggets sold commercially. They offer your rat the ideal mix of nutrients. Rats are quick to put on weight, so be careful to follow the feeding instructions on the packet and weigh their food every day to avoid overfeeding them. Rat nuggets are available at pet stores.

• Fresh fruit and veggies in small portions. This is a list of fruits and vegetables that rats will eat.

• Occasional goodies such as peas, lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas, mealworms, eggs, and little pieces of lean meat.

Rats in the wild would spend a lot of time looking for food. For your rats, you may mimic this natural behaviour. It’s a fantastic method to keep kids engaged and prevent boredom. Instead of feeding from the dish, scatter their rat nuggets about their cage and play area. They will have a great time smelling their meals. It is also a great idea to try if you have a rat who guards their food bowl jealously and won’t allow your other rats share equally in the food. In paper bags, cardboard tubes, or boxes, stow away sweets or fresh fruit and vegetables. Your rats will have a lot of fun figuring out how to access their food.

Industry Training

Workshop on HPP and Freeze drying

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Processing Center along with Hyperbaric is offering a workshop to pet food manufacturers and entrepreneurs interested in learning more about high pressure processing (HPP) and freeze drying technologies to produce high quality, safe raw pet foods and treats on March 15-16 at Food Innovation Center at Nebraska Innovation Campus, Lincoln, Nebraska.

U.S. retail sales of cat and dog food hit $50 billion in 2021 – an increase of 15 percent from 2020 – and the growth is driven by consumer demand for premium, expanded fresh/raw category, human-grade, and science-based formulations.

The introductory and hands-on workshop provides participants an opportunity to interact with industry experts and university researchers and learn more about HPP, freeze drying, water activity, product shelf-life, food safety regulations, market trends and best practices. The workshop combines lectures and pilot plant demonstrations. There will also be an opportunity to visit HPP and freeze drying co-manufacturing facilities near Lincoln, Nebraska.

High-Pressure Processing (HPP) is a cold pasteurization technique by which products, already sealed in its final package, are introduced into a vessel and subjected to a high level of isostatic pressure (300-600 MPa) transmitted by water. HPP offers several key advantages over traditional heat pasteurization:

• it inactivates harmful bacteria and food spoilage microorganisms, resulting in longer product shelf-life;

• it reduces the need for food preservatives; and

• retain “raw-like” attributes of the food proect with minimal effects on flavor compounds, vitamins and nutrients.

Freeze Drying is a process by which water is removed from a food product by sublimation (i.e., allowing solid water or ice

turn into water vapor). Of the different methods of dehydration, freeze drying produces a high quality food product that has a porous, non-shrunken structure that facilitates rapid and nearly complete rehydration when water is added to the freeze-dried product at a later time.

The goal in freeze drying is to reduce the water activity of the pet food product to a level that does not support microbial growth and minimizes chemical changes and physical deterioration, even when the product is stored at room temperatures for an extended period of time. The initial water activity, ingredients, storage conditions and packaging material properties have a combined effect on the shelf-life of a dry pet food product.

This workshop is geared towards product developers who want to learn more about best practices of using HPP and freeze drying technology in pet food manufacturing or any food industry professionals with the goal of expanding their HPP and freeze drying knowledge base.

The fee for the one-day workshop (March 15, 2023), which includes digital badge for workshop completion, access to workshop materials for up to six months after the workshop conclusion, meals and break refreshments, campus parking, and participation in a Networking Social is US$450 per person. Due to the hands-on activities and demonstrations in the pilot plant, seats in the workshop are limited. Early registration is encouraged.

For those who want to join the optional field trip on March 16, 2023, they are advised to make sure to indicate on your registration form that you want to participate in the field trip. Workshop attendees should contact Dr. Danao by February 15th to confirm whether you will be able to join the field trip. There is no added charge to this field trip, but seats are limited to 25 people. Early registration is encouraged.

Troubleshooting

Shear parameters is a topic with great potential depth. No doubt can affect the product with an example of a basic formula being over sheared where the mallard reaction has occurred which might change palatability for some pets. This is where the flexibility in the process might be an area of review.

The possibility exists to make a very wide range of products on the same extruder set up but are sacrifices being made? Capacity mainly as easily cooked formulas usually can be produced at maximum rates. These extruders would have a barrel designed to move material forward, a restriction zone about ¾ of the way through with a straight rib head and double flight screw. With shearlock diameter adjustments, variable speed main drive and an adjustable flow control restriction right behind the die you have the basis of many production machines. These would be able to produce many of the 12 to 15 percent fat level products and lower. Depending on meat moisture levels some can be added and handled. When you push the meat levels then a more aggressive, disruptive, barrel design is needed both twin and single screw designs. Lobe locks installed to totally or partially pump or push backwards, cut flight screws of various designs and combinations thereof all designed to increase cook are available. Twin screws have an advantage from the start with their more positive pumping designs regarding fat and meat additions. Due to the interacting screws rotating in unison and usually a longer L/D, length/diameter, increased flow restriction sites can be set up. This would allow elevated meat and fat additions. It is not easy to do if you are doing this screw barrel design while trying to keep capacity at a maximum with flexibility. Restricting the flexibility to a range makes it easier to achieve with repeatability. Frictional cook or cooking with shear has limits when meat inclusion elevates past reviewed technology. Thermal cooking systems exist to go to the next level by extrusion with elevated steam injection or thermal plate heat exchanger style technology. With planning of schedule to reduce numbers of extruder barrel changes you greatly reduce downtime over the year while covering a wide range of products. These elevated meat and fat and other exotic formulas are greatly enhanced by system computer control for correctness and maximum productivity. Keeping extruder wear data slaved to the operational records exacting information for running conditions can be predicted and controlled over a time period.

