The first animals to be domesticated by humans were wolves, although the jury is still out on when exactly this occurred. Now a menagerie of animals is considered companion animals or pets, from the fuzzy chinchilla to the majestic horse. The original reasons for domestication were as varied as the species themselves: protection, hunting, travel and companionship.

Today, pets are considered by their owners to be members of the family. They have their own toys, a special place on the sofa or even their own room.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans individually spent an average of $500 on their pets for a collective total of $66.75 billion, three times more than 20 years earlier. Their growth in spending is being outpaced by China, where pet lovers are estimated to spend 50 percent more by 2019. With a human population 4.5 times larger than the U.S., this may soon become the world’s biggest market. The European pet industry is also fairly substantial and, according to EuroDev, is expected to grow to $36.4 billion USD by the end of 2017, with the biggest markets being France (16.5 percent), Germany (16 percent) and the U.K. (15.3 percent).

As the population increases, the middle class grows and new geographic markets develop, opportunities abound in the pet sector. Additionally, advances in technology that have been disrupting many other industries are certain to have an effect. Traditional pet products and emerging technologies are converging, opening up never-before-seen opportunities.

Following the eight digital technologies framework* I’ve used in previous blogs, what could disrupt the companion animal market?

1. 3D appendages?

These doggie knee implants are created using a 3D printer. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.

3D printing can offer veterinarians novel life-saving techniques for pets. 3D Systems has partnered with Rita Leibinger Medical to create and print titanium orthopedic knee implants for dogs. They have reported nearly 10,000 successful implants using a procedure they call tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). TTA eliminates the need for a veterinarian to repair the ligament because it stabilizes the joint using a titanium implant, which speeds up both the surgery itself and the animal’s recovery time.

While it may sound expensive, TTA actually costs significantly less than traditionally hand-built prosthetics. There are many incredible tales of second chances — a duck with a new silicone foot, a cat’s knee implant and a pup’s prosthetic legs. Though not designed solely for animal and veterinary use, several companies have now created prosthetics for animals: NovaCopy, Stratasys, MakerBot, 3dyn and BTech.

2. Are robotic dogs man’s new BFF?

Move over, Fido, man’s new best friend is…a robot? Robotic “Rover” has certainly done well in Japan, where Aibo (Sony) engineered a robotic dog in 1999 that was designed to learn about its owners and to react appropriately to their emotions. These robots used both sensors and artificial intelligence to create such a real impression. In fact, so genuine was the appearance that owners in Japan were holding funerals when their pets “died.”

While this original design was for fun and companion purposes, there seems to be an opportunity to create robotic dogs to replace some of the service animals we have today. Japanese company NSK created Lightbot, a guide robot of sorts, but the design leaves much to be desired when compared to a snuggly pup! Alternatively, robotic dogs or cats could be an ideal solution for families with severe allergies that are prohibitive to real animals.

MiRo is a programmable robotic canine created by Consequential Robotics that has sensors for detecting its surroundings, facial recognition technology and is designed to be emotionally engaging. MiRo won the Best Demonstration Award at the 2017 Human-Robot Interaction conference in Vienna, Austria.

CHiP, made by WowWee, is an intelligent, affectionate robot dog. Using smart technology and advanced sensors, your responses will determine CHiP’s behavior. Cozmo is yet another example.

There is also a robotic company that designs robots resembling animal-like frames called Boston Dynamics. Though these robots are intended less for companion purposes and more for practical applications, they are designed to learn and adapt to their environment. Once you watch a video of their robot, Spot, it’s hard not to imagine how it could easily segue into the pet world with just a little “prettying” up.

3. Drones for lost doggies

There are some practical applications for drones in the pet industry. For one, a drone is capable of searching and finding missing pets. They are able to cover a wider area than a human could and, when combined with other technologies such as the GPS wearables discussed below, could zoom in on the lost animal. Drones have already been used to track and count strays in urban areas such as Houston, Texas. The World Animal Awareness Society used drones to film strays to increase awareness and compassion for the issue.

A few months ago, IBM filed a patent for a drone that could act as a pet sitter or trainer, providing your dog or cat with constant monitoring while you’re away at work. It could train your pet or provide entertainment should your dog get restless or lonely. Potentially, the drone could allow the dog in or out, and also dole out food or treats at mealtimes or for training purposes.

Netherlands-based Tinki.nl thinks the 100 million kilos of dog droppings that are neglectfully distributed in his country create quite the nightmare. Teaming up with Space53, the companies use a drone equipped with thermal imaging and recognition software to locate the mess and apply GPS coordinates to its location. Then, a robot receives the coordinates and cleans the area. It's an incredible way to combine technologies to address a real problem.

4. Sensors for Spot

Sensors for pets, particularly in the form of wearables such as GPS-enabled collars, have seen significant growth over the last few years.

WonderWoof BowTie is a dog activity tracker that can set daily recommended activity targets for your pet based on size, breed and age. It records movement and sends owners progress reports (or reminders to get the dog to be more active!) via an app.

The Buddy by Squeaker glow-in-the-dark LED collar takes this a step further, using GPS and Bluetooth technology to track and organize daily activity. Not only does it use geofencing and real-time tracking, but it will also determine your dog’s temperature and set the thermostat in your home to make your pet more comfortable. It is waterproof and connects to your smartphone for real-time health analysis and updates.

PetPace, designed for dogs or cats, monitors health and alerts owners when something is wrong. Other examples of health monitoring devices include the iotatracker, FitBark and Tailio for cats.

What about fish? FishBit monitors your aquarium, including temperature and fish/coral/plant stock, and it reminds you when the water needs to be changed, all through an app on your smartphone.

Wearables offering GPS monitoring include PawTrack, specifically for cats, Whistle for dogs and Tractive for both dogs and cats. Petkit not only offers a wearable that monitors activity and food intake, but also assesses an animal’s mood, and so does DogStart’s TailTalk. PawTracker is also designed for both dogs and cats and uses GPS locating to keep track of your pet.

