Each month the Petfood Industry E-newsletter will bring you the latest market data available from several different sources including Euromonitor, Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) and ACNielsen.

Today's market research data chart comes to you from: Information Resources, Inc.

It's a dog's world in India
Dogs were still the most preferred pets in India in 2005, with cats and other pets a distant second. In 2005, the dog population grew by a strong 23% over the review period, creating growth in dog food value growth. Sales of dog food in India are expected to rise by 15% in 2005 over 2004.

Dry dog food remains the preferred dog food among India's pet owners, due to ease of storage and availability. Wet food for dogs is usually non-vegetarian, a negative factor with consumers in India unwilling to refrigerate it alongside their vegetarian food. Instead, dogs are often fed homemade food also eaten by their owners, with consumer interest in prepared dog food a relatively new trend. Companies are striving to convert unprepared dog food purchasers to branded food and any gains are beneficial to sales.

For more information about Euromonitor International's petfood research, click here.

E-news

Global digital divide is closing
According to the sixth annual “E-readiness Rankings” of the world's largest economies, published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), using a model developed together with the IBM Institute for Business Value, with over 1 billion Internet users and 2 billion mobile-phone users worldwide, the world is more E-ready than ever. The EIU describes a country's E-readiness as a comprehensive measure of its overall E-business environment, including the potential for Internet-based business.

emarketer.com noted that most of the top countries in this year's E-readiness rankings saw little movement between them from 2005 to 2006. West European countries took six of the top ten spots. Three of those countries—Denmark in 1st place, Sweden in 4th and Finland in 7th—remain best in class in key areas of connectivity, such as mobile penetration and Internet use. The US, Australia, Canada and Hong Kong took the other top ten slots.

While the least E-ready country covered in the study was Azerbaijan, scoring only 2.9, virtually all countries in the 2006 E-readiness rankings improved their scores this year. Moreover, the improvement was greater in the lower tiers of the rankings than at the top, signaling a decline in the distance separating the best from the rest.

“This is the first time we see a level playing field between developed and developing nations in terms of connectivity,” IBM's Peter Korsten told Reuters. “The digital divide no longer looks quite the chasm many people once feared,” added Daniel Franklin of the EIU.

When Americans buy they go online first
In a survey conducted by Burst Media, nearly half (49.8%) of respondents cited television as the media that most effectively captured their attention, followed by the Internet, with magazines, newspapers and radio trailing. Not a bad showing for the newest medium on the list. When respondents were asked about purchasing influence, which ranks higher in marketers' concerns than general attention grabbing, the Internet was revealed to be even more significant.

More than half of the respondents said the Internet was their primary source for information about products or services they might purchase. emarketer.com stated that even more striking was the difference in use of the Internet between income segments. Use of the Internet to gather product information rises dramatically as household income (HHI) increases. In other words, the higher the HHI, the more the Internet influences purchasing.

If marketers test these findings in the real world and find they hold up, the already steady flow of ad dollars from television to the Internet could turn into a flood.

Get ready for “cellcasts”
“The cell phone will become the next podcast-listening device,” says Barbara Rechterman, executive vice-president at GoDaddy.com, which is looking to try mobile podcast advertising. Long tied to PCs or iPods—hence the name—podcasting fans are moving on to mobile phones, which increasingly boast more computer-like features.

Plus, new software recently available from outfits such as Pod2Mobile and UpSnap allows users of basic phone models to download and listen to podcasts wirelessly, cutting the PC and portable music player out of the equation. With UpSnap, which launched 100 free mobile podcasts on March 27, you can simply dial a number to listen to your program from your phone. In a few weeks, the service will also allow users to get podcasts to their phones wirelessly by sending UpSnap a text message. Rival Pod2Mob allows for the text message feature and has built a user base in excess of 100,000 since its launch last summer.

Those thousands of mobile podcasting fans could turn into millions this year. Within six months, more people will listen to podcasts via wireless phones than via iPods, believes Mike Chapman, an analyst with consultancy eMarketer. More than 50 million Americans will listen to or watch podcasts by 2010, up from 10 million this year, the firm says. Ever-smarter wireless phones “will become a driving force [in podcasting],” Chapman says. “In the second half of 2006, people listening to podcasts, or watching video podcasts, on cell phones will become commonplace.”

Product news

Large animal indirect calorimeter cage
Oxymax-XL from Columbus Instruments is a special version of the “Oxymax” VO2/VCO2 Metabolic Computer that has been configured for use with large subjects. Oxymax-XL supports air supply flows from 1000 to 15,000 LPM, making it useful for animals ranging in size from large pigs and dogs to horses. Oxymax-XL supports one channel and can be configured for either positive or negative ventilation conditions. Unique to Oxymax-XL is its rapid response. Oxymax-XL can be used with large animal cages or with animals wearing masks, when fast response measurements are required (ex. exercise treadmill). All flowmeters employed in Oxymax-XL are NIST certified. In addition to the standard monitoring of VO2 and VCO2, Oxymax-XL can be equipped with an optional methane (VCH4) sensor for making accurate calorimetric assessments on ruminant subjects. Oxymax-XL may also be outfitted with special sensors and air supply systems unique to the intended application.

