2021 Kentucky Equine Research Conference on Product Development

The 2021 Kentucky Equine Research Conference took place in Lexington, Kentucky, from November 1-2, with the virtual conference running from November 8-12. Conference sessions covered the latest in equine nutrition research, with a focus on stages of new product development, including relevant considerations in nutrition, marketing, and more. Speakers included Kentucky Equine Research founder and president Joe Pagan, Ph.D., nutritionists Katie Young, Ph.D., and Judy Downer, Ph.D., and photojournalist Scott Moore.

Sessions included discussion on nutrient requirements in horses, energy sources for a performance diet, feed ingredients, recent research into essential fatty acids, feeding horses with myopathies, and a preview of the KER Feed Formulator Software. On the second day of the in-person event, participants toured the Kentucky Equine Research facilities and the new distribution center, and attended one of two breakout sessions:

• Marketing track – Video has become a key element in the marketer’s toolbox over the past several years. Creating quality video content in the field requires skill in visual storytelling as well as technical expertise in shooting and editing. Moore guided attendees on the use of natural sound, visual composition, equipment, and editing techniques to tell a story.
• Research track – Downer led attendees through the steps of a recent palatability study concerning feed ingredient inclusion levels, from study design and sample collection to data analysis and implementation. Participants got an in-depth look at how a study is designed and conducted, and how research can be applied to their own product line.

This year’s list of attendees represent feed manufacturers on six continents. Through the Balance Partner program, Kentucky Equine Research offers tailored support packages to horse feed companies to assist in increasing sales of their products. This program may address formulation, ingredient sourcing, quality control, manufacturing best practices, regulatory assistance, marketing support, or other applications of Kentucky Equine Research’s unique expertise.