Previously on Troubleshooting...

1. Density

An examination of product density and its relationship with moisture levels, heating, cooling feeder screw rate and automation.

2. Non-uniform and rough appearance

A guide to understanding the science involved in improving the art of making products of all the same size.

3. Extrusion dies

This article takes a look at aspects of the process including high, medium and low shear as well the adjustments required when producing feed for small mammals.

4. Dryers

The dryer is without a doubt one of the machines in the system which greatly impacts the bottom line.

5. The Extruder Barrel - Part 1

Forming extruders are used for some select products – thus this part of the discussion centres on single and twin designs.

6. Cook in the Extruder Barrel – part 2

As discussed last month, the extruder barrel has a number of functions, but the main goal is to finalise the cook, yield the desired shape with the density target.

7. Coating

The coating process has a few areas of importance, with this edition of ‘Troubleshooting’ exploring the most important of these.

8. Expanded cat food

Dry expanded cat food production is similar to dog food production, but there are some differences, with this edition exploring a choice selection of these.

9. Extrusion during operation

This month we discuss steam input into the conditioner. During the water addition process, the steam is usually in the two-bar range.

Innovations this month

March 2023

This month’s Production Showcase section features equipment and ingredients that will help in the production of petfood, taking you right from the recipe book, right up until until your product is ready to leave your factory door.

If you would like your product or service to appear on this page in a future edition of International Petfood magazine, then please contact us at editorial@perendale.co.uk

Continuous Coaters by Ottevanger

The Ottevanger Continuous Coaters are perfectly suitable for adding and mixing liquids, evenly on pellets and/or extrudates. By dosing the liquids through a spray box, the product and liquids are slowly mixed together. The trough of the coater itself is executed in stainless or mild steel, with 50 mm thick insulated jacket. The heat tracing stimulates the absorption of the liquid and avoids contamination of the trough. The coater is equipped with hinged inspection hatches over the full length of the mixing trough, which allows easy access. Apart from oil and/or fat, also vitamins, enzymes etcetera can be added in small quantities. Dosing systems for these products are available upon request.

It has numerous features including Low power consumption, large doors enabling easy inspection/cleaning, rigid construction and variable heating system with insulated jacket and also has a low rate of wear. https://www.ottevanger.com/en/products/coating/continuouscoaters/

FOCUS

Hot Start Steam mixer by Van Aarsen

The Hot Start Steam Mixer helps to optimise the feed conditioning process and feed safety while minimising spoilage.

With the Hot Start Steam Mixer a guaranteed and accurate heat treatment is ensured. All the product exiting the hot-start steam mixer has reached the set temperature within ± 3°C tolerance. The Van Aarsen hot start steam mixer comes with a uniquely short start-up time. Some of the ingredients in feed pellets are also suitable as ingredients for food for human consumption. Therefore also from a sustainable perspective it has become ever more important to make sure spoilage of raw materials is minimised.

The hot start steam mixer helps feed millers to ensure the desired feed quality while maximising capacity as a result of the uniquely short batch start-up time, thus keeping feed costs low. https://www.agriexpo.online/prod/van-aarsen-international-bv/ product-172655-50275.html

Gripwell Elevator Belt Splices by 4B

The Gripwell light duty aluminum fastener secures belting on bucket elevators. The two ends of the belt are gripped between extruded serrated plates, clamped together by zinc plated high tensile bolts, safely secured by plated self locking nuts to give a strong reliable and rustproof fastener. The Gripwell forms a butt joint, the belt runs smoothly over the pulley with minimum stress to the joint and no relative movement can take place between the two belt ends, as is the case when an overlapping joint passes over the pulleys.

https://go4b. co.uk/products/ bucket-elevatorcomponents/ belt-fasteners/ gripwell-elevatorbelt-splices/130

VIB-CHECKPOINT© by Vibronet

VIB-CHECKPOINT© is a precise continuous control system for hectolitre weight (specific weight/ test weight/ volume weight/ bulk density), temperature, moisture and protein (option) of all free flowing granulated materials such as cereals, pellets, etc. at raw material intake and for blending in the production process. The system works fully automated and guarantees laboratory results at online operating conditions. Sensors measure the temperature and initial moisture content of the product. The hectolitre weight is measured batchwise within a fixed time interval.

The microprocessor determines the current hectolitre value, as well as its average accumulated value based on this measurement and on the data from the temperature and moisture sensors.

