TransAgra International

What TransAgra International does

TransAgra International Inc. is a privately held, Iowa-based manufacturer of microbial fermentation products for agriculture, founded in 1963 by Herbert Peer and operating from Storm Lake with a headcount of 1–10 employees. The company develops and sells proprietary probiotic and prebiotic formulations under the Culbac® Probiotic Plus™ platform, organized into three product categories: Animal Health (Culbac® Dry, Healthy Start®, Horse-Bac® Elite and variants, Rumen-Bac®, Culbac® BG), Plant and Soil Health (Plant Solution, seed treatments, Compost Aid, Fertilizer Adjuvant, Field Recovery Solution), and Forage Preservation (hay and silage inoculants, including an organic variant).

The underlying technology rests on a proprietary blend of beneficial bacteria and processing methods developed by the founder and refined through 60+ years of university research collaborations and field trials, with documented agronomic outcomes including feed cost reductions of up to 10%, a 67%+ reduction in dairy somatic cell count, and 15–20% greater melon yields. TransAgra sells primarily to SMB livestock producers (dairy, beef, sheep, swine, poultry, horses), crop farmers, and hay/silage operators through direct e-commerce, a U.S. distributor network, an active dealer recruitment program, and direct-contact international export orders.

The business model is product sales with quote-based pricing; revenue is not publicly disclosed. Safe Feed/Safe Food and Fami-Qs certifications support credibility in feed safety, and leadership (CEO Lisa Sakai, COO Dr. Becky Quesnell) has publicly positioned export growth as a strategic priority. The company has no external investment, no subsidiaries, no acquisitions, and no partnerships disclosed in the source data.

Name

TransAgra International

Legal name

TransAgra International Inc.

Website

https://transagra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TransAgra International is a private Iowa-based manufacturer of proprietary probiotic and prebiotic products for animal nutrition, plant health, and forage preservation, serving SMB livestock producers, crop farmers, and hay/silage operators via e-commerce, distributors, and international export.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Feed Additives and Agricultural Probiotics

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Probiotics, Prebiotics & Synbiotics (AFADAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Antibiotic Health & Performance Supplements (Immune, Gut Health, Stress/Heat Support) (AFADALAO), Nutraceuticals & Functional Ingredients for Animal Diets (Probiotics, Omega-3, Joint, GI) (HLAMAHAH), Probiotics (Human & Animal Strains, Spore-Formers, Synbiotic Bases) (AFAJAJAE), Digestive & Gut Health (Probiotics/Prebiotics/Enzymes) (HLAMALAC), Immune & Stress Modulators (Beta-glucans, Nucleotides) (AFADAKAH)

Keywords

• Probiotic feed additives
• Animal nutrition supplements
• Hay preservation inoculants
• Plant soil inoculants
• Microbial fermentation products

Headquarters

HQ city

Storm Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: TransAgra generates revenue through the sale of physical probiotic and prebiotic products for animal nutrition, plant health, and forage preservation. Products are sold directly and through distributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TransAgra International manufactures and sells natural probiotic and prebiotic (microbial fermentation) products for agricultural applications. Its offerings span three categories: animal health feed additives (Culbac, Horse-Bac, Healthy Start, Rumen-Bac, Culbac BG), plant and soil health products (plant solutions, seed treatments, fertilizer adjuvants, compost aids, field recovery solutions), and forage preservation inoculants (hay and silage preservatives in dry, liquid, and organic formulations). Products are sold direct through the company's e-commerce site and via a distributor/dealer network domestically and internationally.

Product overview

TransAgra International is a manufacturer and exporter of natural health solutions for agriculture, organized into three main product categories: Animal Health (Culbac® and Horse-Bac® probiotic feed additives), Plant & Soil Health (Culbac® Plant and Seed treatment products), and Forage Preservation (Culbac® Hay and Silage inoculants). The flagship Culbac® Probiotic Plus™ line is built on a proprietary blend of beneficial bacteria and ingredients developed over 60 years of research. Animal products include Culbac® Dry, Healthy Start®, Horse-Bac® variants, Rumen-Bac®, and Culbac® BG for various livestock. Plant products encompass seed treatments (liquid and dry), plant solutions, fertilizer adjuvants, and field recovery solutions. Forage products include hay preservatives (dry and liquid) and silage inoculants (dry and liquid) for organic and conventional operations. The company also offers specialty formulations like Horse-Bac® Elite for performance horses. All products are backed by university research and field studies, with a focus on sustainable, all-natural solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Culbac®: Core brand for animal health, plant health, and forage preservation products including probiotic and prebiotic solutions
• Horse-Bac®
• Healthy Start®
• Rumen-Bac®
• Culbac® Plant Solution
• Culbac® Fertilizer Adjuvant
• Culbac® Field Recovery Solution

