17 February 2022 - Across the world we are seeing the lines between animal nutrition and health solutions become blurred. This evolution is happening as innovators in the animal nutrition space are leading the sector to develop products that address some of the biggest health-related problems that livestock agriculture face.
In the case of Danisco Animal Nutrition, the business’ strategies and products have become so integrated that last month it led to a name change to Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health (IFF). We spoke to Pauel Fokin, Vice President of the newly renamed business, to gain his perspective on why companies in the sector are offering more solutions for animal health challenges, why at Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health they took the decision to change their name and what this means for the future strategies of his organisation and wider sector.
|
|
Feedinfo first asked Mr Fokin to explain why Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health took the decision to change how they are known in the market. “The move reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to expand its portfolio of science-led animal health solutions across global markets,” he explained. “It also allows us to present the full scope of our capabilities. Most importantly, the name change recognises the fact that nutrition and health are inextricably linked when it comes to animal performance. This principle has long been a driving force within the business and continues to inform our strategic direction.” |
For him the products came first and the name change followed organically. “We are delighted to now have a strong platform that clearly communicates these ambitions and positions us for future growth. It also comes at an exciting time in the development of our health portfolio. We have already made significant investments in building our animal health portfolio for poultry, swine and ruminant markets and have several exciting new products scheduled for launch later this year.”
Pauel Fokin’s background gives him an interesting view of the sector. Before becoming the Vice President of Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health in September 2021, he was the Global Commercial Vice President for the Pharma Solutions division also at IFF. This knowledge of the human health industry and its potential, gives him a unique perspective on the animal health and nutrition industry which he has brought to his role.
Given his experience we asked him to share his view on how the relationship between the animal health and animal nutrition industry is changing. For Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health it comes down to the challenges livestock and aquaculture producers are facing and the role animal nutrition companies can play in addressing these issues. “We believe two main factors are driving fundamental change within this relationship. Rising antimicrobial resistance, combined with escalating global pressure to reduce or remove antibiotics from the food chain, is increasing the disease challenges in livestock production. At the same time, microbiome science is evolving; we not only have a better understanding of the interactions in the gut, many analysis techniques - such as microbiome characterisation - have also become much more affordable in recent years.”
It is clear for Pauel Fokin that we can only solve these issues effectively with more sharing and integration of animal nutrition and health knowledge and principles. “These developments are creating an overwhelming need for closer collaboration between nutritionists and veterinarians. Siloed organisations are clearly a thing of the past. Instead, it’s critical that these functions work together to deliver sustainable and results-driven solutions for today’s operational needs.”
When asked what he believes to be the biggest challenges that animal nutrition products have the potential to tackle in the animal health arena, Mr Fokin believes there are numerous opportunities. “Antibiotic reduction remains a globally relevant topic and we continue to invest in new and novel technologies to help achieve more sustainable food chains. At the same time, food safety and the control of pathogens remain a key focus.”
“We believe there is a real opportunity for feed additive producers to prove that our nutritional solutions can help address these - and other - challenges. Enzymes, for example, not only reduce environmental impact, but also improve animal welfare through better nutrition. And other additives can play an equally positive role, such as natural betaine which reduces choline supplementation and protects against dehydration and heat stress.”
So what does the team at IFF think the next focus for the sector is in terms of the relationship between animal nutrition and health? “We believe that nutribiosis - the interaction between nutrition, the microbiome and gut & immune function - is the way forward” Mr Fokin told us. “It has inspired us to take a more holistic approach to our research and the development of new solutions; where we look beyond the nutrition. Through the lens of nutribiosis, we are investing in science and innovation to help producers improve performance, increase liveability and support welfare in the face of increasing pressure to reduce or remove antibiotics and AGPs from production systems - all while delivering a similar or better level of performance and promoting overall animal wellbeing.”
Given the name change we wanted to know more about Pauel Fokin’s short and long term plans for the business. “Over the next 12 months we remain focused on navigating the raw material and supply chain challenges facing the industry, and ensuring we meet our customer commitments” he told us. “As feed producers pivot to invest in cheaper or locally-sourced raw materials, we will guide our customers through this transition with the most effective nutritional feed strategy for their needs, such as the appropriate use of enzyme formulations. There are also several exciting developments in the pipeline for launch in the future. These include the expansion of our ruminant portfolio, investment in new analytical tools to support our probiotics in poultry and an innovative enzyme solution for piglets.”
“In terms of the long term strategic goals for Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health, we continue to invest heavily in our health portfolio and develop innovative solutions to address unmet needs of livestock producers. With this in mind, we are also expanding our presence beyond poultry and swine, to also target the ruminants market. We also expect further investment and progress in the digital space to provide us with the tools to measure certain aspects of animal welfare in real time. Equally important to our long-term strategy is our ongoing focus on animal nutrition; where continued investment in our capacity and overall operational efficiency will enable us to better serve our core markets.”
Published in association with Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health
