Nobleton firm crafts exotic animal feed

April 8, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
Humans share the planet with some fascinating creatures.
Animals under our care, especially those in captivity, require nutritional diets.
Decades of experience dealing in agricultural feed products has given Nobleton Feed Mill a leg up – or several in fact – in the ability to craft nutritional concoctions for some exotic animals.
Alf Budweth, who’s been involved in the family business for more than 36 years, knows just how to mix that perfect horse feed for your prized thoroughbred. And he’s now a wizard when it comes to his gorilla muffins, cricket food and veggie bites for hippos and rhinos.
Not your typical fare, but Budweth’s company Züküdla (that roughly translates to “zoo food” in zulu) may one day be the world leader in exotic animal food.
And he’s spent years of meticulous research to make his feed among the very best. He has a reputation to maintain.
The Züküdla brand came about after the Toronto Zoo contacted Budweth about creating some new feed for their animals. The company obtained the contract for the zoo more than eight years ago and they’ve been creating and perfecting their blends, to the point they’re responding to demand from all over the world.
Budweth noted it all began with CricketMax, a supplement for crickets to plump them up. Crickets are the main diets for many insectivores like lizards of all descriptions. The proprietory blend that goes into CricketMax was seven years in the making and today, some 150 retail outlets sell the product.
He is currently working on a supplement to help improve the reproductive rates of the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad. It’s this type of challenge that drives and challenges Budweth as he strives to “craft nutrition.”
“What sets Züküdla apart from the competition, is our attention to detail. I think it’s easy to mimic or duplicate what’s being done in the industry. But we want to do it better, we want to craft better diets, and offer our customers better service,” Budweth said.
Nobleton Feed Mill is currently the largest distributor of Masterfeeds products in North America. Budweth wants Züküdla to have that same status and credibility.
Admittedly, there are some “crazy ingredients” for Züküdla products.
Take their gorilla muffins for example. Primates suffer from many ailments and conditions that affect humans such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. For the idle animals in captivity, they need a high-fibre, low-glycemic diet instead of fats and sugars. The muffins fit the bill, even though Budweth admitted humans would not find them appetizing.
Also on tap is a “dog biscotti,” a healthy dog treat that’s sure to please.
Züküdla is the feed mill’s way of branching out, partially due to necessity and by evolution.
Budweth said it’s fun but everything comes with its unique set of challenges. Currently, there are some border issues with getting products into the U.S. but Budweth hopes to have five points where his products can get to their American markets.
There is virtually nothing Budweth can’t make – they are all based on vitamin and mineral packages. Collaborating with animal nutritionists at top institutions and combining talents with their own animal nutritionists, means that Züküdla can design and tailor diets for customers in a quick and cost-effective manner.
Budweth said he will try just about everything. He has to not only create a formula, but locate the quirky ingredients to enhance existing foods. This makes it difficult at times, but it’s always fun.
The goal is to create healthy animals. Budweth is a chef of sorts, blending the ingredients and experimenting until he gets it just right. He doesn’t use any drugs or growth hormones in his products. He’s invested in some new equipment, so Züküdla is in it for the long haul.
From helping flamingoes maintain their bright pink plumage to fostering nice fibre coats on alpacas, Züküdla has a product for every animal’s needs.
For more, contact them at 1-877-985-8352 pr visit www.zukudla.com.