The system consists of a control panel with colour touch screen with easy menu guidance, as well as a stainless steel measuring section.

https://vibronet.com/ products/raw-materialcontrol-and-treatment/vibcheckpoint/

Airflow II by Wenger

Airflow II conveyer drier offers process flexibility and balanced airflow. Dryers can be configured for optimum airflow. High process airflow velocity through the product bed increases drying energy efficiency while maximising final product moisture uniformity.

Temperature profiling is optionally available in the TrueTemp configuration. This means each conveyor has separate temperature zones so the temperature can be matched to the product drying curve.

Unique dryer control systems are designed for greater process efficiency. We offer full Automated Process Management systems linking the dryer to up or downstream components.

Hinged or overlapping design with heavy duty tray is available in galvanized carbon steel or type 304 stainless steel construction. Tray perforations may be round holes or slots depending on the application. Woven screen continuous conveyors carried on heavy duty supports are optionally available for low or high temperature applications for small product sizes.

https://wenger.com/extruders-dryers/dryers-ovens/airflow-ii

PLP Systems

Commitment for the best coating application for a premium quality Pet Food

PLP Systems is a company specializing in machinery and systems for food, pet food, aquafeed, animal feed and chemical industries, with over 40 years’ experience in the dosing, mixing, spraying, coating and handling of liquids and micro powder additives. The company’s focus is to create customized dosing units suitable for the client’s needs, projecting on each occasion a tailored solution on request. For this reason, PLP Systems each year invests substantially in R&D, developing new and exciting concepts whist constantly always looking to improve and push forward existing technology.

An important area for PLP is the coating process which is used in different sectors: post pellet coating for feed and aquafeed; pet food coating; seed coating; fertilizer; crisps, chips and snacks in the food sector.

The increased interest in pet ownership, as well the increased demand for pet food, seems like a great news for Pet Food Industry. However, though pet owners are spending more on pet food and treats, they’re also demanding higher quality products. Making kibbles tasty and palatable with liquid or powdered palatants, that cats and dogs will love, as well seeking more “natural” and better quality ingredients, has been one of the main focus of PLP Systems. To maximize meal attractiveness, it`s very important the way coating ingredients are applied to kibbles and to achieve this, the equipment used is vital for its success. Animal feed pellet coating presents a number of challenges for feed manufacturers. The consistency and properties of the kibbles, as well as the consistency and properties of the liquid or powder coating, can all create unique obstacles in creating a uniformed coating. The right extrusion and liquid coating system can help to solve these challenges, with the correct considerations and applications.

This is why PLP has developed the best solutions and equipment to ensure a homogeneous coating and a great palatability performance for your kibbles, while still preventing breakage of

the croquettes during the coating and mixing processes.

Spraying technology for appetizing kibbles

The company has developed different types of sprayers, motorised or static, which are able to distribute and inject the liquid solution or the dry powder in an even way, avoiding the risk of nozzle blockage. Liquid digest or hydrolysed used in pet food is a strong appetizer with a high viscosity and the use of this product is to improve the taste of the food. For this reason, digest is normally sprayed after the oil coating, in order to cover the outside of the kibbles.

In order to have the best benefits of this product it is important to have a good and even distribution on all the kibbles. Due to the viscosity of the product, it is very difficult to obtain a good spraying application with the standard nozzle. Therefore our SMOG technology is the best option to use when spraying this liquid.

Testing application and the MT coating machine

PLP Systems offers its customers the possibility of testing the coating of their products with various additives (liquids and / or powders) using the most suitable technology available for each project. (PSPA ™ Technology). The MT coating system is our most utilized machine for standard coating applications, it’s a complete machine, able to coat pelleted products, croquettes, and other granular products in line with additives such as enzymes, fat, digest, flavourings, oil, probiotics, vitamins, etc.

The MT system is a continuous double-shaft paddle mixer, which has received the most improvements during the last few years of R&D. There are different models that can cover all production ranges required with high inclusion rates of liquids or fats. The focus of the machine is the retention time and this is achieved by independent speed regulations of the shafts, internal damps and automatic hatch valve on the outlet that retains the product. Retention time in standard production can reach up to 200 seconds.

The best technology for coating your kibbles

Coating of pet food kibbles is an important phase of the process; the outside of the pellets will be the first approach of the meal for the animal and the main reference that the customer will rely on.

On the market there are different technologies, but they all mainly follow 3 methods:

- Batch Coating, which has some disadvantages, such as bad homogeneity with low quantity addition, damage the product and difficulty to clean.

- Vacuum Batch Coating, advantages: can handle high addition of oil (recommended for more than 18 percent). Disadvantage: expensive management for the vacuum.

- Continuous Coater, advantages: can obtain high levels of homogeneity (CV) even with low additions, more flexible with the production and gentle with the product.

PLP Systems, thanks to its studies both in Italy and overseas, is confident that the continuous application is the best technology for coating, which must be done in a correct way. It is essential that in order to obtain an optimal final product 3 important steps must be improved:

1. Performing dosing of kibble: the dosing must be done by using gravimetric continuous weighing, not volumetric. The flow rate must be adjusted to have a smooth output.

