Centaur Services' veterinary wholesale business has been acquired by AHN International. Centaur was founded in 1964 by a group of veterinary surgeons who wanted to increase their buying power and the range of products available to them. Over the next 44 years the business, which was owned by its veterinary surgeon shareholders, grew to a turnover of nearly £140m. The company has recently completed a 3 year programme of modernisation making it one of the most technologically advanced wholesalers in Europe. In September 2007, Centaur Services announced its intention to list its shares on the Alternative Investments Market (AIM). These plans were initially postponed and finally cancelled when the Centaur shareholders accepted the offer from AHN. Paul Gerring, Centaur Services' Managing Director said: "There has been considerable consolidation in the veterinary market over recent years, particularly amongst manufacturers, and this partnership with AHN provides us with an increased presence in the market. Like Centaur, AHN is a vet-focussed business with plans to be active in the veterinary supply market on a European and global basis. We see plenty of exciting opportunities out there". AHN International was established to form the first global coalition of leading animal health wholesalers and distributors. With nearly 700 employees worldwide, AHN International is committed to presenting the veterinary surgeons with an advanced level of product and services. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, AHN International will actively build it's network of leading trading companies around the world through acquisitions and business associations.
Veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick, a pioneer of prosthetic implants, has launched what is being billed as Europe's most advanced neuro-orthopaedic centre for dogs and cats.
Fitzpatrick Referrals' £10m facilities at Eashing, near Godalming, Surrey, have been set up to offer a world-class "centre of excellence" in diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation.
Facilities at the centre include:
Noel was the first veterinary surgeon to successfully apply a prosthetic limb to a dog where both bone and skin can grow into metal - a technique with far-reaching cross-over potential for human surgery. He believes in "pushing the boundaries" and creating solutions for conditions that may never have previously been treatable, and says the work being done at Eashing also provides valuable experience for medical science as a whole. Examples include cartilage resurfacing, limb-sparing cancer surgery and spinal vertebral fusion.
Professor Gordon Blunn of the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculo-Skeletal Science at University College London said: "Orthopaedic conditions and diseases are common to both human beings and to animals. For example osteoarthritis is debilitating condition seen in humans, cats and dogs. Bone cancer which can lead to loss of life in humans and is usually associated with the peripheral skeleton is also seen in the peripheral skeleton of large dog breeds. Translation of ideas, orthopaedic practice and treatments, from humans to the veterinary field and visa versa has considerable advantages to all animals including dogs, cats and man. Noel Fitzpatrick is pioneering this concept and his work in limb reconstruction for dogs and cats has already had benefits in both veterinary and human orthopaedic practice."
DJ Chris Evans is one satisfied client. His dog, Enzo, a German Shepherd, was "written off" by other vets after becoming paralysed with two herniated discs. Noel fitted Enzo with two bolts to replace the collapsed disc and keep the vertebrae apart. The surgery was followed by extensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to enable Enzo to learn to walk again.
Chris said: "Noel lives out his dreams with boundless curiosity, ambition and genius, the product of which is hundreds, soon to be thousands, of fixed pets and happy owners - like me. I have huge respect for his endeavour, his integrity and his compassion and to me he's a superhero-vetman who will leave no stone unturned in his quest to heal, to create and to comfort. He thinks of solutions to medical problems that I'm sure no-one else could even dream of, let alone think of. Actually - I don't think he ever sleeps!"
Andrew Groom has been appointed as the new Country Manager for Kruuse UK Ltd based near York, following the promotion of Lars Lund and his relocation back to Kruuse A/S in Denmark. Andrew takes up this new position to head up the UK sales and marketing team and to help implement the expansion programme within the veterinary and pet markets that Kruuse has planned for 2008.
Having studied agriculture and gaining a DHM, Andrew managed large farming operations, as well as being a contributing writer for the agricultural journal “Farmers Weekly”. He then continued his education by studying commercial management at Circencester College from where he went to United Milk as a Farm Liaison manager and commercial manager. His career progressed when in 2004, he joined Arnolds Veterinary Products as sales manager.
“I have known about Kruuse and its wide range of products for many years and have always admired the company’s vision in bringing innovative products onto the market for both the large and small animal sectors, including high quality pet toys and accessories,” said Andrew. “So when an opportunity arose to work for Kruuse in the UK, I did not need much persuading to apply for the job.”
“Andrew’s vast experience in both large and small animal industries will prove a real asset in all of the important market areas in which Kruuse operates,” commented Hans Alsted, Kruuse A/S Export Director.
