Animal Health Products

US demand to approach $13 billion in 2016
US demand for animal health products is expected to rise 3.9 percent annually to almost $13 billion in 2016. Gains in all product segments will be at least incrementally improved from those during the recession-impacted 2006-2011 period. Preventive care will remain a driving factor in sales of animal health products as owners of commercial and companion animals alike recognize the need to maintain good health conditions for their animals. Commercial animals, including livestock and poultry, are largely intended to enter the human food chain, making prevention and eradication of disease a vital ongoing concern for both animal and human health. Furthermore, as pet owners increasingly treat their companion animals as members of the family, pets’ lifespans will continue to lengthen, driving strong sales of health products.

Nutritional chemicals to see largest product gains
The large nutritional chemical product segment will account for over two-fifths of the growth seen during the forecast period. The vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and other products comprising nutritional chemical demand will remain vital as feed additives and dietary supplements. Consumer interest in natural products will continue to favorably impact the nutritional chemical segment as products such as herbs, amino acids, and other ingredients with a “more natural” profile are used to replace antibiotics in animal feed. Banning of meat and bonemeal in livestock feed will aid demand for nutritional chemicals as alternative ingredients. For companion and other animals, quality of life concerns will continue to support demand for nutritional chemicals used in pet food and in supplements. Preventive health care will also continue to solidify its importance in animal husbandry and pet ownership, as products including parasiticides and vaccines see ongoing solid gains in demand. Among other animal health products, diagnostics will see above average increases in demand.

Primary purchasers of animal health products include animal food manufacturers, farms, veterinarians, and households, with other entities also involved in purchase. Animal food manufacturers will continue to lead sales of health products, seeing steady gains through 2016. Use in animal feed will remain dominant due to the sheer size of the US livestock and poultry population, while pet food use will continue to see faster growth as pet owners demand superior quality food for their animals.

Companion animal sales to register fastest growth
By animal, livestock and poultry will continue to account for the dominant share of animal health product sales through 2016. However, companion animal applications will remain the fastest growing and will continue to increase their share of demand. Ownership trends favoring higher spending on pet health -- such as on preventive products including parasiticides, and on food and supplements featuring nutritional chemical content -- on dogs, cats, and other pets will encourage ongoing above average sales gains. Smaller uses, in animals such as horses, account for the rest of animal health demand and will effectively remain a niche market.

PRESS RELEASE

US Demand for Animal Health Products to Exceed $12 Billion in 2016

Demand for animal health products in the US is forecast to increase 3.5 percentannually to $12.7 billion in 2016. Animal health care is a relatively recession-resistantindustry, as health care is regarded as a necessary expense of animal ownership orhusbandry. Preventive care will remain a driving factor in sales of animal healthproducts as owners of commercial and companion animals alike recognize the need tomaintain good health conditions for their animals. These and other trends arepresented in Animal Health Products, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc.,a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

The large nutritional chemical segment will account for over one-quarter of thegrowth seen during the forecast period, as these products -- which include aminoacids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other products -- remain vital as feed additivesand dietary supplements. Consumer interest in natural products will continue tofavorably impact the nutritional chemical segment as products such as acidifiers, aminoacids, carotenoids, enzymes, herbs, probiotics, and other ingredients with a more“natural” profile are used to replace more controversial additives.

The importance of preventive health care will support growth in parasiticides andvaccines. Parasiticides will remain a prominent feature in the care of pets andlivestock, as prevention of and treatment for existing fleas, ticks, and other pests willhelp reduce occurrences of pest-related health disorders. Furthermore, fears aboutantibiotic resistance are leading to increased use of diagnostics to treat only animalsrequiring care, rather than medicating entire herds or flocks, driving above averagegains in this product segment.

Livestock and poultry will continue to account for the dominant share of animalhealth product sales through 2016 due to the sheer size and importance of the UScommercial animal segment. However, companion animal applications will remain thefastest growing and will continue to increase their share of demand. Ownership trendsfavoring higher spending on pet health -- such as on preventive products includingparasiticides, and on food and supplements featuring nutritional chemical content -- willencourage ongoing above average sales gains.