Products and services

• Culbac Dry Concentrated probiotic feed additive for livestock that is easily added to feed to support digestive tract health, immune function, production, feed costs, fertility, and stress minimization.
• Healthy Start Nutritional feed supplement for livestock, particularly beneficial for newborn calves and young animals, supporting rumen function, feed intake, and reducing scours.
• Horse-Bac Elite Premium performance-level advancement of the Horse-Bac product line, targeting athletic recovery, structural integrity, and long-term health for performance horses.
• Horse-Bac Elite Rapid Response Liquid Rapid-response liquid formulation of Horse-Bac Elite providing quick-acting performance support for horses.
• Horse-Bac Dry Nutritional supplement for horses that supports digestion and absorption of nutrients in the hind gut; safe and effective for horses of all types and ages.
• Horse-Bac Liquid (OARS) Oral appetite response solution providing proper microbial balance throughout the digestive tract to help horses maintain appetite and recover from exercise or stress.
• Rumen-Bac Ruminant nutritional supplement that improves nutrient digestibility in lambs and dairy cows by supporting rumen bacteria function.
• Culbac BG Poultry nutritional supplement with yeast beta glucan shown to reduce mortality and significantly improve feed conversion and productivity in broilers, layers, and turkeys.
• Culbac Plant Solution Soil and plant inoculant designed to improve soil health, drought resistance, root growth, nutrient uptake, and overall plant productivity.
• Culbac Green Plant Solution Plant health solution under the Culbac Green brand for promoting plant growth and health.
• Culbac Liquid Commercial Seed Treatment Liquid seed treatment that enhances seed germination and vigor, promoting earlier emergence and improved root mass development.
• Culbac Dry Seed Treatment Plus Dry seed treatment formulation that increases yields in soybeans and corn, helping seeds get off to a better and faster start.
• Culbac Compost Aid Cultured bacteria product for composting applications, supporting decomposition and organic waste management.
• Culbac Fertilizer Adjuvant Fertilizer adjuvant that helps make fertilizer work more effectively, improving nutrient absorption and reducing costs.
• Culbac Field Recovery Solution Field recovery solution that builds nutrients for next year's profits, helping fields recover from challenging growing conditions.
• Culbac Hay (Dry) Dry hay preservative inoculant specifically designed to inhibit mold, mildew, yeast, and bad bacteria, preserving forage quality and increasing leaf retention.
• Culbac Hay (Liquid) Liquid hay preservative for inhibiting mold and mildew, allowing hay to be baled at higher moisture levels while maintaining quality.
• Culbac Silage (Dry) Dry silage inoculant and fermentation aid that produces robust anaerobic fermentation, preserving silage and maintaining nutritional value.
• Culbac Silage (Liquid) Liquid silage inoculant and fermentation aid for fermented feed preservation, preventing mold and extending bunk life of total mixed rations (TMR).
• Culbac Forage (Organic) Organic forage preservation product for organic farming operations, providing all-natural preservation of hay and silage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Feed costs reduced by up to 10%
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chr. Hansen (now Novonesis): Global leader in microbial and fermentation technologies serving animal health, plant health, and food industries. Directly comparable as a probiotic/culture platform player with overlapping animal nutrition and forage product lines.
• Lallemand Animal Nutrition: Major supplier of yeast and bacteria-based probiotics (including forage inoculants and direct-fed microbials) for livestock. Closely mirrors TransAgra's animal-probiotic and silage inoculant business model.
• Alltech: Global animal nutrition company built around fermentation-based technologies (e.g., Yea-Sacc, Bio-Mos, Actigen) for livestock and crop producers. Comparable as a fermentation-anchored ag-biotech with overlapping ruminant, equine, and crop product lines.
• Chr. Hansen Forage (LactoPlan, SiloSolve): Forage inoculant and silage preservation product lines from major culture producers. Directly comparable to TransAgra's Culbac® Hay and Silage inoculant business in terms of end use and channel.

Broad incumbents

• Kemin Industries: Diversified ingredient manufacturer with significant animal nutrition and crop science divisions. Comparable through overlapping feed additives, gut-health, and forage preservation categories, though broader in scope than TransAgra.
• ADM Animal Nutrition: Large-scale feed and animal nutrition producer offering probiotics, prebiotics, and forage additives within a broader commodity and specialty ingredient portfolio. Comparable end markets but much larger scale and broader product mix.
• Cargill Animal Nutrition: Global ag giant with an animal nutrition business spanning feed additives, premixes, and specialty ingredients. Comparable customer base of livestock and dairy producers, though operating at vastly greater scale.
• Phibro Animal Health: Diversified animal health and nutrition company offering nutritional specialty products and feed additives to livestock producers. Comparable in serving cattle, poultry, and swine with feed-additive solutions.
• Novus International: Animal nutrition and health company supplying feed additives (e.g., methionine, gut-health solutions) to livestock and poultry producers. Comparable as a feed-additive specialist serving similar customers.

Emerging players

• BioResource International: Specialty animal nutrition company developing enzyme and probiotic feed additives for poultry and swine. Comparable as a smaller, fermentation-based ag-biotech serving similar feed-additive use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TransAgra
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFErMgMPCnbjpDVv-dtLrsQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/TransAgra
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/transagra
• Instagraminstagram.com/culbac/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TransAgra International