However, sensors go beyond wearables. Tired of scooping kitty litter? Litter-Robot has a space-age-looking enclosed litter “box” that senses when your cat is done and cleans the box for you. It also alerts you when the box is full so all you have to do is dump the drawer.

Perhaps the most practical opportunity for sensor technology is in automatic feeders. PetNet makes an automatic feeder that gauges the amount of existing food and reorders more if levels run low. CatFi does much the same, and also uses 3D facial recognition to track how much each individual cat is eating.

Designed by animal-loving neurosurgeons, CleverPet is an automatic feeding system that is also designed to engage and challenge your pet to ease boredom. OurPets Wonder Bowl is paired with a collar tag that allows only the animal it is connected with to eat, which is great for people with more than one pet or animals on special diets. Eyenimal offers a wide range of products, from invisible fencing to no-bark collars, cameras and automatic feeding devices. PetSafe offers all manner of pet products, including food dispensers, automatic ball launchers, electronic pet doors, laser toys for cats and more.

There is no shortage of variety of sensor applications. Most of these are wearables in the form of collars, some are feeders or toys. Almost all will connect to your smartphone, where appropriate.

Astro: Garmin’s handheld tracking system

Catspad: Programmable automatic cat feeder

Gibi Pet Tracker: Attaches to any pet collar and connects to your phone

iFetch: Automatic ball thrower

LINK: Wearable uses AI to determine what constitutes intense activity

Tabcat: Lightweight tracking collar, specifically for cats

MarcoPolo: Long range, waterproof, lightweight tracking collar for dogs and cats

Nuzzle: GPS location collar and activity tracker

PetPace: Collar collects pet’s vitals including temperature, activity, pulse, calories consumed (and burned), etc.

Poof: Daily activity tracker (includes sleep!)

Voyce Sensor tracks activity, heart and respiratory rates, quality of rest, etc.

5. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to talk to your pet

No need for your pet to be bored while you’re away — AI can be used to entertain, challenge and even reward him. Image courtesy of Petcube.

The next step in AI might be talking to and understanding your pet! Not long ago, Amazon said it would be selling pet translators within the next 10 years. Already, there is an app available in the U.K. that is a “human-to-cat translator,” but it does not necessarily claim to use AI and reviews are mixed as to its effectiveness.

As already mentioned, robotic dogs can use AI, and sensors provide a means of collecting information for AI to make real-time decisions. PetBot uses AI to recognize your dog, give it treats when you choose (through an app) and take pictures that are sent to your smartphone. Felik is an intelligent pet companion that uses AI to create the same movements a human does when using a laser pointer to play with a cat or dog, keeping your pet entertained while you’re away. Petchatz also allows owners to chat with their dog and release treats to reward their attentiveness.

6. Create your own pet through augmented reality

Augmented reality, sometimes referred to as “mixed reality,” offers its own version of what the future of household pets might be. Rather than robots, what about holograms? This is just one of the many applications of Microsoft’s HoloLens using Actiongram. These holographic pets are able to interact with their owners and fetch balls, perform tricks for treats and even display personalities and emotions like shyness and happiness. These digital companions will build intelligence and learn to interact with people.

British company INDE has created all types of AR systems for many top organizations, including an interactive dinosaur display for National Geographic. Who’s to say what other AR companies may move into the pet industry?

7. Virtual reality allows for much cleaner “pet” homes

This imploring face may be created in a virtual world, but it still demands love and attention. Image courtesy of Foopets.

VR technology is proving to be an effective training tool, including within veterinary education. Future animal surgeons can learn extensively from this technology in the classroom, but there are other, less serious functions for the technology as well.

Google Cardboard has made it easy for anyone to use VR apps such as Virtual Reality Pet. HTC Vive, the creator of Konrad the Kitten, has really upped its game recently with a new design using Oculus Rift’s handheld touch controller, which allows users to not only see a virtual pet, but to physically touch, pet, hold or cuddle one. FooPets offers both puppies and kittens as adoptable virtual pets that require food, love and attention.

Reading about VR in the pet industry almost begs the question: Will pets experience VR as well? Pawculus Rift was a pretty good April fools’ joke by Cramer, but who’s to say that one day there couldn’t be a use for it? Could VR for your pet keep them entertained while you’re at work? Could it be used to train them? As quickly as technology is moving, new opportunities arise every day, and it may not seem so strange to imagine.

8. Blockchain could verify your pet’s pedigree

Undoubtedly, blockchain technology has the capability to revolutionize transparency in pet pedigrees. Privacy is always a concern within a series of transactions, such as the sale of a pet through multiple owners, but blockchain is designed in such a way that the digital records are not centrally located, nor controlled by one entity. No one can manipulate the data, and it is fully secure. This leaves it virtually impregnable to hackers or information seekers with malintent.

The biggest benefit of blockchain is the ability to share all types of information. From an animal’s breeding history to its yearly veterinary care, health records, dog show awards, training certifications, etc., Blockchain can actually store information from any device, even robots, sensors and microchips.

Internet of things (IoT) becomes the internet of pets

Any of these eight digital technologies can become part of the IoT. It is IoT technology that interconnects them, even in ways we may not yet comprehend. For example, IoT connects the camera in your living room with the smartphone on your desk, allowing you to monitor your pet while you’re at work. It’s also IoT that connects your phone back to the treat feeder, allowing you to reward your pet for behaving while you’re at work! IoT enables the collection and interconnectivity of data. This is extremely important when considering the health and well-being of your pet.

Big data and the microbiome

In recent years, discussion has evolved about the role of the microbiome, or the bacteria in your stomach, and the effects a healthy gut can have on humans. The same is true for animals. Studying an animal’s microbiome and the effect nutrients has on it is not easy. Thankfully, there is another new type of technology called nutrigenomics (the study of how nutrients affect an organism’s genes). It uses a gene chip that allows researchers to test different nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, yeast fractions, probiotics, prebiotics and even essential oils, to see how adding them to an animal’s diet can improve their digestive efficiency.