2. Coating machine: The coater must be as gentle as possible, but still guarantee a good homogeneity of mixing, the retention time must be of a minimum of 45 sec.

3. Spraying: Continuous spraying is a challenge especially when there is a variation on the flow. Standard nozzles are also subject to dirt and blocking.

PLP is dedicated to the research and development of the use of other additives in pet food production, in order to improve the quality, the palatableness and the variety of it. Our offices are located in Lugagnano Val d’Arda (1 hour from Milan) and from here we can offer first hand support to all our customers worldwide with the help of our many agents based throughout the main areas the continent.

2023 IPPE

Starting the Year off BIG

The annual return of IPPE continues for another year with overwhelming numbers for guests and exhibitors. The incredibly successful show ran for a three-day period from the 24 – 26 January this year at the Georgia World Congress Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Currently as of writing this, the approximation of attendees is at 28,000 people with over 1,180-plus exhibitors in a 533,000 square footage area of exhibit space. They plan to release the accurate number of attendees soon, but with this approximation of attendees we can already see an increase in visitors by over 6000 people in comparison to last year. The exhibition also spanned across two exhibition halls with one being themed towards feed and ingredients and the other for machinery in processing and packaging.

There were also 80 hours’ worth of engaging and educational conferences throughout the B2B event, one of which we got to attend- AFIA’s annual Petfood Conference. Other conferences were Feed Mill of the Future, Animal Agriculture Summit, and Women in the Meat Industry Panel Discussion.

These Sessions covered everything from industry management and the current industry issues to animal agriculture, animal welfare, and sustainability, providing something for every sector, with more than 80 hours of education sessions.

The American Feed industry association (AFIA) held an educational program, in which they maintained the vital importance of biosecurity plans in feed facilities.

With recent pandemic years impacting the access and opportunities for companies to

interact in person, the industry has undoubtedly benefitted from the world’s largest poultry, egg, and animal food industry event, which thrived this year. Events like these provide an invaluable opportunity to showcase products from production and processing to packaging and nutrition, among many more.

AFIA Petfood Conference

A range of topics were covered in the conference hosted by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) that focused on a range of issues in the current industry regarding the health of our pets and how to help keep them both healthy and satisfied.

Featured in the conference were a mix of both experienced professionals and recent graduates who all presented their research and findings in the various subjects that they focused in and to name a few there were; Dr Nancy Rawson presenting ‘The Flavour World of Companion Animals’, Scott Hawks presenting ‘Approaches to Aflatoxin Sampling’, and Vanessa de la GuaridaHidrogo presenting ‘The role of dried brewer’s yeast in gastrointestinal health and immune function of dogs’.

The conference also showcased the Friend of Petfood Award, which is used to recognise the individuals who have made significant contributions to support the growth of the pet food industry. This year’s winner is Steve Thomas, the former vice president of Darling Ingredients.

“It’s a testament to a man who has dedicated more than 40 years to this industry” says Michael Mann, the Vice President of Protein Sales for Darling Industries. Presenting the award was Eric Altom, technical nutritionist for Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health.

A Successful Show

With its increase of 6000 estimated registered attendees this year, the exhibition proved to be fruitful, gathering many people together within these connecting industries and helping to grow the connections between both the companies and the customers. It helped to build and create or reinforce the bonds between everyone, giving the ability to share ongoing developments and progress in the feed and food sectors.

As part of the show’s success, IPPE raised US$30,000 for the Atlanta Community Food Bank through it’s ‘Giving Back to Atlanta’ campaign, in partnership with Hawkins Inc., WATT Global Media, EXPO Auctions, and individual contributions.

Milling and Grain magazine had the pleasure of visiting many companies, seeing familiar faces, and making new connections. Among them were companies such as AGI, Alltech, ADM, Lallemand, ICC, Adare Biome, and many others. The event provided many networking opportunities, with companies hosting their own social events, of which Milling and Grain magazine attended.

We also had the pleasure of filming several interviews, including one with Glycon Santos, CEO of ICC, who told us all about the benefits of yeast additives. We visited the booth of AGI, and spoke with Giuseppe Bigliani, International Account Executive at AGI, who discussed the opportunity to attend the Online Milling School. Also at AGI, was Noam Silberstein, Senior Vice President of Global Feed also at AGI, who told us all about AGI’s developments in the feed sector.

We also spoke to Aidan Connolly, President of Agritech Capital, who discussed the sectors prospects, speaking about his new book, ‘The Future of Agriculture’, and Emilie Fontaine, Vice President of Brand & Products at JEFO, reported on JEFO’s exciting new developments.

All these interviews will be available to see on our MAGTV YouTube channel, across our socials, and featured on our website.

Until next time…

IPPE 2024 have set their dates for January 30 –February 1, 2024, with the event taking place in its usual location- Georgia World Congress Centre, Atlanta, USA.

Milling and Grain magazine plan to attend next year so we hope to see you all there!

