MERCK Animal Health News

Merck Animal Health Announces SENSEHUB Feedlot Takes Top Award as Best New Food Animal Product. Award marks the fifth year in a row for recognition in this category. Merck Animal Health recently announced SENSEHUB Feedlot, the company’s technology that provides real time data to detect potentially sick cattle earlier, more efficiently and accurately than traditional visual observation, has been awarded the Best New Food Animal Product from S&P Global Animal Health.

SENSEHUB Feedlot technology allows cattle producers and feedlot operators to proactively track an animal’s biometrics and behavioral data through a non-invasive cattle ear tag equipped with sensors, to monitor cattle temperature and movement.

“Being recognized with this award is a testament to our people throughout our company – from research and development to manufacturing to sales,” said Shannon Kellner, vice president, U.S. Livestock Business, Merck Animal Health. “Our strong pipeline brings together innovative solutions from biopharmaceuticals and technology solutions to help our customers improve the health of their animals and bring efficiency to their operations. We are proud to continually be recognized as a transformative leader in the animal health industry.”

Past Merck Animal Health products that have been honored include the IDAL portfolio technology, PORCILIS Lawsonia intramuscular vaccine for piglets, NOBILIS SALENVAC ETC, and WHISPER ON ARRIVAL. Additionally, Merck Animal Health was named Best Animal Health Company, North America, in 2021.

“SENSEHUB Feedlot features an illuminating LED light that makes it easy to identify and sort cattle needing attention with less labor and minimal disruption to other animals,” said Jeroen van de Ven, DVM, vice president, Technology Solutions, Merck Animal Health. “It is the only automated monitoring ear tag product on the market for use in feedlots as well as stocker and backgrounding production systems.”

The development of SENSEHUB Feedlot, one of the technological solutions that Merck Animal Health has developed through the acquisition of Quantified Ag, a Nebraska based early start up acquired in 2020, reflects approximately eight years of development work. Its development encompassed numerous animal studies, data analysis, the building of hardware and software applications, manufacturing processes, and customer experience and feedback efforts.

SENSEHUB Feedlot offers those who manage and care for cattle additional data to help them detect potential illness. Cattle’s defense mechanisms mean they often hide symptoms of illness, making it very challenging for even experienced pen riders to find sick animals.

SENSEHUB Feedlot assists the pen rider by providing additional and precise information. Animals can be identified earlier, so they can be pulled, evaluated and, if necessary, treated more quickly.

“Merck Animal Health continues to dominate this Best New Food category as a leader in bringing differentiated products to the market. The company is building quite a reputation for winning this award multiple times, which is a testament to innovation within the livestock area and continued developments for the customer,” said Joseph Harvey, head of S&P Global Animal Health. S&P Global provides essential financial information and analytics, including specific commodity coverage, to businesses globally.

Merck Animal Health Announces Results of Consumer Transparency Research Study. DNA TRACEBACK technology platform provides a transparency solution by verifying the origin of animal protein sources. Merck Animal Health recently announced the results of the company’s first ever consumer transparency research study, finding that ⅔ of consumers say transparency in animal protein is extremely or very important.

The consumer transparency study focused on consumers’ growing interest in transparency and its importance in their purchasing decisions and brand trust. The study explored consumer desire for transparency in animal protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, and their perceptions of industry transparency when it comes to animal welfare and sustainability. It also looked at the interplay of transparency and traceability and consumers’ willingness to pay for transparency label claims.

“The survey results tell us consumers want more information than ever in order to make informed decisions about the food they put on their dinner tables,” said Allison Flinn, DVM, Executive Director, Value Chain and Consumer Affairs, Merck Animal Health. “We work to be the industry leader in improving animal health through our biopharmaceutical and technology portfolio solutions, and we also have the technology that can provide greater transparency and allow consumers to make informed decisions. In fact, our DNA TRACEBACK technology, which uses nature’s bar code – DNA – with data analytics, provides an evidence based animal protein traceability solution to accurately trace meat and seafood that is verifiable from farm-to-table to help build trust in food labels.”

The DNA TRACEBACK platform is the most advanced meat traceability solution and the leading technology on the market that verifies the exact origin of meat products for the food producer, food retailer, and consumer. Each animal in the program is DNA sampled so that in every stage of the production chain –from the farm gate, the processing plant, and right through to the restaurant plate – the exact origin of meat or seafood is verified. A sample of each animal’s DNA code is captured at slaughter and assigned a unique barcode number. This DNA number is then linked to the animal and can be traced through the supply chain all the way to individual cuts of meat served in restaurants.

Study Methodology - The consumer transparency study surveyed more than 1,000 consumers who represent the U.S. shopper. The study defined transparency as knowing how food was grown, raised, and made. Traceability was defined as knowing where foods come from or, more specifically, being able to follow the movement of food products and ingredients through the supply chain. Highlights from the study include:

• 66 percent of consumers reported transparency in animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, and dairy) is extremely or very important, and the reasons are personal –health and nutrition top the list;

• 86 percent of consumers who reported transparency is important also rank traceability as extremely/ very important, and 40 percent of those consumers also want to know where the livestock comes from;

• Over 50 percent of consumers surveyed reported they were willing to pay a 5 percent premium for transparency on the label and want more information than ever about how their food is grown and raised to make informed decisions at the grocery store;

• High transparency seekers, or those who consider transparency most important to their purchasing decisions and are willing to pay for it on the label, are typically millennial, non-Caucasian, educated males who live in urban areas with their children – and they do the grocery shopping;

• Environmental sustainability and