Ergonomic work positioners
The Lift Stik™ from Presto Lifts may be the most versatile lifter transporter ever built. Its innovative compact design distributes the load evenly over four oversized casters that roll easily over thresholds and uneven floors. Lift is achieved by a powered, continuous chain in the Lift Stik's single mast. The narrow mast design provides unmatched visibility. A hand-held push-button remote allows the operator to lift or lower the platform from any side of the unit and at dual speeds for safe, efficient control. Because the lift is mechanical and not hydraulic, there is zero drift and no possibility of messy hydraulic leaks. The battery-charge indicator is mounted centrally on the push handle in direct view, and an automatic cut-off function prevents overcharging.

Ideal for stockrooms, assembly areas, laboratories, offices and retail stores, Lift Stiks are available in four models with load capacities ranging from 185 to 445 lbs. Maximum lift heights of the platform/forks range from 52-65 inches. The unit's ergonomic contoured “sponge grip” handles can be adjusted to accommodate operators of different heights. Units are available with either platform or fork design.

Research notes

Prediction of urine pH using dietary cations and anions
The objective of these studies was to determine if urine pH can be predicted using the nutrient components of feline foods. One hundred fifty foods (90 dry foods and 60 wet foods) were fed to groups of 10 adult cats (mean, 8.5 years of age) to determine the urine pH of cats fed each food. The food was fed for a period of seven days, and pH was determined on freshly-voided urine on Days 5 to 7 of the test. Through stepwise regression it was determined which cations, anions and sulfur-containing amino acids were of importance for urine pH prediction. Three models were developed for urine pH prediction. These models included: Wet and dry foods; wet only foods; and dry only foods. The cations included in all models were sodium, potassium and magnesium. Calcium was excluded from the wet only model. The anions for all models were chloride, sulfur and phosphorus. Including sulfur in the model allowed for the exclusion of methionine and cysteine from the dry model. The study concluded that urine pH of adult cats can be predicted from the nutrient components of the food, thus reducing the number of animal studies in order to optimize urine pH (for struvite and/or oxalate prevention) for specific products. Separate formulas must be used for dry and wet foods in order to maintain accuracy.

Source: Yamka, RM, Friesen, KG and Schakenraad, H, 2006. The prediction of urine pH using dietary cations and anions in cats fed dry and wet foods. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med 4(1):58-66.

Effect of nutritional interventions on longevity of senior cats
The objective of this study was to evaluate whether antioxidants, alone or in combination with other nutritional supplements, increase health and longevity in a population of older cats. A group of 90 cats between the ages of seven and 17 years was blocked into three groups by age, body condition score and gender. Cats were assigned to one of three diets: Control (basal diet of nutritionally complete cat food); basal diet with added antioxidants (vitamin E and ß-carotene); and basal diet with added antioxidants, dried whole chicory root (source of prebiotic) and a blend of supplemental n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. The diets were fed exclusively for the remaining lifetime of each cat. Physical exams, body condition scores, complete blood count, serum chemistries, plasma fatty acids, serum antioxidant status, fecal microflora, urinalysis and body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were performed at study initiation and at periodic intervals thereafter. After 5 years, cats fed the diet with the antioxidants vitamin E and ß-carotene, dried chicory root and a blend of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids lived significantly longer than cats fed the control diet. Positive indicators of reduced disease incidence and improved intestinal health were also observed.

Source: Cupp, CJ, Clementine, JP, Kerr, WW, Patil , AR and Perez-Camargo, G, 2006. Effect of nutritional interventions on longevity of senior cats. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med 4(1): 34-50.

Positions available

Our help wanted listings aim to inform petfood industry professionals about employment opportunities worldwide. Contact our sales staff at henson@wattmm.com or stadel@wattmm.com for more information on placing a listing in upcoming issues.

Technical support manager
DSM Nutritional Products, Inc., the successor to Roche Vitamins, Inc., a recognized leader in vitamin nutrition, and a leading supplier of bulk vitamins, carotenoids and nutraceuticals to the feed, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, offers a uniquely challenging opportunity on our Animal Nutrition and Health team, providing technical support related to petfood accounts.

As part of a global team, you will provide technical support to petfood account managers while taking a leading role in initiating business development activities with petfood accounts throughout North America. Meeting global business objectives and excellent project management are critical components of the position. Responsibilities also include support of marketing activities, development of sales tools, sales training and involvement in industry events.

Although this position offers you the unique opportunity to work from a home office, ideally based in Central USA, it will require an estimated 60% travel throughout the US and Canada. A BS in Biological Sciences is a minimum educational requirement; however, an MS or PhD in Nutrition or related Life Science is preferred. 5-10 years technical experience in the petfood industry, animal feed formulation capabilities and the ability to translate scientific knowledge to commercial applications are also essential.

We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits. Interested candidates should forward a resume to: DSM Nutritional Products, Inc. attn: Human Resources, 45 Waterview Blvd., Parsippany, NJ 07045 USA or E-mail: human-resources.parsippany@DSM.com. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

References

Watt Books – Weekly Specials
Every week or two a new special will be listed. This may be a new book or an opportunity to purchase a book at a reduced price.  

Visit Watt Books for more reference materials, OR Contact Sherry Hartzell: +1.815.734.5620 hartzell@wattmm.com

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