Why is this important? By improving the microbiome, or gut, of your pet, you can improve their overall health. It will reduce their chances of getting sick and improve their energy levels. There are very few nutrigenomics centers in the world, and most are dedicated to human research. Alltech has built the only one dedicated to animals and has collected a tremendous amount of data, challenging traditional analytical systems, but big data algorithms have been developed that allow for this information to be analyzed and understood as never before.

The eight technologies, the IoT and the advent of big data described here are digital disruptions affecting nearly every aspect of modern life, including even our four-legged companions. While some of the concepts may seem hard to fathom, given the speed of innovation, concepts that don’t exist today may quickly emerge and become a reality. Advances in the pet industry are already apparent, and new technologies arrive on the market on a daily basis, growing the market ecosystem map. From a commercial standpoint, it’s clear: The pet industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and there are exciting (and profitable!) times ahead for those who cater to people’s love for their companion animal family members.

*The framework for these eight technologies was first proposed in a PwC article.

Tom:                    As a registered dietitian/nutritionist and a nutrition solutions specialist at Alltech, Nikki Putnam helps farmers and producers apply the lens of human nutrition to agricultural practices for the improved nutrition of plants, animals and consumers. We thank you for joining us, Nikki.

Nikki:                   Thanks for having me.

Tom:                    So, what role do you play in the chain of events that happen from farm to table?

Nikki:                   I have a really interesting role within Alltech. I actually came from a larger supermarket chain based out of the Midwest. And what I was doing there was acting as a health and wellness spokesperson, helping consumers to understand a bit more about what was in their food, where their food was coming from and what types of food they should be purchasing for prevention of chronic disease or specific diets like food allergies.

                    So, what I’m doing is bringing that to Alltech now and helping our producers explain to consumers, explain to retailers what they’re doing on-farm and how they’re using feeds to improve the nutrition of their animals to then improve the nutrition of that food product they’re bringing to the consumer and to the retailer.

Tom:                    I think we all watch trends in our respective fields. How about you? What noteworthy trends are you keeping an eye on?

Nikki:                   A few things that I think have been really popular as of late is what I like to call the “free-from” diets — gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free.

                    Also, paying more attention — consumers are paying more attention to food sensitivities. Are they reacting to certain types of foods? Is it an actual allergy? Is it an intolerance? Or is it maybe just more of a preference?

Tom:                    What about consumer perceptions? Let’s start with “free-from.” Is it recognized on the consumer end, and are sales of “free-from” items on the rise?

Nikki:                   I think a lot of consumers are starting to look for these types of products. They’ve been out for quite some time. I mentioned gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free were available for people who had legitimate allergies to these products. Now, more consumers are looking for these products on supermarket shelves, and, yes, I think that specialty category is continuing to grow. We’re seeing more of that in the supermarkets, and more consumers are looking for it just to feel better. Maybe they don’t have an allergy, but they are looking for new things to help them feel better and improve their well-being.

Tom:                    And what about paying attention to the number of ingredients? Does that seem to have an impact on the consumer end?

Nikki:                   I think those two things tie in together very well. A lot of consumers are perceiving these free-from products as healthier, mainly because they contain fewer ingredients. Many of those products that are included in that specialty format or specialty aisle in the supermarket have fewer ingredients than those that may have included the gluten, the soy, the dairy, etc. 

Tom:                    Would you consider these diets something of a disruptor?

Nikki:                   Absolutely. I think it’s changing the food industry. I think it’s changing the way that producers of food, food companies, the big food industry and retailers are starting to talk to consumers, the way that they’re marketing the products. They’re also changing a lot of product lines to be able to reach these consumers looking for specialty products.

Tom:                    Anything coming along that might disrupt the disruptor?

Nikki:                   Yes, I think so. I think right now the consumers are considered the disruptor, if you will. They’re the ones demanding these different types of food products and asking for things that producers and retailers aren’t offering yet, but we’re seeing producers and retailers really catch up. They’re the ones trying to get ahead of the curve now. We’re seeing a lot of them going out and taking new leaps and forays into different types of products and specialty goods. So, they might be the next disruptor.

Tom:                    So, the potential is definitely there. What are some good ways to get involved?

Nikki:                   A good way to get involved from the producer side is really listening to the consumer. I think this has been something we’ve talked about time and time again over the years at many different events and meetings. I’ve spoken with producers about getting involved or listening to the consumer. What do they want from us? They are out there telling us specifically what they want to buy on supermarket shelves. Whether or not you can meet that exact need that they’re asking for, listen to what’s behind that exact demand. Are they asking for less processed products? Are they asking for more sustainable products? Are they asking for functional foods, maybe added selenium or DHA? They’re telling us what they want.

Tom:                    Are food allergies on the rise? You mentioned sensitivities a few minutes ago, but are we becoming increasingly food sensitive? And if we are, what’s going on?

Nikki:                   I’m not sure that we’re becoming increasingly food sensitive. I think our awareness of food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies is growing. Only about 4 to 6 percent of the population has an actual food allergy. A larger number has intolerances and an even larger number has what we call a “food sensitivity.” So, this is something that an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the population is dealing with. It might be even coming from seemingly healthy foods like whole wheat toast or broccoli.

Tom:                                   Is it often surprising to find out that a rash or some sort of physical response that you might have attributed to any number of other things turns out to be a response to food?

Nikki:                   Yes. I think it’s often very surprising to consumers and patients alike when they find out that something they thought was very healthy like a piece of salmon or an apple is actually causing a negative reaction in their body. Everyone’s bodies are different. So, it’s very difficult for us to give a blanket “these foods are healthy” statement when we don’t know exactly how that person’s body is reacting.