PET EXPO 2023

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) have announced Global Pet Expo, the premier international gathering for the pet products industry, will take place March 22-24, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. The show has “Everything You Need” to discover the latest pet products, reinvigorate your business and reimagine how we support our beloved pets. For nearly two decades, Global Pet Expo has brought together pet products manufacturers, importers, retailers, distributors, thought leaders and creative minds advancing the US$123.6 billion pet care industry.

“Global Pet Expo 2022 was a resounding success, with a show floor spanning 269,500 net square feet of exhibit space, over 770 exhibiting companies, nearly 2,700 booths and 700 submissions in the New Products Showcase and more than 5,400 buyers,” said Bob Merar, interim CEO of APPA. “The APPA and PIDA teams were extremely pleased with this year’s turnout and participation from the pet care community, and we are already hard at work making the 2023 event even bigger and better!”

The show – held in the South Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center – is open to qualified pet product retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers and other qualified pet professionals. Global Pet Expo 2023 will feature a larger show floor with expanded specialty sections in Natural Pet, The Boutique and What’s New to meet demand in these trending product

Guarantees

Attendees

categories. Registration includes access to the exhibits and new product launches, along with opportunities to network, grow your business and attend education sessions.

“As longtime pet store proprietors, we are always looking forward to attending Global Pet Expo, which serves as a meeting and catchingup opportunity for a lot of us,” said Jusak Yang Bernhard, co-owner of Wag Heaven Pet Supplies & Self-Serve Dog Wash (Georgetown, Texas). “It is one of the must-dos if we are to understand, be a part of, and grow within the pet industry, and we are so grateful that Global Pet Expo provides us with a wealth of opportunities.”

In addition, Global Pet Expo offers a threeday Global Learning Series program, free and open to all attendees. Sessions focus on specific knowledge areas, including customer experience, human resources, leadership, market data & insights, PR & marketing and profitability & growth. Submissions are open for speakers to present during this robust educational program

“From information relevant to successful management of a retail pet store to the latest data in pet ownership and more, the Global Learning Series offers educational opportunities for any and all Global Pet Expo attendees,” said Celeste Powers, president of PIDA. “We look forward to receiving speaker submissions in order to provide this year’s attendees with relevant, timely and engaging content.”

“Everything you need”

insights

Latin America’s largest dedicated event for the animal feed and grain handling & processing industries

With Victam LatAm, Victam also has its Latin American platform, where the focus will be on the opportunities in Brazil and its surrounding countries Argentina, Colombia, Peru etc. As in other parts of the world, Victam will be launched in parallel to Grapas, the event for grain, rice, soy and flour handling & processing and association GEAPS. Together the three events are the place to be for feed and grain handling & processing.

The exhibition is a ‘one-stop’ show where the latest innovations in the field of animal feed and grain and soy handling & processing will be showcased. With the opportunity to connect with (key) players and enjoy the sights and sounds of São Paolo, this event offers top tier networking and conferences with key topics in your industry.

First time in Latin America!

Let’s kick-off with some interesting facts about Latin American compound feed production:

1. Latin America forms 16 percent of the total world compound feed production

2. Two of top global compound feed manufacturing countries (Brazil #3, Mexico #5) are located in Latin America.

3. In 2020, Brazil continued to top the list of countries with the highest levels of certified soy production, at approximately 3.7 million tonnes. Other relevant countries in the sector are Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay in Latin America, with a total of 248,000 hectares and 774,000 tonnes (RTRS, 2021). It is expected that the current soybean production in Brazil, will be increased by 36 percent by 2035 without deforestation and with a notable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (Source: Nature Sustainability, 2022). Then the question remains, where do you organise an event in Latin America, is it in Brazil or a Spanish-speaking country?

In 2021, Latin America experienced moderate growth of 0.5 percent, and Brazil remained the leader in feed production for the region and ranked third overall globally (Source: World-Grain, SOSLAND Publishing 2021). The Brazilian animal feed sector saw good results the past years despite limited state support and consequences of the pandemic. Most feed producers are ready for further investments as local farmers are increasing spending on high-quality animal feed. The increased demand creates conditions for market consolidation and growth where innovative manufacturing

technologies and product solutions are introduced (Source: Feed Strategy, 2022).

With a population of 230 million people, Brazil’s population is as large as all other countries in South America together. It also stands head and shoulders above the other countries in terms of animal feed companies and grain, corn and soy production, which was the deciding factor for us to organise the event in Brazil.

In short, Latin America is a market with a lot of potential and is currently becoming an increasingly important market for our parties. The Victam Platform could be a great help in entering or expanding in the market. Our main aim is to be an international event for the entire continent, so the purpose is to attract important visitors from surrounding countries such as Argentina, Colombia and Peru. To be able to realise this, São Paulo; the economic capital of Latin America, is the place to be because of the allure and the central location (flying options).

Who is this event particularly interesting for?

