Real Science Exchange - Companion Animal

Balchem Animal Nutrition & Health
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Welcome to our Balchem Pet Food series—the podcast that opens up the bag and looks at what really goes into better pet nutrition. In this introductory video, you’ll meet the experts and the science behind Balchem’s ingredient solutions, and hear how they’re used by formulators to support digestion, skin & coat, energy metabolism, and overall well being. Subscribe to follow along as we unpack the latest research, practical formulation tips, and stories from across the pet food industry.

Episodes

  1. DEC 18

    Novel Proteins & Today's Pet Parents: What's Next? Guests: Nicole Hill, MarketPlace; Allison Burdick, Pet Sustainability Coalition; Co-host: Dr. Bob Mason, Balchem

    This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.  Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:59) Nicole’s presentation at Petfood Forum was based on two surveys her company conducted in March and April 2025, asking 1200+ dog parents and 1200+ cat parents about species-specific decisions they make for pet nutrition and care, focused on novel proteins. They asked which novel proteins of a comprehensive list would pet parents be willing to offer their pet a sample of as an ingredient in a pet food. Options ranged from bison and elk to alligator, ostrich, insects, and cultivated meat. From there, the surveys asked what other drivers and purchase considerations were important and if pet parents would be willing to pay more for foods containing those novel proteins. (8:06) Nicole goes on to define novel proteins and discusses consumer familiarity with that term. She also explains why novel proteins might be in demand as a pet food ingredient. Allison notes that there is interest in the carbon footprint of novel proteins as well. (11:14) Survey results indicated that dog parents were most interested in bison, rabbit, and elk, while cat parents were most interested in rabbit, bison, and quail. Nicole and Bob talk about technical challenges and opportunities in the novel protein space, including supply chain, palatability, nutraceutical aspects, and raw product variability. They also discuss if certain novel proteins are better suited to a particular form of food (kibble, wet, minimally processed, etc.). (15:06) Nicole and Allison talk about how companies might evaluate the social and environmental impacts of a novel protein ingredient. Allison mentions her company uses an ingredient database called HowGood that measures ingredients against eight different impact categories. (24:04) The panel talks about the humanization of pets and how pet parents align their values with purchases for their pet. Bob talks about some of the nutraceutical trends he’s observed. Allison notes that Gen Z and millennial consumers are very aware and concerned about their pets’ health and wellness. (27:37) Nicole talks about current marketing trends, including video format as a source for pet parents to get inspiration about pet health and wellness. The group then dives into the topic of influencers, misinformation, and the role that science can play in providing accurate information to consumers. (35:31) Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (45:39) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange - Companion Animal virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.

    52 min

  2. DEC 4

    Sustainability & Nutrition Considerations for Supplementing Omega-3s in Companion Animal Diets with Dr. Alexandra Rankovic, University of Guelph; Jim Lamancusa, Pet Sustainability Coalition

    This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.  Alexandra and Jim begin by introducing themselves and their backgrounds, as well as sharing what they do in their current roles. (00:58) Dr. Ranovic gives an overview of her presentation at the conference, including a review of how dogs and cats metabolize fatty acids, current recommendations for EPA and DHA requirements, and alternative fatty acid sources like algae oil. She notes some of the differences in fatty acid metabolism between dogs and cats and whether or not adult animals really have a recommended requirement for omega-3 fatty acids. Some of her research has found that algae oil is less shelf-stable than fish oils, and perhaps feeding excess omega fatty acids does not benefit pets. (12:13)  Jim shares the Pet Sustainability Coalition has software called How Good, which is the world's largest ingredient database for sustainability. He explains how it works and ties in with diet formulation software. (22:53) Jim gives some insight on how pet owners make decisions about sustainability. (25:51) Dr. Rankovic details what future fatty acid research still needs to be done in dog and cat nutrition. She notes another longer chain, plant-derived fatty acid, SDA, might be one avenue of investigation, both for its use in conversion to EPA and DHA and for its merit alone. (28:26) The panelists wrap up the episode talking about balancing formulation and pet owner education to achieve the best outcomes possible for pet health and wellbeing. Lastly, they give some recommendations for where pet parents can go to find more information. (32:50) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.