Tom:                    We’ve heard throughout our lives that “we are what we eat.” What’s that implying for human health and for the way the food industry should respond?

Nikki:                   I think we’re going to see some big changes in human health. We’ve been hearing for years about eating for prevention of chronic disease and improving our health and well-being through food. I think we’re going to see this increase even more as we find out more about what foods are specifically good for each individual person. I think we might see some diets evolve into more specific programmed nutrition for each person rather than, like I mentioned before, these blanket healthy food diets.

Tom:                    Would it be a stretch to call food the new medicine?

Nikki:                   Absolutely not. I think food is definitely something we can use for preventative care. You know, Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine.” That’s becoming truer day in and day out.

Tom:                    What are some autoimmune diseases that respond well to nutritional solutions?

Nikki:                   A couple of the autoimmune diseases that we’re finding more of, not necessarily because there are increased incidents, but because, again, our awareness of these diseases is increasing — celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome are two autoimmune diseases or conditions that are greatly affected by nutrition.

Tom:                    When you think about it, how do free-from diets and attention to food sensitivities, in the end, affect the average consumer’s dinner table?

Nikki:                   I think we’re going to see more changes on the dinner table. We’re seeing more foods that have less processing. People are going back to freshness again. They’re looking for less packaged foods. Or, if they’re eating packaged foods, they’re eating them with the lowest number of ingredients they can find.

Tom:                    Nikki, what about your work do you like the most? What’s the most fun?

Nikki:                   The most fun I have with my job is meeting the farmers and producers. I’m an Iowa girl. I grew up in Iowa. I’m living in Texas now. I’ve always been interested in human nutrition, but I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for agriculture. The best part about my job at Alltech is I get to marry those two things together.

Tom:                    Nikki Putnam is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and a nutrition solution specialist at Alltech. Thank you for being with us.

Nikki:                   Thanks so much.

Nikki Putnam spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17). To hear more talks from the conference, sign up for the Alltech  Idea Lab. For access, click on the button below.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The Lone Star State should not stand alone in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey’s deluge. The historic hurricane’s damage could be devastating to Texas farmers and ranchers, who lead the U.S. in cattle, cotton, hay, sheep and goat production, contributing more than $20 billion annually to the economy. There are countless reports of thousands of head of cattle in America’s “cattle country” that could not be rescued before Harvey hit.

To deliver relief specifically to Texas’ farm and ranch community, Alltech is launching Hope After Harvey. Alltech is donating $20,000 to kick off the relief fund and will then match the first $80,000 in donations made to its 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Alltech ACE Foundation by September 15, 2017. To give to Hope After Harvey, visit https://go.alltech.com/harveyrelief.

Additionally, the Alltech family has committed to donating $100,000 in value of animal feed and crop products.

A team of employees is preparing to deploy to Texas this week to help rope cattle. Additional employee teams are being organized for trips in the months ahead to support farmers and ranchers wherever they need extra hands, whether in installing new fencing, rebuilding barns, restoring fields or herding animals.

“Harvey hit home for many of our customers and employees in Texas, and, therefore, Harvey has hit ‘home’ for the Alltech family globally,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Our Lone Star friends will not stand alone; they will have our support every step of the rebuild.”

Donate to Alltech’s Hope for Harvey at https://go.alltech.com/harveyrelief.

Crop Science Technology to take your forage to the next level

My grandfather used to talk to me about the “spring flush” and the “fall slump.”  To me, these words were as synonymous with the changing seasons as “spring ahead” and “fall back.”

Advancements in management, tillage practices and nutrition have reduced the differences in production that some of our pasturing neighbors might experience with the “spring flush.” However, I still see farms of all shapes, sizes and styles face the dreaded “fall slump” on an annual basis with new crop corn silage. Production losses of 2–8 pounds of milk can be common, coupled with surges in fat and protein and increased instances of hindgut fermentation. Let’s take a closer look at some of the causes and potential solutions to this corn conundrum.

What’s behind the annual “fall slump” with new crop corn silage?

Corn silage can be the most energy-dense forage that we feed. Comparatively, it also has the highest yield potential and is, arguably, the most consistent forage that we harvest. Despite these benefits, there can be some drawbacks, including variability in quality related to changes affecting starch and fiber.

Of all these challenges, there is one in particular that reigns supreme over the king of forages. It is, of course, our friend and nemesis, Mother Nature, which can give us bumper crops or colossal failures. Success often hinges on the weather at the time of planting, silking and harvesting. Temperature and rainfall amounts can swing the pendulum, causing corn silage yield to range from 10 tons to the acre to 30 tons to the acre.  

Fiber

There is significant research on fiber digestibility in corn silage. Much of that information shows that neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility does not really increase over time, post-harvest. It seems that, in most cases, we have what we have. 

The greatest influences on NDF digestion are based on genetics, varietal differences and, most importantly, the weather. Years ago, certain cuttings and certain crops just fed well, but we were not sure why because the traditional fiber measurement methods of lignin, acid detergent fiber and NDF did not clearly distinguish performance. New testing methods and research can now demonstrate that the once-leaned-on lignin numbers were good on legumes but wildly variable on grasses, small grains and corn silage. With all the recent research on both 30-hour NDF digestibility and undigested NDF (uNDF240), we know so much more about the fast and slow pools of forage digestion.

A major nemesis to digestibility in our forage crop is the plant itself. We are beginning to understand the effects of cross-linking, the plant’s defense against stress, on our corn silage as well as other forages.  Cross-linking in the fiber portion of the plant will lock up digestibility as a defense mechanism. Because of the unknowns that come with Mother Nature, we can do everything just right and still have a silage crop that feeds below average.