Victam focuses on the niche of animal feed industry. With this we specialise on a selective yet diverse group and offer the maximum. For exhibitors, we actually have everything that is necessary within the factories and at farms to produce animal feed, machines, ingredients and all related services. The visitors are mostly producers of animal feed. This applies also for the LatAm event, although the market is organised with a special twist. For example, large farmers and cooperatives are also important visitor groups in Latin America and government agencies play a more important role in the chain than here in Western Europe.

In addition to Victam, we also organize GRAPAS, our title for the flour processing industry, and this industry is especially important in Latin America. This is also the reason why we have partnered with GEAPS and RTRS for instance, because these are associations that have their roots in grain handling and sustainable soy industry. This makes the event broader, deeper and more accessible. The foregoing implies that we cover both niches without losing focus as the two complement one another; the ingredients themselves and the entire procession.

Industry-based conferences and seminars during the LatAm

Wageningen University, together with the Victam Foundation, seizes the opportunity of this event to organize a local edition of the international feed technology conference (IFTC). Speakers from various universities in institutions in South America have already confirmed their presence. Through this conference, we at Victam are once again making the link between knowledge and practice. Our partner RTRS organizes a two-day round table session on sustainable soy and GEAPS organizes various seminars and workshops for grain handling. As for sustainability, this is an actual and crucial subject where the market in Latin America is already a bit further along. Both on the short- and long run, this theme is something that we certainly want further to expand, starting today!

There will be also conferences in partnership with our key media partner Perendale. There will be an extrusion on pet food and aqua feed. Another conference will be about feed mills maximised. For this conference, we will invite speakers from important feed mills in Latin America. These specialists will illustrate the current situation and elaborate on future visions ending with a table session with suppliers in the industry. We have also joined an online milling school, where we want

Words from Patrons – Wenger

“Our Wenger, one of our highly valued founding companies, is participating at events for aquatic and pet food organised by Victam. With this event in Latin America, it is a great opportunity for Wenger to expand their presence within this area and establish lasting relations.

Wenger is a global, family-owned business committed to groundbreaking innovation, shaping the industry’s future at engineering, manufacturing, research and administrative facilities in Kansas, Brazil, Turkey, Belgium, India, Taiwan and Beijing. For this edition, we are delighted to give the floor to Dennis Funk, Vice President of Wenger Manufacturing, to tell us more about their company and success factors. This interview contains information based on the pet food sector.

What makes participating to this upcoming event in LatAm different than the other markets/events?

Wenger works with many clients in Latin America and this is an excellent opportunity to meet with them to discuss their needs and how Wenger can work with them.

What are your expectations of Victam LatAm?

Wenger’s process expertise in extrusion cooking is world-class, so anytime we can meet with industry professionals, buyers, business owners, etc. to talk about extrusion, it will be a success.

How do you see this partnership evolving in the future?

Our participation in exhibitions is driven largely by the involvement of our clients. As long as they find value in this event, we will likely continue to support it.

What is Wenger’s vision on sustainability?

Extrusion cooking and subsequent drying processes can require significant amounts of energy. Wenger offers a variety of process, technology, and automate controls solutions aimed to reduce energy usage and to accommodate alternative energy sources per our customers’ specifications. Sustainability is very important to Wenger and we are constantly looking at innovative ways to achieve this.

to bring the technical employees from Brazilian feed mills to the fair for the last session of the course and graduation ceremony. Interesting for the students and of course the exhibitors. Apart from that, we have a full program of shorter sessions on a variety of industry topics. Stay tuned and check our website www. victamlatam.com regularly for updates and detailed program information!

What are today’s trends within the industry and how do you keep up with these?

The inclusion of fresh meat is quickly becoming a must-have in the product portfolio of most pet food manufacturers. This is no longer a niche market. However, it can be a challenge to manufacture if you don’t have the right type of equipment or process knowledge. For example, an older-style extrusion system will likely be inefficient – and ineffective - to process fresh meat inclusion. Older style systems tend to clog up quickly and/or produce kibble that is too fragile to withstand further processing. Fortunately Wenger has a system – The Thermal Twin – that can produce kibble with very high inclusions of fresh meat. In fact, this is the only extruder on the market with proven performance for this type of food and treats.

What is the biggest challenge within the industry that you are currently facing?

Globally, Wenger’s pet food clients are facing challenges in sourcing ingredients and in the inflationary costs of these ingredients. Wenger continues to work with our clients to maximize their ingredient costs and usage by way of our extremely flexible and efficient systems. Our long-time focus on efficiencies and flexibility have helped our clients navigate fluctuating ingredient supplies and have limited unnecessary waste and rework.

What is Wenger’s greatest accomplishment that you are the most proud of?

Often times, clients initially choose Wenger when they have a challenging project or business needs. Once they employ our systems, they usually become repeat clients. Since every client is different, our greatest achievements happen almost daily as we meet each of our clients’ specifications and help them push the boundaries for nutrition, quality, and uniqueness in pet foods.

What’s the main message you have for the readers?

There is a reason Wegner is one of the tops in extrusion for pet food. When you work with Wenger, you gain the process expertise and innovative equipment solutions needed to improve the products – and profitability – of the nutritional products you make and distribute to pets around the world.

