the company: its Project Destiny strategic business transformation, which includes the goal of becoming the industry’s go-to source for gut health nutrition solutions. “Food production is changing with


NOVUS CELEBRATES 30TH


ANNIVERSARY On June 6, Novus celebrates 30 years of supporting animal protein producers globally who are working to feed the world. In 1991, Novus International, Inc.


was founded with a mission “to make a clear difference in sustainability meeting the growing global need for nutrition and health.” The outcome of Novus’s mission statement is clear – the availability of healthy and affordable animal protein can positively impact populations, particularly when produced with regard for environmental impacts, feed costs and animal performance. Looking back at the last three decades, Novus President and CEO Dan Meagher said the company has always endeavoured to offer solutions for the industry’s biggest challenges. “Achieving performance and profit


goals while optimizing animal health are challenges for every producer regardless of operation size,” he said. “There are many purposes for feed additives. For us, the purpose is to ensure the nutrients in raw feed are available to the animal, support the animal’s gut health to optimize the nutrition it receives from the feed, and to provide the animal with what it can’t get from raw feed materials to better prepare it for the health challenges it may encounter during its life. Regardless of the products we’ve offered over the years, focus on these objectives is how Novus helps its customers globally.” Novus’s foundation began with


methionine. In a joint partnership established in 1991, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and Nippon Soda Co., Ltd., acquired the rights to ALIMET® SANTOQUIN®


feed supplement and feed preservative (Now


owned by EW Nutrition), creating the company with a source of methionine as its flagship product. From there, methionine solutions MHA® MFP®


feed supplement and


the portfolio. Novus’s next innovation was the MINTREX®


feed supplement were added to trace minerals line, which


includes organic sources of zinc, copper and manganese bonded to the HMTBa (hydroxy methionine analogue) molecule allowing for better absorption and mineral availability. ACIDOMATRIX™ feed additive and ACTIVATE®


nutritional feed acid, both


offering combinations of organic acids and HMTBa, were created for the eubiotics portfolio. Other organic acids, essential oils and the CIBENZA®


enzyme platform


were added, as were pigment and feed quality products before being sold to EW Nutrition earlier this year. The sale was part of a re-focusing currently underway for


PAGE 54 JULY/AUGUST 2021 FEED COMPOUNDER


a strong focus on sustainability, animal welfare/health, efficiency, and other drivers directly related to gut health,” said David Dowell, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Health through nutrition has been a long-time principle in human health and Novus wants to expand our solutions in the key area of growth for our industry.” As part of the renewed focus on


innovation, Novus announced its partnership with biotechnology company Agrivida Inc. to develop an innovation pipeline of products using INTERIUS™ Technology; the first in-grain-based feed additive platform commercially available to animal nutritionists and feed formulators. Novus is also working to commercialize the flagship product GRAINZYME®


PHOS phytase which uses


the technology to produce the enzyme inside corn kernels, thus eliminating processes and costs in feed production. “As a part of this industry, it’s important


that we’re aware of the resources we use. Expressing feed additives directly inside grain is an exciting way to do more with less,” said Chief Innovation Officer Al Zimmerman. Doing more with less also applies to the


company’s commemoration of its anniversary. Since the pandemic is prohibiting Novus from celebrating in-person, it is taking the message to the web. During the upcoming months Novus social media followers will see video and images on what 30 years means for those closest to the company – its employees. “There’s nothing I would like more


than to take a world tour to celebrate this anniversary with every employee but that’s just not feasible,” Meagher said. “We’re having a toned-down, socially- distant anniversary instead, which is really unfortunate since the employees are the reason for Novus’s success. We have hard- working, dedicated, intelligent people at every level of our company, and they each deserve a standing ovation.” Vice President and Chief Human


Resources Officer Maria Burt echoed Meagher’s statement on the need to celebrate all that employees have achieved, particularly during the pandemic. “Our colleagues have gone above and


beyond in so many ways throughout the pandemic. All of those challenges, coupled with big changes in our company, would have been daunting for anyone, but they have shown their commitment, ingenuity and grit through it all. They are a truly excellent group,” she said. What will the next 30 years look like?


Meagher said Project Destiny is paving the way for a Novus known more for its partnerships with customers than its product line.


“There’s no question that our solutions


– methionine, minerals, enzymes, organic acids, essential oils – can help our customers with their operations but we want to be more than that. Our goal is for customers to look at Novus as a trusted advisor that is going to help make their business more sustainable financially and environmentally.” The new goals and direction of


the company are wholly supported and commended by Novus’s Board of Directors. In a statement, Tetsu Watanabe, Novus chairman of the board and senior vice president of Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc., congratulated Novus employees on the 30th anniversary and said the Board is eager to see what comes next. “Since its formation, Novus has been


an integral part of our strategy and we have worked hand-in-hand with Novus to help ‘Feed the World’,” he said. “As always, we fully support the transformation and growth of Novus as it endeavors to be the provider of viable solutions for the industry. We are pleased to see that the organization is going down the right path.”


HIGH EARLY-JUNE TEMPERATURES ENOUGH TO UPSET CONCEPTION RateS, aCCoRding to CaRgill


DATA A network of temperature and humidity monitors, installed by Cargill in cow sheds across the UK this summer, has recorded heat stress conditions in all regions in the first two weeks of June and highlighted levels that could affect cow fertility and milk production. According to the data, the combined


temperature and humidity index (THI) on 10 out of 15 days, from June 1, was above 65 in the south of England and the Midlands, which is a level known to reduce conception rates. These conditions were recorded on at least three days in the first half of June in the north, Wales and Northern Ireland. “Relative humidity in the UK is normally


about 60%,” says Cargill ruminant lead Mark Scott. “So when temperatures in our cow sheds – or outdoors – exceed 20°C, we get a THI reading of 65. We know from research projects on farm that conception rates can fall if the daily average exceeds this threshold.” When temperatures exceed 22°C and


a THI of 68, milk quality can decline. And at higher temperatures, above 24°C and a THI of 70, cow behaviour will be affected. Cargill has installed a network of


24 data loggers in cow sheds across the UK, which link to a website and update data every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. “We’re using these to monitor the average and maximum daily temperatures in six regions,” adds Mr Scott.


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