There are three solid fiber-specific strategies for coping with the loss in production in the fall:

1. Feeding digestible corn silage varieties like brown mid-rib can reduce the lag time that it takes for the starch portion of the forage to catch up. Of course, selecting the correct relative maturity for the climate, elevation and soil type will make optimal harvesting much easier to achieve.

2. Tweak the digestible fiber that is delivered to the cow. In the past, wise nutritionists would outsmart the silage slump with a combination of increased starch levels and forage fiber sources like soy hulls, citrus pulp and wet brewers grain. The addition of these fiber byproducts can reduce the percentage of the indigestible forage.

3. Utilization of fiber-digesting enzymes like Fibrozyme® can help unlock some of the forage potential.

Starch

The real wild card is the starch portion of the corn silage plant. Research on monitoring the seven-hour starch digestibility levels yields some telling information over time. Starch digestion starts off at a crawl and ends up in a sprint. Many trials show that the starch portion is still increasing digestibility at close to 300 days after harvest. Our milk fat test surely knows the feeding difference between new crop corn silage and feeding out 9-month-old corn silage.

Why does this happen? Kernel type is a vital piece of the puzzle. There’s been a lot of talk of flinty versus floury kernels, and there’s been quite a bit of recent trial work on floury kernel types. 

The protein-starch matrix is crucial to how the corn will digest. The more vitreous the kernel type, the longer it will take to achieve maximum digestibility. Corn breeders are researching varieties and kernel types that will feed out faster than they have in the past. Recent research suggests that lower test weight varieties will feed out quicker than higher test weight varieties.

We can tweak the starch digestion somewhat with management during harvest and some management of the cow. Adequate processing of the kernels at harvest will help to break down the particle size, which will aid in starch digestion. Additionally, starch-digesting enzymes, like Amaize®, have been shown to assist in breaking down some of the starch so that the rumen can utilize it more efficiently. Consult with your seed representative, agronomist and nutritionist to see what the best option is for your soil type, ration and day length.

I want to learn more about improving nutrition on my dairy.

Alltech Careers

Every producer knows that when a beef cow is healthy, her calf has a much better chance of being healthy, too. Trace mineral nutrition is key for maintaining healthy cattle at all life stages. Colostrum quality, calf weight and immune function are among the many benefits from supplementing organic trace minerals in cattle. A study done in 2017 at the University of Florida and published in The Professional Animal Scientist evaluated the response of 160 Angus (AN) and Brangus (BN) cows and their calves to inorganic (ING) or organic (ORG) trace mineral sources.

About the study

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the difference in performance and benefits provided by feeding organic trace minerals versus inorganic trace minerals to cattle on pasture. Beef cows supplemented with organic trace minerals received cobalt, copper, manganese and zinc in the form of Bioplex^® and selenium in the form of Sel-Plex^®. Beef cows supplemented with inorganic trace mineral products received them as sulfates and sodium selenite, respectively.

The level of mineral supplementation also varied between treatment groups:

• In the pelleted feed, the organic trace mineral treatment included 25% less copper, 13% less manganese and 29% less zinc compared to the inorganic trace mineral treatment.
• In the free-choice mineral, the organic trace mineral treatment included 45% less copper, 32% less manganese and 46% less zinc than the inorganic trace mineral treatment.

The best mineral strategy for cattle is one that fits within the producer’s operation, based on their animal requirements and budget and the benefits provided from that mineral product. Organic trace minerals, such as Bioplex and Sel-Plex, are more bioavailable and, as a result, can be added at much lower inclusion rates than the traditional inorganic sources, which not only benefits the environment but, ultimately, the health, well-being, reproductive performance and growth of the animals as well.

Effects of trace mineral source on colostrum

The University of Florida trial revealed that colostrum from lactating cows supplemented with organic trace mineral supplement sources contained 29% more immunoglobulin M (IgM mg/dL) antibodies compared to cows supplemented with inorganic trace minerals (P= 0.07). Cows supplemented with the organic trace mineral sources Bioplex and Sel-Plex also demonstrated significantly higher levels of selenium measured in colostrum —and Angus cows specifically had twice as much selenium compared to their inorganic counterparts (P ≤ 0.001).

The study results also showed that the somatic cell counts (SCC) of the colostrum from Angus cows fed organic trace minerals were 67% lower than the SCC of the colostrum from cows fed inorganic trace minerals. Additionally, Brangus cows fed organic trace minerals had 14.6% lower SCC compared to cows fed inorganic trace minerals.

Effects of maternal mineral nutrition on calf weight and antibody levels

As the study progressed, the researchers at the University of Florida observed that calves from cows fed the organic trace mineral sources (Bioplex and Sel-Plex) showed a statistically significant increase in their average daily gains, weaning weights and 205-day adjusted body weights compared to calves fed inorganic trace mineral sources (P ≤ 0.01).

Calves from cows who were supplemented with Bioplex- and Sel-Plex- had 205-day adjusted body weights that were, on average, 22 pounds heavier compared to the weights of calves from cows that were provided with inorganic sources (P ≤ 0.01). Specifically, Angus calves supplemented with Bioplex and Sel-Plex minerals were 33 pounds heavier (205-day adjusted weaning weights) compared to calves from Angus cows supplemented with inorganic trace mineral sources.

The researchers also measured immunoglobulin levels and found that the immunoglobulin A (IgA mg/dL) antibody measurements for calves from cows supplemented with organic trace minerals Bioplex and Sel-Plex demonstrated a statistically significant (40.5%) increase in calf serum 24 hours after colostrum consumption compared to calves from cows provided with inorganic trace mineral sources (P = 0.04).

Bioplex^® offers a range of trace minerals that provide mineral nutrition in a form as close to nature as possible. Bioplex minerals are trace minerals that are bound to amino acids and a range of peptides. They are easily absorbed and readily metabolized, optimizing animal performance. Bioplex trace minerals (including zinc, manganese, copper, iron and cobalt*) are co-factors in the enzymes that are critical for the animal’s defense system, growth and reproduction. Learn more about Bioplex here.