Industry Events

2023 March

22-23

Global Pet Expo Orlando, Florida, USA www.globalpetexpo.org

30-2

Interpets Tokyo, Japan www.interpets.jp.messefrankfurt.com

2023 May

1-3

Petfood Forum Kansas City, Missouri, USA www.petfoodforumevents.com

3-4

Petcare Innovation Europe Berlin, Germany www.kisacoresearch.com

15-17

Zoomark International Bologna, Italy https://www.expobeds.com

2023 August

16-18

Pet South America

Sao Paulo, Brazil www.petsa.com

2023 October

2-5

VICTAM LatAm Sao Paulo, Brazil www.victamlatam.com

25-27

Petfair SE Asia Bangkok, Thailand www.petfair-sea.com

2024 January

30- 1

IPPE Atlanta, Georgia, USA www.ippexpo.org

2024 May

7-10

Interzoo 2024 Nuremberg, Germany www.interzoo.com

Bagging systems

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11

www.buhlergroup.com

FAWEMA +49 2263 716-0

www.fawema.com

Statec Binder +43 3112 38 5800

www.statec-binder.com

Bulk storage

AGI

www.aggrowth.com

Behlen

+1 402 564 3111

www.behlengrainsystems.com

Behn + Bates

+49 251 9796 252 www.behnbates.com

Brock

+1 866 658 4191

www.brockgrain.com

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11

www.buhlergroup.com

Silo Construction & Engineering

+32 51723128

www.sce.be

Symaga

+34 926640475

www.symaga.com

TSC Silos

+31 543 473979

www.tsc-silos.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444

www.aarsen.com

Computer software

Inteqnion

+31 543 49 44 66

www.inteqnion.com

Van Aarsen International

+31 475 579 444

www.aarsen.com

Coolers & driers

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11

www.buhlergroup.com

Consergra s.l

+34 938 772207

www.consergra.com

Extru-Tech

+785 284 2153

www.extru-techinc.com

FrigorTec GmbH +49 7520 91482-0 www.frigortec.com

FAMSUN +86 85828888 www.famsungroup.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444 www.aarsen.com

Yemmak +90 266 7338363 www.yemmak.com

Yemtar Feed Mill Machines +90 266 733 8550 www.yemtar.com

Dosing

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11 www.buhlergroup.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444 www.aarsen.com

Elevator buckets

4B Braime +44 113 246 1800 www.go4b.com

Tapco Inc +1 314 739 9191 www.tapcoinc.com

Yemtar Feed Mill Machines +90 266 733 8550 www.yemtar.com

Elevator & conveyor components 4B Braime +44 113 246 1800 www.go4b.com

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11 www.buhlergroup.com

Henry Simon +44 0161 804 2800 www.henrysimonmilling.com

Tapco Inc +1 314 739 9191 www.tapcoinc.com

Yemtar Feed Mill Machines +90 266 733 8550 www.yemtar.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444 www.aarsen.com

Extruders

Almex +31 575 572666 www.almex.nl

Andritz +45 72 160300 www.andritz.com

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11 www.buhlergroup.com

IDAH +866 39 902701 www.idah.com

Wenger Manufacturing +1 785-284-2133 www.wenger.com

Yemmak +90 266 7338363 www.yemmak.com

Yemtar Feed Mill Machines +90 266 733 8550 www.yemtar.com

Feed milling

vibronet-Gräf GmbH & Co.KG +49 6441 62031 www.vibronet.com

Yemmak +90 266 7338363 www.yemmak.com

Zheng Chang +86 2164184200 www.zhengchang.com

Feed Mill Automation

Bühler AG +41 71 955 11 11 www.buhlergroup.com

Van Aarsen International +31 475 579 444 www.aarsen.com

Laboratory equipment Tekpro +44 1692 403403 www.tekpro.com

The Market Place lists leading manufacturers of equipment used for the production of petfood. To be included in the Market Place please contact Tuti Tan at tutit@perendale.co.uk.

the interview

Thomas

Kaeser

Chairman of the Board, kaeser kompressoren, Germany

Thomas Kaeser, born in 1953, in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany.General qualification for university entrance at Ernestinum Gymnasium in Coburg. Following an industrial engineering course of studies at the Technical University Karlsruhe in Germany and trainee residencies in France and the US, he joined the parental company in 1979 and became Managing Partner of KAESER KOMPRESSOREN GmbH in Coburg in 1985. Since February 2012, he is the Chairman of the Board of kaeser kompressoren se. He is also on the Board of the VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau - German Engineering Federation), the advisory board of the exhibitors of the Hanover Fair, the PNEUROP Council and the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). He has been awarded the State Medal for outstanding services to the Bavarian industry (in November 2012).

When you first took over as a managing partner of Kaeser compressors in 1985, what were the hurdles you had to face?

