Merck Animal Health Encourages Farmers to Learn More About Benefits of Vaccinating Herds

Time to Vaccinate Program Features Farmers Talking to Farmers

Time to Vaccinate Program Features Farmers Talking to Farmers

MADISON, N.J, June 12, 2017 – Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the USA and Canada) today announced the European launch of Time to Vaccinate, a new program designed to help farmers better appreciate the benefits of vaccinating their cattle. Vaccinations, as part of an overall prevention program, can greatly contribute to the reduction in severity and frequency of infectious diseases, including the need for some medicines, like antibiotics, to treat infections.

“We are excited to introduce Time to Vaccinate, an initiative focused on connecting farmers who want to learn more about a preventive approach to managing their herds with farmers who utilize a vaccination protocol on their farms,” said Klaas Okkinga, marketing director, Global Ruminants Biologicals. “Keeping animals healthy is at the core of everything we do at Merck Animal Health, and making peer-to-peer connections plays a vital role in learning.”

Despite information showing the benefits of vaccination as part of a preventative plan, farmers often wait to vaccinate until clinical disease occurs. The goal of the Time to Vaccinate initiative is to shift farmers’ focus from making animals healthy to keeping them healthy.

Increasing the vaccination rate and therefore the immunity against pathogens calves and adult cattle are generally exposed to, allows improved productivity, general health and animal wellness.

“Vaccines are indispensable tools to prevent potentially dangerous infectious diseases, maintain animal welfare, and optimize production,” explains Dr. Catharina Berge, of Berge Veterinary Consulting, BVBA. ”Today, only about 20 percent of farmers in Europe vaccinate for some of the most common diseases identified on farms. If more did so, we would see an industry that could reach impressive production goals, with strong return on investment and possibly the elimination of diseases.”  

The program, which features farmers providing their stories about how they manage disease, will roll out in countries throughout the year. Testimonials, trainings and real time connections will provide a new way of thinking for many farmers, while giving them a chance to learn from peers who understand exactly what it takes to keep herds productive.

To learn more about Time to Vaccinate, ask your Merck Animal Health representative or visit www.timetovaccinate.com.

About Merck Animal Health
For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals™, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedInFacebook and Twitter at @MerckAH.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).