Newbridge, Co Kildare-based Ark Animal Care Ltd develop and market products that help address the most common health issues in farm animals. Their direct contact with their farmer-customers confirms that their products work.
With over 30 years’ experience, Ark Animal Care is dedicated to providing innovative products to meet their customers’ needs. They draw on a broad range of expertise in developing their products.
“The company was set up in 1987 by veterinary surgeon Noel O’Sullivan and his wife Catherine,” Mark O’Connor explained. “The business changed hands three years ago with Mr Richard Young taking over the reins as Managing Director.”
Mark, who hails from a farming background, joined the company in 1995 and worked his way up the ladder from the warehouse to the General Manager’s office. The pig sector is a well-established target market for the ambitious company and that is reflected in their key personnel.
“Since Noel’s departure, Miguel R. Lopez has taken over veterinary duties,” Mark added. “He’s a vet with a practical approach on issues affecting pig health and production. Miguel joined ARK AC in August 2015, eight months prior to the sale of the company so there has been a smooth transition. Miguel has over 20 years of experience in the pig industry and is highly respected. We employ six in total and I’d like to pay tribute to all of our staff. It’s a huge team effort.
“Basically, without getting into the equipment and machinery end of things, we provide a complete service to the pig industry when it comes to Veterinary Consultations and advice and a broad range of products to cover all requirements and needs.
“We are actively working on finding effective replacements for antibiotics and work closely with our Multinational Partners like Biomin GmbH (Biomin PEP Oral) and also stock probiotics like Optistart Oral powder for regulation of gut microflora and diarrhoea control.
“Water treatment and Hygiene/ Biosecurity is also high on our agenda and we offer organic acids such as Agrocid Super Oligo for post weaning diarrhoea control and a full range of detergents and disinfectants from CID Lines, another one of our multinational partners.”
In the words of one of their valued customers:
“We have being dealing with Ark Animal Care for many years and our farm had benefited greatly from their expertise of pig husbandry.
Their personnel are friendly, efficient and knowledgeable which is a greatly appreciated and valued by us in the running of our farm.
Mattie and Miriam Moore. Moore’s Pig Farm. Mattie owns an intensive farrow to finish pig farm in Co. Offaly.
Those involved at the coalface of the Irish pig industry are experiencing difficult times. Pig prices have barely increased in recent months whereas production costs have grown very rapidly.
“In one word – challenging!” answered Mark when asked: how the pig end of the business was going at the moment? “The pig industry is in one of those troughs where costs are exceeding income. There is a big demand for our products in predominant pig areas such as Cavan and elsewhere in the country. They are wonderful people to deal with and they have faced adversity before and will again. Each time they come back stronger. That’s the nature of the pig industry and those involved in it.”
Ark Animal Care also produces a range of products, non-antibiotics for other species which do not require prescriptions, which means less paperwork and less hassle and they continue to source, develop and market new products for the well-being of farm animals. These products are available through Trade Outlets the length and breadth of the Country.
Products such as Ark Calf Saver, for example, has proven to be very popular with their loyal base of customers.
Ark Calf Saver is a potent source of absorbable energy containing Medium Chain Triglycerides, Natural Vitamin E and a flavour for palatability.
Every weak or stressed calf should get a bottle of Calf Saver as soon as possible after birth.
Ark Calf Saver is presented in 25ml bottle (1 feed) for ease of use. There is no measuring or mixing so you simply dose it directly into the calf’s mouth. As the energy source is absorbed the calf is getting energy from the time the first drop hits the palate.
Once swallowed Ark Calf Saver enters the bloodstream and the calf receives a massive bolt of energy within 10 to 15 minutes. The flavour has the added benefit of getting the swallow and suckling reflex started and in most cases the calf will suckle as soon as they are on their feet. Natural Vitamin E stimulates the immune response.
A very high percentage of calf deaths in the first days of life can be traced back to the fact that calves who experience difficult births will simply not have the energy to get up and consume the necessary volume of colostrum to survive.
Ark Calf Saver undoubtedly gives a weak/stressed calf a far better chance of survival than the calf that does not get Ark Calf Saver.
“Calf Saver serves a wonderful purpose right at birth,” explained Ark Animal Care General Manager Mark O’Connor. “Calf saver is a great product that works three to four times quicker than glucose. It provides a wonderful shot of energy in first 10 to 15 minutes after birth.”
We were also one of the first companies to introduce an easy mixing Colostrum product for Lambs and Calves in our Ark Colostart for Lambs & Ark Colostart for Calves.
“Please visit our website www.arkanimalcare.ie to view our range of products.”
With over 30 years’ experience, Ark Animal Care is dedicated to providing innovative products to meet their customers’ needs. They draw on a broad range of expertise in developing their products.
Never content to rest on their laurels, Mark and the Ark Animal Ark team harbour ambitious expansion plans for the future…
“We hope to build and extend the Ark range of products and diversify somewhat because we are predominantly serving the pig industry. We see areas that we can make progress on but we will always be careful not to lose focus of what we do best. We want to consolidate our existing business and grow where we can by introducing new products into the Ark Range,” he concluded.
Ark Animal Care Ltd.
Newbridge Industrial Estate, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Ph: +353 45 433203, Fax: +353 45 433934, Email: [email protected], Website: www.arkanimalcare.ie
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 6 No 8, December 2018/January 2019
