Interview of the director of the LLC "VETSINTEZ" given to the magazine "Feed and Facts"

VETSINTEZ: To lead, to develop and to prosper

  In each issue of the "Feed and Facts" magazine we talk about successful enterprises, the experience of their formation, positioning in the market, features, products, plans and tasks. This is our strategic goal – to provide information about the best, to show positive business examples and to inspire pessimists. The article about the Kharkiv veterinary medicine company "Vetsintez" was published in the issue of October 2016. And during this short period, the company experienced events that we would like to tell about. The director of the LLC "Vetsintez" Oleh Valentynovych Azimov answered our questions.

"Feed and Facts": Oleh Valentynovych, the company you lead, is the leader in production of veterinary medicines in Ukraine. But you stay strong in the pursuit of your goals and continue the active further development. What new has happened to you during this time?

Oleh Azimov: The company "Vetsintez" is a modern and dynamically developing company, being one of the most influential players in the veterinary segment. For more than 16 years, it has been successfully operating in the Ukrainian market. We make development the cornerstone of our company, since modern business conditions set strict requirements and safety standards in relation to veterinary medicines. After all, the consequences of therapeutic measures will affect human health in the end. Taking care of the health of animals, we care about human health in the first place. Therefore, everything we offer is of the highest quality level.

In this aspect, I can proudly report that we have developed and registered 17 new medicines in 2016, and as many as 6 new ones in a few months of 2017! Currently, we are in the process of development of 42 new products. In 2017, we plan to register at least 20 new medicinal products. And this is only within Ukraine! Behind each of these positions there lies a huge work of scientists, researchers, production workers, the whole personnel of the company.

F&F: Many animal diseases result from improper feeding. The correct balance of the impact of feed and veterinary factors is difficult to overestimate. Do you have any plans for the production of feed additives?

O.A.: The technical level and production capacities of our company, as well as its personnel support, allow us to develop production of feed additives as well. Currently, we are actively developing the new direction for our company – feed additives. The products already include 10 anticoccidial agents (ionophoric –Salinophore-BC, Carex, Madurosan-BC, chemical – Decoccil, Coccidol, Reycox, Robezole 6.6, Amprolinvet 500, complex – Manibazine, Eimerisan 88), we have the widest range of anticoccidial agents. All anticoccidial agents have already been verified, tested and are successfully used by many of the largest companies in Ukraine.

Mycotoxicoses pose a big problem for our livestock and poultry farming. We could not stay away and have developed 2 mycotoxin adsorbents: Bentotox (composed of bentonite, kaolin clay, dry yeast Saccharommyces Cerevisiae, brown algae, calcium propanoate, citric acid) and Ceotox (composed of zeolite, kaolin clay, dry yeast Saccharommyces Cerevisiae, fumaric acid, calcium propanoate, citric acid). The sorbing capacity of these adsorbents is confirmed by the studies and the report shown in the Table. But due to the expanded composition of Bentotox and Ceotox, the use of these adsorbents also contributes to increase in the average daily gain, and increase in poultry and animal productivity, and improved feed conversion ratio, as well as in prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.

Table. In vitro study of the sorbing activity of feed additives "Bentotox" and "Ceotox" in relation to mycotoxins

F&F: To stabilize the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract in animals and poultry, suppress the growth and development of bacteria, probiotic products and acidulants become more and more popular. What products in this segment do you offer?

O.A.: Our array of novelties includes a 4th-generation probiotic "Activil-3", which includes not only bacillus licheniformis, bacillus subtilis, but also clostridium butyricum – a spore-forming bacterium that synthesizes a large number of short-chain fatty acids, especially N-oleic acid, which in turn provides antimicrobic action against gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Clostridium perfringens. In addition, it is a source of energy for the intestinal mucosa – enterocytes, which increases the length of intestinal villi. The symbiosis of all mentioned bacteria makes it possible to improve the intestinal microflora and significantly reduce the risk of bacterial diseases due to the natural displacement of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Clostridium perfringens) in the external environment by active growth of lactic acid bacteria.

In the category of acidulants, we bring interesting feed additives UNACIN and BACCINOL to the market. These are balanced high-potent liquid combinations of synergistically acting organic acids, which have the combined properties of a probiotic-acidulant and a preservative in feed and water. UNACIN and BACCINOL ensure stabilization of gastrointestinal microflora in animals and poultry, inhibit growth and development of the bacteria E. coli, Salmonella spp., Campilobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp. etc., and yeast fungi in feed, water and in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and poultry. These acidulants retain nutritional properties and prolong the shelf life of the feed. Decrease in pH promotes protein digestion and enzyme activation, which improves digestion. They create favorable conditions for the growth of beneficial microflora. Both products effectively reduce the pH of drinking water and allow to keep the water supply system clean (they clean it from biofilm and prevent its reoccurence).

