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Merck Animal Health adding technology to broad portfolio

A leading animal health biopharmaceutical and technology solutions company continues to add to its portfolio.

Merck Animal Health head of business development Jim McIntyre says their goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of animals.

“In the past we have been more about vaccines and medicines for animals, but we’re really broadening what we do now. And that broadening is to include technologies to provide even more for our customers.”

Merck recently announced a minority investment in LeeO Precision Farming, a swine traceability platform, and acquired virtual fencing company Vence.

Jeroen van de Ven is lead of animal health intelligence at Merck.

“About five years ago we started down this technology route. We did a series of acquisitions and internal development and we now have an entire department dedicated for this, and we are the leader in identification and monitoring of animals globally.”

LeeO is a cloud-based platform that allows farmers to record major life events in swine production like birth, vaccination, weight, and transportation.

Livestock producers can use Vence to set and adjust grazing boundaries from their smartphones.