Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 2 March 2021

NEWS 6 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2021 New ruminant meta-analysis from Alltech C ovetrus, a global leader in animal-health tech- nology and services, announced the appoint- ment of Deborah Sharkey as chief consumer officer (CCO). In this first-of-its-kind role for the company, Deborah will be responsible for developing innova- tive solutions that support and strengthen the rela- tionship between veterinarian and pet owner. The new hire underscores commitment to en- abling better healthcare outcomes via seamless digi- tal and e-commerce experiences between veterinari- ans and their clients. As CCO, Deborah Sharkey will oversee market- ing, product and strategy for the consumer group within Covetrus’ Global Technology Services which also encompasses the SmartPak brand. Deborah brings extensive global e-commerce expe- rience across both large tech company and startup en- vironments, with a particular expertise in multi-cus- tomer marketplaces. Previously Deborah ran eBay’s Australia business and was its vice president of local marketplaces. She was also chief operating officer at DogVacay, which was acquired by Rover.com. Deborah Sharkey appointed as Covetrus CCO Alltech has released data from a new meta-analysis for ruminants, with results showing that Optigen® can simultaneously improve animal performance, reduce carbon footprint and increase profitability. T he tightening of global protein supplies is creating uncertainty for producers and the feed industry alike as to where this year’s protein supply will come from. Add to that the ever-increasing pressure on producers to meet the growing global demand for milk and meat while also reducing their envi- ronmental impact and remaining financially viable. While striking a balance between these seemingly conflict- ing goals may seem impossible, Alltech has released data from a new meta-analysis for ruminants that proves otherwise. The results showed that Op- tigen®, a non-protein nitrogen ingredient, can replace vegetable protein sources and enable dairy and beef producers to simul- taneously improve animal per- formance, reduce their carbon footprint and increase profitabil- ity. The new data from the me- ta-analysis examining the effects of Optigen supplementation in dairy cows is based on the results of 17 studies carried out in six different countries, while the beef study was based on the results of 17 studies carried out in nine dif- ferent countries. As a concentrated nitrogen source, Optigen takes up less space in the diet compared to oth- er nitrogen sources, such as soybean meal and rape- seed meal, leaving room for more rumen-friendly materials, such as home- grown forages. This addi- tional space can also aid in allowing more energy into the diet. In some cases, dietary crude pro- tein levels can also be decreased, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing the risk of nutrient wast- age. These studies reaffirm that feeding Optigen offers unique economic and environmental benefits to dairy and beef produc- tion and positively impacts our food supply chain.