    40 min

  3. NOV 13

    Exploring Fresh African Game Meat in Pet Food for a Novel, Sustainable Approach to Nutrition: Guests: Angelique Myburgh, Montego Pet Nutrition; Gail Tavill, OSI Group; Co-host: Dr. Eric Altom, Balchem

    This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.    Panelists introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:56) Angelique shares about her company, Montego Pet Nutrition, and what they do. They are located in the Karoo area of South Africa which is famous for large herds of springbok. Springbok meat was a major export to the EU; however a foot and mouth disease outbreak resulted in an export ban in 2011, which had a major impact on the springbok industry. South Africa published a game meat strategy in 2023, but made a major oversight by not including the pet food industry. Byproducts from game meat for human consumption is a major focus of Montego Pet Nutrition. Angelique’s presentation at Petfood Forum detailed how Africa can be a contributor to the evolving pet food protein landscape. (6:48) Gail asks about processing such a large diversity of game animals. Angelique explains that most harvest is done on-farm, with carcasses transported to plants for further processing. She goes on to describe regulatory oversight of harvest and processing, and goals for making better use of offal that is often left on-farm currently. (11:07) Dr. Altom gives examples of why novel proteins like game meat are attractive in the pet food market for animals with allergy/inflammation challenges. The panel talks about other game meat species from around the world that have also been considered for the pet food market. (14:40) The panel discusses sustainability and how these game meat efforts may play an important role in feeding a growing population in Africa. Unfortunately, the export ban is still in place for fresh frozen antelope meat; only ostrich, crocodile, and zebra can be exported at this time. The group goes on to talk about consumer perception of game meat. (25:05) Angelique notes that they market the antelope product they are using as Karoo Wild, with the tagline of reward, revive and rewild. (32:46) Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (35:32) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange - Companion Animal virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.

    40 min

  4. NOV 6

    2025 Pet Economic Report with Guests Diana Rosero-Pena, Bloomberg Intelligence; Nicole Hill, Nextin Research by MarketPlace

    This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.    Diana predicts the global pet industry to reach about $500 billion by the end of the decade, compared to $380 billion currently. The US will remain the largest market, comprising about 40%, and is predicted to reach $200 billion compared to $150 billion currently. Healthcare is expected to be the biggest driver over the next five years, and food will remain the largest expense. (5:37) The panel discusses some of the drivers behind pet owner decisions, including the humanization of pets. Nicole notes in some of her company’s market research, most pet owners say either their pet is a member of their family or their pet is their best friend. When money gets tight, people are more likely to reduce expenditures on their own healthcare rather than trade down in their pet expenditures. The panel also talks about generational differences in pet owner decisions. Nicole notes pet longevity is a major driver in many decisions. (7:51) Diana and Nicole discuss how pet trends tend to follow human trends. They cover ingredient quality, snacks/treats, supplements in a treat form and preventative veterinary care. (17:55) Jeremy notes from a commercial perspective, more pet food/treat companies are requisitioning 100% human-grade ingredients. The panel talks more about customization trends in the pet industry, the movement of luxury brands into the pet sector, and the presence of large food companies at every price point for dog and cat food. (25:56) The panel discusses how the large increase in pet ownership during the pandemic has impacted and continues to impact the industry (31:50) Diana mentions e-commerce continues to be a significant driver, with 30% of pet owners in 2025 surveyed purchasing items through e-commerce, compared to 23% in 2023. Amazon and Chewy make up 70% of the pet e-commerce sector. (34:53) Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (39:25) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange - Companion Animal virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.

    44 min

  5. OCT 28

    Real Science Exchange- Companion Animal Podcast Introduction

    Welcome to our Real Science Exchange- Companion Animal Podcast, the podcast that opens up the bag and looks at what really goes into better pet nutrition. In this introductory video, you’ll meet the experts and the science behind Balchem’s ingredient solutions, and hear how they’re used by formulators to support digestion, skin & coat, energy metabolism, and overall well being. Subscribe to follow along as we unpack the latest research, practical formulation tips, and stories from across the pet food industry.

    1 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

Welcome to our Balchem Pet Food series—the podcast that opens up the bag and looks at what really goes into better pet nutrition. In this introductory video, you’ll meet the experts and the science behind Balchem’s ingredient solutions, and hear how they’re used by formulators to support digestion, skin & coat, energy metabolism, and overall well being. Subscribe to follow along as we unpack the latest research, practical formulation tips, and stories from across the pet food industry.

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