Sel-Plex^® is Alltech’s proprietary organic form of selenium yeast. It is an excellent dietary source of selenium and is manufactured to mimic the selenium found in nature. The selenium in Sel-Plex is safer and better able to meet the higher requirements of livestock raised for rapid growth, reproductive performance and health. Learn more about Sel-Plex here.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

Tom: We’re talking with Michael Woolsey, senior strategic manager for Alltech China. He oversees regulatory affairs and strategic initiatives in Alltech’s largest overseas market. Mr. Woolsey also manages market development activities in Mongolia and Myanmar. We thank you for joining us.

Michael: Good to be here.

Tom: You described China as the ultimate disruptor. Can you elaborate?

Michael: China is the largest overseas market for Alltech, and the pig industry is our biggest customer. Our nutrition solutions for pig farmers account for more than half our sales in China. So, we obviously follow this industry very closely. It’s a massive industry. The revenues of the China pig industry were $160 billion last year. If the China pig industry was a company, it would be number seven on the Fortune 500 — larger than Ford, larger than GM, larger than AT&T.

If you look at the grain that goes into pig farming in China, the amount of farmland is equivalent to the state of California. So, if you take every acre in California to provide grain for China’s pig industry, it still wouldn’t be enough.

There are some really exciting developments going on right now in the China pig industry. Mainly, there’s a massive shift going on. It started about 15 years ago from backyard and small-scale farmers. These farms are being replaced by modern large-scale operations, and this is creating opportunities for a range of businesses that sell to modern pig farms. Everything from equipment, farm building, manufacturers, to genetics, animal nutrition (where we are), to veterinary drugs. Small backyard operations don’t purchase these things and large modern operations do. So, it’s a pretty exciting development right now.

Tom: Smithfield Foods was acquired by a Chinese firm, WH Group. Smithfield accounts for 25 percent of the American pork industry. So, it’s a pretty huge acquisition. What’s the significance for China?

Michael: Yeah. This is a controversial deal both in the U.S. and in China. It was the largest purchase in global animal agriculture history — $7.1 billion, that was the value of the deal.

Four years later, I think there’s evidence that there have been real benefits on both sides. I think for the U.S. pig farmers, they have access to Shuanghui’s impressive distribution network in China. Shuanghui is the biggest meat processor in China. This is access we didn’t have before. And Shuanghui is using their leverage with Chinese retailers to promote American-style pork in a way that’s never happened before in China — hams, bacon, sausages in some exciting and creative ways. And, as a result, we’re seeing record sales of U.S. pork to China right now. Last year’s sales were over $1 billion, up 50 percent from the year before. Nearly all this gain is from Smithfield.

Tom: There’s been some speculation out there that the firm that purchased Smithfield is actually acting on behalf of the government, if not being the government itself. Are you familiar with that speculation? What do you think of it?

Michael: Well, the CEO, Wan Long, he’s actually a member of the National Congress of the Communist Party of China. And he’s the CEO of the largest meat processor and a member of the Party Congress. He’s definitely following guidance from the party.

My first position in China was with the U.S. Embassy back in 2008. Wan Long, the CEO of Shuanghui, invited me to his facility for the weekend. We talked about some of his challenges, and it was interesting. He said he was concerned about the pigs that he was buying in the open market. Shuanghui does not own pig farms, and he was concerned about the inconsistent sizing, the variants, the yields and the carcasses.

He was also really concerned about safety issues, veterinary drug residues and steroids, so he was looking for a safe stream of pork. He asked me, “Would the U.S. government be opposed to my buying a U.S. pig farm?” And I reported the policy that “No, pig farming is not considered a matter of national security and that would be approved.”

I had no idea he was thinking of buying Smithfield at that time. And, four years later, he purchased Smithfield.

But no, there is direction from the party, and all large-scale firms in China are going in this direction. They’re creating global brands.

China has a long history of manufacturing, but they understand that there are more returns in branding and in R&D, that that’s where the real value is. So, the purchase of Smithfield by Shuanghui is an attempt by the largest pork processor in China to capture some added value of a global brand, and there are more purchases on the way.

Tom: China is already the number one animal feed producer, according to the annual Alltech Global Feed Survey, yet much more production is going to be required with the growing middle class. How will they accomplish that?

Michael: Going back to pig farming, there’s a massive shift away from backyard farming to modern scale operations. It’s a development that China has to do. As you mentioned, their farmland is limited, and they’ve got productivity issues. Throughout Chinese agriculture, their yields and productivity are half, or even less, of what you see in the West. The average number of piglets per sow per year is 15. In the West, you see upward of 30 or more.

Their corn yields are half what you see in the U.S. And so, there’s a lot of effort, a lot of policies directed to modernizing Chinese agriculture, bringing in best practices to make sure there’s a reliable supply of safe food for the Chinese. They feel very strongly about self-sufficiency. They feel uncomfortable relying on foreign countries for too much of their food. There are a lot of soybeans coming in, quite a bit of pork. But again, they feel more comfortable if the vast majority of the food that’s consumed in China is produced in China, and they’re taking steps to make sure that happens.

Tom: I think when we think about China, we think about manufacturing, but where in the general scheme of things — the top priorities with the Chinese government — does agriculture figure?

Michael: Agriculture is a critical industry for the party leadership. Again, self-sufficiency is critical. They want to ensure a stable supply of particularly staple products — rice, wheat, corn, and pork is another staple.

When pork prices go up, people notice. It’s the largest meat by far — 63 pounds per person. Number two in China would be chicken at 12 pounds per person per year. And so, ensuring a stable supply of product is really important.

Tom: What is the No. 1 document?

Michael: Every year, the party leadership issues policy documents. The first one they issue every year — the No. 1 document — outlines their work plan for agriculture. It’s indicative of the importance of agriculture to the party, but I have found in my observations of Chinese agriculture policymaking that it’s more of a blueprint. The real work is in other regulatory initiatives, not the No. 1 document. It’s a broad blueprint.

