Pfizer Animal Health targets poultry

02-11-2009 | Home | News

With the completion of the merger between Pfizer Animal Health (PAH) and Fort Dodge, Pfizer strongly increases its presence in the poultry industry.

Historically, Pfizer Animal Health has had a minor position on the poultry market, with a share of only 3% of their total turnover, but it has understood the growing importance of poultry production. As a result they have increased their activities by the acquisition in 2006 of Embrex, best known for their Inovoject in ovo vaccination technology. With that they became a serious player in the poultry business.

Additionally, the Pfizer Poultry Health division increased their activities in the field of vaccine development, such as earlier this year with the introduction of Inovocox, a new vaccine that immunises day-olds through in ovo injection. This vaccine is now being used in North America and it is likely that it will also be introduced in other regions like in Europe soon.

With the acquisition of Fort Dodge, PAH further increases its presence in the poultry business. According to Albert Bourla, PAH President for Europe, Asia and Africa and Hervé le Galludec, Poultry Business Director, the Fort Dodge programme is an addition to the Pfizer programme, without any overlap. They expect strong synergies between both previous companies, based on “Human Care for Animal Kind”. PAH is aiming to almost double its turnover in poultry in the year 2012, and therefore is investing heavily in R&D.

The Fort Dodge name is expected to fully disappear in coming years. Only incidentally it may be kept for specific occasions.