F&F: All veterinary medicines used to diagnose, treat, prevent diseases of animals, increase their reproduction and productivity must be certified. And this very high-precision and complex biochemical production must be accompanied by a lot of permissive documents. We know that "Vetsintez" keeps this documentation in full order. But you are in the process of production of a whole new feed additive line. Do you plan to go through certification in the GMP+ system in this regard?

O.A.: Since 2006, the company has implemented the national quality management system ISO 9001 and since 2009 – the international one. The company received the national certificate for the quality management system DSTU ISO 9001: 2009 and the international certificate for the quality management system ISO 9001: 2008. "Vetsintez" received the GMP certificate in 2013. By the way, "Vetsintez" is the first producer of veterinary medicines in Ukraine to receive this certificate. The annual supervisory audit is performed with no comments. In addition, on October 29, 2015, we successfully completed the re-certification according to ISO 9001:2008 "Quality management system. Requirements" and on June 20, 2016, – the recertification according to GMP 91/412/EEC "Production and Sale of Veterinary Medicines".

Our new focus area – the production of feed additives – dictates the need to control risks at all stages of production and supply in order to subsequently ensure safety of feed and feed products. In summer 2017, we made a decision to complete GMP+ certification, and now we are actively preparing for this responsible process, we go deeper, we study the information. In February 2017, the "Vetsintez" team participated in the 5th annual seminar "GMP+ International" on the subject of the "Principles of Feed Safety and Possible Access to International Markets" within the "Agro Animal Show" (held in Kyiv).

If we talk about the certification of our products, then certainly all products that must have certificates are certified. And both our laboratories (chemical-analytical and bacteriological) have also been accredited and certified.

F&F: You recently obtained a new partner – the famous Brazilian producer of animal vaccines VENCO ANIMAL HEALTH. Will you tell our readers about it, please? What is this company and what can it offer Ukrainian farms?

O.A.: Indeed, we became the official representatives of this company for vaccine sale in Ukraine. In its business activities, the company follows the principle: "to be one of the best companies in its segment and be recognized as an international forward-thinking company with global goals". In 2002, "VENCO" received the Award for Outstanding Industrial Goods. In 2009, the company invested $ 1 million in equipment to modernize the industrial park, in marketing, connecting media, participating in fairs both in Brazil and around the world.

Currently, "VENCO" satisfies more than 53% of the demand for horse vaccines; has over 14.1% market share of pet vaccines in Brazil. In 2016, 33.4 million doses were sold (16% of the demand of the Brazilian market).

The VENCO product line includes:

·        vaccines against bacterial diseases of animals;

·        vaccines against viral diseases of animals;

·        lyophilised serum against snake venom and anti-tetanus serum;

·        inactivated rabies vaccine;

·        one line of vaccines for cattle and one line of vaccines for horses (developed in 2006);

·        vaccines for pets.

Together with the representatives of VENCO, we held a scientific and practical conference "Efficiency of using 'Vencofarma' vaccines at Ukrainian livestock farms", which was held on April 5-6, 2017 in Brovary, Kiev region (Landhouse Hotel), where new vaccines for pigs were presented: SauAbort (inactivated vaccine against parvovirus, erysipelas and leptospirosis of pigs), SerkelPneumo (inactivated vaccine against enzootic pneumonia of pigs), SerkelPleuroAP (inactivated vaccine against actinobacillary pleuropneumonia of pigs), as well as vaccines for cattle: Supravak 10 (inactivated vaccine against infectious rhinotracheitis, viral diarrhea, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza, pasteurellosis, and leptospirosis of cattle), SupravakResp (inactivated vaccine against infectious rhinotracheitis, viral diarrhea, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza, pasteurellosis of cattle), ParavenR2C (inactivated vaccine against corona- and rotaviral infection, colibacteriosis and clostridiosis of calves). The result of the conference showed that "VENCO" products are of interest for Ukrainian agricultural enterprises and are very competitive products. We were particularly pleased with the expertise of our partners, who listened to the questions of our guests and answered in detail to all of the,.

F&F: Oleh Valentynovych, you are a member of the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian Association of Producers and Distributors of Veterinary Medicines and Feed Additives. Your company is one of the founders of this association. Now it unites the eight largest companies in Ukraine, which account for the lion's share of domestic production of veterinary medicines. Nevertheless, you are eager to cooperate with other professional associations...

O.A.: Having united in a harmonious effective structure, producers of commodities, scientists and supplier plants are able to work more effectively, jointly solving problems and defending their interests. We are not only showing interest, but also taking active steps. For example, in March 2016, the LLC "Vetsintez" became a member of the association "Interregional Union of Poultry Farmers and Feed Producers of Ukraine". This status gave us additional opportunities of a new information field.

Our mission in 2017 is to lead, develop and prosper. Therefore, in addition to associations, we seek to cover foreign markets and export our products to the following countries: Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Qatar. We register our medicines in the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The LLC "Vetsintez" is a reliable partner that guarantees high quality of products, skilled work, assistance of our consultants on all issues, timely delivery and individual approach to each customer.