Tom: What importance do environmental and sustainability efforts have in China today? Is there a green revolution of sorts in food?

Michael: It’s a very interesting development the last couple of years. This is an initiative of the administration under Xi Jinping. It started in 2013. They’ve introduced new aggressive measures for water emissions for livestock farming.

They’ve created large zones, particularly in South China, that ban pig farming near sensitive wetlands, the Chinese watershed, also pig farms near residential areas. These are being closed down, and it’s accelerating the trend that I referred to earlier, the smaller farms being closed down, being replaced by bigger farms. The new ones that are opening up are inland. They’re mostly, again, large-scale modern operations, truly massive operations. Some of these are a million pigs and more. So, again, the environmental measures are tough. There are tough standards for minerals, copper and zinc. And a lot of operators are turning to Alltech for our organic minerals to help them cope with these tough emission standards.

Tom: What you just described is the very definition of disruption, I would say.

Michael: That’s right, and Alltech is right in the middle of it, working with our customers to help them meet these requirements.

Tom: There’s been a significant focus by the Chinese government on mineral waste from animal feed. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

Michael: Again, it’s a part of these new environmental initiatives, where there are some new standards for mineral content and emissions from livestock operations. If an auditor comes out and finds that the mineral levels are above the standard, they don’t issue an environmental permit. They can’t operate. We’re seeing a real spike in our organic mineral sales largely due to these environmental initiatives.

The Chinese — they’re taking additional steps. There’s a draft measure to reduce the amount of minerals allowed in finished feed — copper and zinc. They’re bringing their levels down to what we see in the European Union (EU). For copper, for instance, it’s 25 ppm, which is a significant reduction from where they are today at 150.

Tom: Are Chinese producers facing an increasingly regulated sector, and how are they dealing with that if they are?

Michael: Chinese agriculture has always been heavily regulated, but in China, oftentimes the key is what regulations are implemented. You have lots of regulations, and some are implemented and some are not. The environmental rules are being implemented in a way they weren’t before. It’s a tough environment for Chinese operations.

Tom: And how about representing an American company within that regulatory environment? Does that have its challenges as well?

Michael: For operations in China, we are held to a higher standard on average. When regulations come out, they tend to enforce those on foreign operations before local operations, and it’s a bilateral issue between the U.S. and China. This is in tandem with a new “made in China” initiative. In some sectors, it hasn’t impacted agriculture yet, but in other areas like semiconductors, telecoms, equipment services — they’re introducing policies to make it difficult for multinationals to operate and to make sure that the Chinese companies win out. It’s a warring trend for foreign operations in China.

Tom: This burgeoning middle class, with its burgeoning demand, is that creating opportunities for exports from other countries, including the United States?

Michael: Oh, absolutely. The middle class in China continues to boom. When people are in the middle class, the first thing they do is improve their diet — more meat and other protein, more calories. So, we are seeing in animal agriculture a real spike in the importance of beef, where China is less competitive.

It takes, on average, 8 kilos of grain to raise 1 kilo of beef. Grain prices are higher in China than in other countries.

The U.S. has been blocked from entering China through official channels because of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and there’s some movement very recently. We’ll have official access this summer. A lot of beef is coming in from Australia and from the U.S., after they open the market.

Dairy is another big item — a lot of dairy products coming in from New Zealand, Australia, the EU. Infant formula is a $4 billion market for overseas operations. And so, yes, the growing middle class is creating opportunities for countries around the world.

Tom: The Chinese leadership has to think about domestic issues first, but does China have a future larger role in the global food market?

Michael: China is an export powerhouse in a number of sectors, but agriculture is not one of them. It’s not really a focus right now because they’re mostly concerned about ensuring, again, a sufficient supply of food for Chinese people. They’ve actually had export restraints on their ag products in the past. It’s not really a focus to export, but there are some exceptions. They want to make sure they have enough for Chinese consumers.

Tom: China first.

Michael: China first.

Tom: You also focus on the emerging markets of East Asia — Mongolia, Myanmar. What can we expect to see happening in those countries?

Michael: These are the two newest markets for Alltech, and they’re very different. Mongolia, it’s a small market. There are only 3 million consumers. The middle class has only less than a million, but there’s a small, emerging, modern layer in the pig sector that’s creating some opportunities for us. Long term, I think what’s really exciting potentially for Mongolia is exporting beef to the 1.5 billion consumers in East Asia. Right now, they’re prohibited from exporting because of animal disease concerns. They have foot-and-mouth disease, but Mongolia sees the opportunities, and they’ve created a plan that was accepted by the World Organisation for Animal Health. The plan was accepted. They just need to implement it. It takes resources, but maybe in two to three years, they’ll have their beef approved. It could be a billion-dollar item for them in the first year. They have some natural advantages, a lot of grassland for raising beef animals. So, I think long term, that’s probably the most exciting potential opportunity.

Myanmar is a very different market. Much larger — 50 million consumers. Of course, the political reforms in the last year have been a real catalyst for us. U.S. trade sanctions were lifted last year due to the election of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi. It’s an exciting time to be in Myanmar right now. They had 40 years of military rule. Suu Kyi won with 98 percent support. Imagine what the U.S. could do with 98 percent support for the president. It’s an exciting time in Myanmar. Real opportunities, short term, I think, in layers and broilers and longer-term opportunities in pigs.

Tom: What in your view, Michael, does it take to make wise, successful investments in these East Asia markets?

Michael: I think, first, you have to listen.

Alltech has always been a company that likes to go in first when we see opportunities. And I tell you, the reception that we’re getting in both places — operations are eager to talk with us. They’ve got challenges. They want to hear about best practices from overseas. And so, listening to their challenges and building relationships for the long term, I think that’s what’s key — not expecting the quick return, but being there for the long term. People appreciate that.

