News & Newsletters: Page 751

'Petfood Industry' launches Kindle Fire app

A new app provides mobile access to Petfood Industry issues, articles, news and products for users of the Kindle Fire, joining apps for iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones. Like the existing apps, the new Kindle Fire app allows users to explore Petfood Industry content via a library of monthly issues, and within each issue, in a navigator mode to peruse individual articles.

A new app for the Kindle Fire provides mobile access to Petfood Industry issues, articles, news and products.

Merrick acquires natural, organic petfood company Castor & Pollux

Merrick Pet Care Inc. signed an agreement to acquire Castor & Pollux Natural PetWorks, a privately held natural and organic petfood company based in Oregon, USA. Although specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, Merrick Pet Care says the acquisition of Castor & Pollux further advances its key growth strategies of expanding the company’s brands in the super-premium petfood segment and allows for greater utilization of its manufacturing facilities located in Hereford, Texas, USA.

Illinois, USA petfood ingredient manufacturer fined by OSHA

Petfood ingredient manufacturer All-Feed Processing & Packaging Inc. was found in civil contempt of court for failing to allow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to inspect its Galva, Illinois, USA, facility from May 4-July 5, 2011. The manufacturer was fined US$31,000 for contempt and US$10,964.95 in attorney's fees by Senior District Judge Joe Billy McDade of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois for failing to allow inspections at its petfood packaging and research facility.

Market Trends and Reports

Gourmet tea company creates herbal tea blend for dogs

California Tea House, a family-owned, gourmet tea company, created what it says is the first-ever herbal tea blend for dogs. Machu's Blend Tea for Dogs is named after the family's Great Dane and company mascot, Machu Picchu.

Machu's Blend is an herbal tea blend for dogs.

Precision Color Graphics certified for petfood pouch compostability

Precision Color Graphics Ltd., a petfood packaging company, earned Biodegradable Products Institute certification for its Ecoterah petfood pouches and bags. The Ecoterah multi-layer pouches and bags for petfood can contain several paper layers, a water-based adhesive and a biopolymer sealant.

International Grains Program launches animal feed industry blog

The International Grains Program at Kansas State University launched a new blog with animal feed industry information as well as posts specific to the program's focus of feed manufacturing and grain management, flour milling and grain processing, and grain marketing and risk management. “We are excited about this opportunity to engage with our audience in a different capacity,” said Mark Fowler, IGP associate director.

Weatherchem progresses on petfood packaging sustainability initiatives

Petfood packaging company Weatherchem announced it is making significant progress toward its goal of becoming "landfill-free." During 2012, the company says its efforts will focus on reducing the weight of its recyclable packaging closures to save material usage and shipping and fuel costs. One of Weatherchem's closures will use 20 percent less plastic, with production cycle times cut by 25 percent to save electricity.

Natura launches new petfood ingredient tracking website

Natura Pet Products launched a new website, www.SeeBeyondTheBag.com, that lets customers see how the manufacturer creates new petfood formulas and where the petfood ingredients are sourced. Natura’s new website shares the regions where Natura’s ingredients are sourced on an interactive map and presents a narrated video tour of the company’s plant in Fremont, Nebraska, USA, with profiles of employees working in manufacturing and product development at the plant.

Natura's site lets consumers track ingredients and their source on an interactive map.

Iams petfood brand launches Facebook contest for senior pets

Iams petfood brand is launching a contest on its Facebook page that lets dog and cat owners whose pets are 11 years old or older enter to win a year's supply of petfood to celebrate the Iams new Senior Plus formula and educate pet owners about the unique nutritional needs of senior pets. Each week, the "Play Young, Stay Young" contest will select a winning dog and cat, based on a photo and brief essay submitted by the owner.

PetSmart Charities launches Facebook pet adoption profile application

PetSmart Charities and Adopt-a-Pet.com created a new Facebook profile application to drive public awareness and increase adoptions of the nearly 8 million homeless pets in the US. The Share a Pic, Save a Pet application alerts friends, family and followers about adoptable pets in their community and showcases their photos.

Butcher's Pet Care opens new petfood manufacturing plant in UK

Butcher’s Pet Care opened a new £38 million (US$60.2 million) petfood manufacturing plant in Crick, Northamptonshire, UK. The 260,000-square-foot facility increases the petfood company's capacity by nearly 50 percent or 5 million cans extra per week.

Older adults benefit from pet ownership, research shows

Aging adults can benefit from relationships with pets, according to new research from the University of Missouri. Rebecca Johnson, an associate professor in the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing, College of Veterinary Medicine and director of the school's Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, says that having a pet can lower the stress hormone cortisol while increasing oxytocin, prolactin and norepinephrine, which are hormones related to joy, nurturing and relaxation.

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