There were no hurdles to face but a lot of challenges: to understand all the demands of different customers, to foster the relationships with our suppliers, to continuously find and develop new markets e.g. aquaculture, to push innovation and new product development, to canalize financial resources efficiently and properly, to develop a worldwide supply chain and to organise efficient and flexible production. To understand all this, to network and to communicate all these departments lead to the result of a successfully growing company.

In recent years what are the most critical technological developments that you have witnessed in the sector?

Of course it is important, necessary and inevitable that all products and services need continuous development for improvement with the main goal of energy efficiency and reliability. But even in those days I have seen the necessity for computer devices inside and outside machines and activity for the digitalisation of machines (digital twins) and processes.

In 2012 you were awarded the State Medal for Outstanding Services to the Bavarian Economy. What contributions have you made to the profession that is most meaningful to you?

For more that 100 years Kaeser Kompressoren has been a continuously positively developing company engaging every year additional competent and motived people who have been offered interesting and challenging tasks and an extremely safe working place. Even in very difficult times like the finance crisis in 2009 and the COVID crisis in 2022/2021,

we did not give notice of any of our staff. Additionally, for nearly 20 years we have a programme to engage more than double as many apprentices as we needed to engage in the beginning, as to give to young people a chance of receiving good education and a precious possibility for a long-term job in the future.

Last but not least, the strategy of Kaeser Kompressoren has always been to offer to our customers a solution to save energy and money which is good for the company and good for the environment.

What are Opportunities for solution innovations that support sustainable goals in current manufacturing industry?

Digitalisation is a vital goal and development of Kaeser Kompressoren and all other companies as well to remain competitive and successful and to save as much energy and resources as possible.

Kaeser compressor celebrated 100 years a few years back. How would you describe the companies journey from a small workshop in 1919?

You can imagine that a journey of more than 100 years has many bright and also some dark moments. But the trust and confidence in our own strength and in a possible good future combined with the loyalty and solidarity to and of our employees, customers and suppliers has made it possible to overcome all the difficult challenges which appeared in our history.

Where do you think the industry will be by 2050? Well, I cannot predict what future brings but we will work hard, goal-focused and with the best possible communication to employees and stakeholders. This ensures our success in the future.

THE INDUSTRY FACES

PMMI welcomes first female Board Chair

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, announces Patty Andersen from Delkor Systems as the 2023 chairperson of the Board, the first time a woman has held the position at the association.

As co-owner and vice president of human resources and aftermarket services at Delkor Systems, Andersen plays a pivotal role in guiding the company’s strategic vision and direction and she brings this expertise to her role as PMMI chairperson.

“Patty has provided PMMI with valuable guidance as a leader and a Board member. We are excited as she takes on a larger role in the strategic direction of PMMI as our first female chair,” says Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI. “Her more than 20 years of packaging industry experience coupled with her ability to inspire others to work together and think creatively to solve problems, makes her an incredible asset to the association.”

Instinct Pet Food announces new CEO

After over four years as CEO of Instinct, Neil Thompson has accepted the role of Chairman, Instinct Pet Food.

Replacing Mr Thompson as CEO is Gordon Dumesich, who was previously Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Instinct. Over the last four years, Mr Dumesich has built a highly cohesive and effective commercial team that has been instrumental in delivering consistent strong double-digit growth and ever-increasing market shares while strengthening our retail partnerships with a renewed focus on the Independent Neighborhood Pet Trade. Gordon has effectively positioned Instinct as one of the leading brands in the fastest growing ‘alternative petfood’ category, valued at over $1 billion.

Under Mr Dumesich’s leadership, the Instinct business has significantly strengthened its financial position, allowing it to invest over $100 million in the first phase of a new Center of Excellence manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. This expansion will contribute to a more efficient and sustainable production footprint. In recent years, the organisation has also made significant advances in the areas of operational stability, product quality and safety, and external relationships. Additionally, Instinct has invested in the scientific discovery process to quantify the benefits of raw feeding with the University of Helsinki. This research provides the company with unique and ever-increasing insights.

In his role as Chairman, Mr Thompson will work to further strengthen external relationships and will remain a member of Agrolimen’s Petcare Board. Instinct is grateful to Mr Thompson for his strategic leadership in shaping a bright future and empowering our team to reach new heights. Now, the company is excited to welcome Mr Dumesich to his promotion as CEO.

Dr Roy Brister joins Alltech as Strategic Poultry Advisor

Alltech is pleased to announce that Dr Roy Brister has joined the team as a Strategic Poultry Advisor. With nearly four decades of experience in the poultry industry, he will focus on supporting sales and technical teams, bridging the gap between suppliers and poultry integrators, and driving new research. He is also passionate about creating actionable steps that help the poultry industry meet its sustainability goals.

Dr Brister began his career as a technical nutritionist at Nutrius Inc./Diamond Shamrock and later Spring Valley Farms, the latter of which was acquired by Tyson just months after he joined. His 37 years at Tyson Foods included roles as director of nutrition and feed milling. He specialises in nutrition and feed milling management and is particularly interested in growth modelling as an innovative technology that can help producers achieve increased efficiency and sustainability. He is also interested in alternative ingredients that support circular nutrition and in utilising data to guide critical decisions.