Cargill expands YouTube food campaign

After launching a campaign featuring a YouTube video about families struggling to feed their pets, Cargill achieved its initial goal of 10,000 views and as a result, will deliver a truckload of its Loyall petfood to the Second Harvest Heartland food bank.
To continue to raise awareness about hunger, Cargill will make a cash donation of US$25,000 to hunger-relief agency Feeding America if the same video generates a total of 50,000 views by April 30.

AFP: Processed petfood killing pets

Allergies and obesity are reducing the life expectancy of pets fed industrial food, said Gerard Lippert, a Belgian acupuncturist for animals who recently completed a study on the diets of 600 dead dogs, according to an Associated French Press article. Of the 600 corpses he examined, he alleged that “those fed on processed foods died three years earlier than those fed on food made in the home.” Scientific data to support his statement were not found in the article.

Global Pet Expo sees record attendance

After compiling final show numbers, the American Pet Products Association and Pet Industry Distributors Association announced that Global Pet Expo 2010 exceeded attendance expectations.
The show featured 803 exhibitors, 2,250 booths and more than 3,000 new product launches. Approximately 4,495 pet product buyers from around the world attended, up from last year’s 4,100 buyers.

German petfood sales down, total money spent up

Germans spent more money on their pets with a turnover on petfood increasing by 2.7% to €2.97 billion (US$4 billion), according to a recent article.
Since petfood sales in Germany dropped 1.4%, the increase is contributed to higher pricing and shifts in assortment

Print magazines will be delayed due to the Icelandic volcano

International delivery of print issues of Petfood Industry, Poultry International, Feed International, Industria Avicola, Egg Industry and Pig International will be delayed due to air cargo restrictions resulting from the Icelandic volcano. According to Greg Watt, WATT president and international publisher, “April issues are likely to be delayed and even May issues could be affected as air cargo companies focus on shipments with greater priority.”
You can get your news without delay by viewing the April issue of Petfood Industry online. To view current issues, go to PetfoodIndustry.com and click on Recent Issues near the bottom right of the page.
With digital delivery, you will get an email notice when each issue is available for online access. Digital issues are easy to use and make it convenient to forward articles to colleagues. In addition, digital issues provide many active links to additional information for each article and from advertisers.
To sign up for digital delivery, use the subscribe links within the publication. If you are a registered user on PetfoodIndustry.com, sign in and get instant access to your subscription information.

Rachel Ray launches new dog treat

Daytime host, author and pet lover Rachael Ray announced the launch of a new line of superpremium crunchy dog treats called Rachael Ray Nutrish Just 6, which was unveiled at the recent Global Pet Expo.
The dog treats will be available in beef, chicken and lamb varieties and are made with only six natural ingredients.

SmartPak launches canine nutrition program

SmartPak, which until now has only been involved in human food and pet medications, recently launched the Proportions Whole Food Nutrition Program, a new canine nutrition brand. The program works by reducing carbs and starches by feeding a reduced portion of high quality dry food; increasing healthy, natural proteins and vegetables via a “stew” portion; and increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet with a “harvest mix” portion.

Three Dog Bakery expands with new product line

Three Dog Bakery announced the launch of a new product line at the recent Global Pet Expo.
Beginning in June 2010, the “Bake to Nature” line of dry kibble food will be sold in pet specialty and independent pet stores throughout the US. This product will include all-natural ingredients formulated to enhance a pet’s life and then baked using Three Dog Bakery’s baking process.

Dr. Edward Moser shares pet nutrition advice

Wellness Natural Pet Food’s veterinary nutritionist Dr. Edward Moser shared his advice for finding a proper diet for a dog or cat in honor of National Nutrition Month.
Dr. Moser counseled owners to carefully consider what’s in their pets’ food bowls, making sure the petfood is nutritionally balanced and every ingredient has a purpose. He recommended feeding petfood made with natural ingredients that owners can identify.

Lily's Kitchen begins business with strong start

New UK organic and holistic petfood company Lily's Kitchen has gotten off to a strong start with the turnover already exceeding company expectations and listings secured with major retailers including Harrods, Whole Foods Market and over 350 independent vets and organic food outlets, according to Fresh Business Thinking.