Pneumonia-induced lung damage could be costing some cattle almost 74kg a year in lost lifetime growth potential with even moderate damage resulting in animals losing 39kg over an 18 month beef finishing system. These are the figures from a major collaborative study between Schering-Plough and Blade Farming, announced yesterday. They suggest that some producers may not be treating cattle pneumonia as effectively as they could. The project also highlights how better abattoir feedback can be used to improve cattle pneumonia management regimes on farm. In the study, 645 commercial beef animals from 15 units were examined at slaughter for evidence of lung damage. Data on carcase weight, age and grade were also collected to allow estimated daily live weight gains (EDLWG) to be recorded. According to project co-ordinator Paul Williams MRCVS from Schering-Plough, the research team recorded a significant level of pneumonia-induced lung damage in the slaughtered cattle. “Nearly half the cattle (48%) examined on the slaughter line had some level of lung damage. But there was also huge variation between units, with all the cattle from one particular farm having damaged lungs,” he said. The researchers also established that the extent of lung damage was strongly associated with reduced EDLWG. “The more lung lobes that are affected, the greater the potential daily liveweight gain loss and those cattle that had the most lung damage experienced a significant reduction in EDLWG of 202g per day throughout their entire lifetime. “For the animals with any degree of lung damage (310 cattle), the average reduction in weight gain over 14 months was 15kg – equivalent to a financial loss of £16.90 per animal based on a live weight price of £1.10 per kg. So the overall loss for this group of animals was potentially £5,239 – money the industry simply cannot afford to lose,” Paul Williams stressed. “In addition, those carcases with lung damage were significantly more likely to have a lower conformation grade and so receive an even lower price,” he explained. Blade Farming managing director Richard Phelps pointed out that the study had convinced him that paying closer attention to minimising pneumonia-induced lung damage could easily make some beef producers an extra £40-£50 an animal. “All the cattle we take look healthy, but I’ve been surprised at the level of undetected lung damage once the animals have been slaughtered. This lung scoring trial work in the abattoir is now helping us assess just how much lung damage diseases like pneumonia can cause. The feedback will be able to help producers reassess early stage rearing issues and be more vigilant. It’s not just grading issues that we are concerned about. Blade Farming consultant veterinary surgeon Rob Drysdale from the Westpoint Veterinary Group stressed that whilst pneumonia prevention should be the number one objective for all cattle producers, having an effective disease treatment protocol in place is increasingly vital – and particularly one that prevents permanent lung damage from occurring. He said: "Pneumonia infections can quickly damage lungs and once this happens the animal will not be able to express its full genetic potential. This means that even if the affected animal survives it is likely to have damaged lungs for the rest of its life, and this will reduce productivity and growth." T
Animal health specialist Fort Dodge Animal Health has announced the appointment of David Bartram BVetMed MRCVS DipM MCIM CDipAF as Technical Services Manager for Large Animals. David rejoins Fort Dodge after eight years, having previously been a Business Unit Manager for its Cydectin business. David Bartram graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 1988 and, after three years in large animal practice, moved into the pharmaceutical industry where he has worked for the last 16 years. His most recent role was at Lilly, where he worked in Finance in the human sector of its pharmaceutical business. David has post graduate qualifications in marketing and finance. He replaces Susan Corning who has moved to a new role with Fort Dodge in Italy.
Woodley Equipment Co Ltd has announced the launch of the new, improved i-STAT® 1 Portable Critical Care Analyser. According to the company, the new i-STAT 1 analyser offers the same extensive test menu as the original analyser, plus the new CHEM8+ cartridge. The CHEM8+ panel provides many of the tests typically needed for quick general or emergency assessment, with just one cartridge. The i-STAT 1 analyser also provides new testing platforms, such as immunodiagnostic capability that will allow additional tests to be released in the future. Other improvements include the Cardiac Troponin test and Glucose strip reader, as well as infrared printer connectivity, upgraded storage capacity and ergonomic improvements. The i-STAT handheld analysers are the only handheld analysers available for veterinary medicine that provide vets with critical care electrolyte, blood gas, chemistry and basic hematology results in two minutes, from three drops of blood. Mike Wickham, Managing Director of Woodley Equipment said, “The new i-STAT 1 Handheld Clinical Analyser and original i-STAT analysers enable vets to make critical care decisions for their patients, whether in-practice or in the field.”