Tom: How does China’s disruption and these emerging Asian markets, how does all that affect the average consumer’s dinner table?

Michael: There’s an exciting development related to the Shuanghui purchase of Smithfield.

Shuanghui, their objective, their goal is to increase the amount of chilled meats that they’re selling. Right now, only 30 percent of Shuanghui’s meat sales are chilled. The 70 percent — it’s the traditional marketing channels of warm carcass that’s cut up and sold in wet markets. The margins are obviously a lot lower. And so, one of their strategies for increasing their chilled meat segment — they’ve partnered with an e-commerce company called JD.com. This company is doing some exciting things. They’re creating a cold chain system, a warehouse and distribution cold chain system from the warehouse to the customer, selling fresh chilled foods, including packaged meats. Smithfield, Shuanghui, they have a strategic cooperation agreement to sell packaged Smithfield meats through jd.com. So, if a customer in the morning decides they want to have hot dogs from Smithfield for dinner that night, they bring out their cellphone, dial up JD.com, order the hot dogs, and the truck shows up later that afternoon. Chilled distribution the entire way to the consumer’s door. So, it’s a superior product. It’s what consumers want. It’s an exciting development.

Tom: It’s pretty amazing. I guess it’s not beyond imagination that someday a drone will show up. What about your work do you enjoy the most?

Michael: Well, in China, every day there’s a new challenge.

My last tour in the foreign service was Beijing. And when that tour was over in 2011, I had a choice to return to Washington or retire from the foreign service and do something else and stay in China. That was an easy decision. And so, I stayed in China. There’s just so much going on in agriculture in China. It’s a challenging market, but, again, a lot of opportunities. And at Alltech, we’re a part of this revolution in animal agriculture in China. And so, it’s very exciting.

Tom: Michael Woolsey, senior strategic manager for Alltech China. We thank you for joining us.

Michael Woolsey spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17). To hear more talks from the conference, sign up for the Alltech Idea Lab. For access, click on the button below.

ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17) in Lexington, Kentucky. With this being my fourth year in attendance, one might believe I’ve become a master at preparing for the event. Quite the opposite. Dr. Pearse Lyons, the mastermind behind Alltech, is intricately involved in all events. His mind is a constant place of creativeness, innovation and disruption. I’ve yet to experience an event that did not bypass my expectations. The best method of preparation is to enter with an open mind.

This year’s event challenged my open mind. It provoked my ideals and basic cognitive thinking. The concept of keeping agriculture real has been at the forefront of my life. In theory, the ideas presented at ONE17 were sound. I couldn’t help but wonder if some were feasible, practical and, well, real.

One such discussion centered around the grocery stores of tomorrow, or lack thereof. It is estimated that grocery stores as we know them today will soon become “daycare for the elderly.” One statistic went as far as to say box stores will be eliminated by 2028. Despite supporting research conducted by the United States Department of Labor through Willard Bishop, LLC., to say there was skepticism on my mind is an understatement. The research showed fewer Americans are buying food at grocery stores, especially younger consumers, leading to grocers becoming obsolete.

In theory, there may be truth in these statements; however, I wasn’t buying it.

Practically versus concept:

1. Observation: I know a handful of decision-makers who have begun ordering groceries online. Regardless, the bulk of our family and friends continue to be drawn to the likes of Walmart or Target.
2. Personal application: Living in a rural area, fresh produce isn’t available for shipping. Online shopping won’t be saving me fuel dollars until this service is offered. When I compare prices of Aldi to Amazon, my best buy is Aldi’s.
3. Technical hindrances: There are both delivery and pickup methods offered by Walmart. In concept, my expectation was a great service. Eventually, they may hit the target. However, from my experience, numerous bugs need to be worked out. After spending hours trying to input my list, I ended up driving 30 minutes to purchase my items in person.
4. Lack of convenience: Shipping and picking up groceries each come with a major shortcoming — today’s society needs an experience that is fast, convenient and easy. Anyone can enter a physical store without a list and walk out with $300 in items. Online ordering requires the time and patience to enter grocery items in an app or other device.

As these thoughts bounced through my mind, the presenter unexpectedly met my skepticism with additional points. I wasn’t yet committed to making a sale; however, I was listening.

Outside of online ordering, I was surprised to learn of the additional types of applications that are currently being applied and tested with real consumers:

1. Amazon Go (unmanned store): Jackpot. No more worrying about ending up in the “talkers” check-out or being stuck in the line that never ends. In contrast, I couldn’t help but wonder if risk management challenges existed. What are the shoplifting rates?
2. Egg vending machines: This portion of the presentation ended with the mention of Asian vending machines for eggs, fruits and perishables, a real-time service that has become as common as phone booths once were. While traveling, I have noted an increase in the variety of vending machines. During a San Francisco Uber ride, my husband and I struck up a conversation with the driver. Our moonlighting Uber driver held a daytime gig designing vending machines for perishable foods. The current project was a concept-phase fresh fruit, smoothie machine.

The older my mind becomes, the greater my stubbornness grows. I left ONE17 with the conclusion that while these concepts of the future sound dreamy, they won’t be practical nor will they replace big box stores.

Ding-dong. Two weeks following ONE17, I realized my conclusion, potentially, had some issues. In early June, Amazon announced its intention to purchase Whole Foods for $13.7 billion...in cash. I was quickly transported to last year during the holiday season. The historic holiday season set precedent, moving more sales transactions online than in the stores. The powerful retailer has the secret to closing big box stores, and it’s called Amazon Prime. It’s estimated that in the U.S., 60 million people are Prime members, and who tends to spend more on Amazon? Those Primers.

The “cha-ching” sound was echoing through my now open mind as I gave in to my stubbornness and acknowledged: big box stores may really become “assisted living” for our elderly, a place for social activity rather than a commerce center.

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