Bil-Jac Foods releases book about company’s founder

Manufacturer of superpremium dog foods and treats Bil-Jac Foods is launching its first book, Feeding Champions: The Story of Bil-Jac, The Life and Passion of Bill Kelly in bookstores nationwide on April 1.
The new book gives a history of dog food in America and the story of founder Bill Kelly’s passion for dog nutrition.

New book about holistic petfood

Mark Poveromo, founder and owner of holistic petfood retailer Thomaston Feed, recently released his book, To Your Dog's Health! Canine Nutrition and Recent Trends Within the Pet Food Industry.
In his book, Poveromo reveals which brands he believes are lacking nutrients, what to look for when reading dog food labels, which processed dog foods he believes are OK to use, why he thinks homemade cooking is the best thing for a dog and more.

Del Monte sponsors BlogPaws 2010

Del Monte petfood brands Meow Mix and Kibbles 'n Bits will be presenting sponsors of BlogPaws 2010, a pet blogger conference.
Other sponsors of the event include PurinaCare, PetSmart, Wellness and others, according to MediaPost.

Nulo gains capital, readies to sell products over summer

A new Austin, Texas, USA, petfood company, Nulo Inc., raised US$1.3 million this month through investors, although executives are offering few details about their plans, according to the Austin Business Journal.
Nulo CEO Michael Landa only revealed that it is a startup and officials are busy launching its product.
The company was founded in August 2009, and according to a job posted by Nulo, its products will include all-natural dog and cat foods.

See Petfood-Connection on your smart phone

A Web App has been released that let’s you easily view Petfood-Connection.com on your smart phone, such as a Droid or iPhone. The service is free, and quick and easy to set up. To get started, go to m.petfood-connection.com using the Web browser on your mobile device. Once there, you save the address on your device.

To add to the iPhone’s home screen:
Tap on the ‘Plus’ button located at the bottom of your Safari browser and select ‘Add to Home Screen.’

To add to the Android’s home screen:
Bookmark the page
Long-press Bookmark
Select ‘Add Shortcut to Home.’

Hill’s donates £30,000 to UK veterinary students

Undergraduates at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham will be able to get financial help over the next three years from a fund set up by Hill’s Pet Nutrition worth £30,000 (US$45,800). The pet industry donation will be doubled over that period through the UK Higher Education Match Funding Scheme.

Halo works with USPS to promote stamp

Halo, a producer of holistic pet care products, is working with the United States Postal Service to promote its 2010 social awareness stamp, “Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet.”
The company and its co-owner Ellen DeGeneres plan to donate 1 million meals of Halo Spot’s Stew to shelter pets awaiting adoption in celebration.

University researchers test new diet for feline bladder disorders

A team of researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University is hopeful that its new diet will help cats dissolve certain bladder stones and prevent future occurrences and help prevent a disorder known as feline idiopathic cystitis, in which cats suffer from bladder inflammation.
John Kruger, PhD, a professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, is leading the four separate clinical studies on the new commercial diet funded by a leading petfood manufacturer.

Wagg unveils scented advertisement for dogs

UK petfood manufacturer Wagg Foods has developed the first dog food advertisement that smells of its product’s meaty aroma.
The billboard, which depicts a bowl of dog treats, is scented with a customized aroma that Wagg researchers have developed after studying dogs’ preferences.
If it proves popular with dogs when it is unveiled at a number of London locations, the company plans to roll out the advertisements across the UK.

Study finds cat, dog obesity increasing

In the US, over 45% of dogs and 58% of cats are now estimated to be overweight or obese according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. The third annual National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Study, conducted in October 2009, found that from 2007 to 2009, the number of overweight dogs and cats increased by 2% and 5%, respectively.
“Pet obesity is now the biggest health threat to pets in the US,” said lead researcher Dr. Ernie Ward. “The costs of obesity in illness and injury make it the number one medical issue seen in today’s veterinary hospitals.”