Merck Animal Health Announces WHISPER® ON ARRIVAL

MADISON, N.J., August 2, 2021 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), and Allflex Livestock Intelligence, a livestock portfolio of digital products within Merck Animal Health, today announced the release of WHISPER® ON ARRIVAL. The breakthrough technology is the only precision tool on the market today that uses a multitude of factors to predict which cattle may be at higher risk of sickness. Farmers and veterinarians can use this information to determine a strategy for the treatment of Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), one of the most prevalent diseases in beef cattle.

“WHISPER^® ON ARRIVAL offers feedlot managers and veterinarians an innovative new approach to assist with feedlot management of BRD,” says Jason Nickell, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVPM, manager, Professional Services, Allflex Livestock Intelligence. “The technology was developed exclusively for feedlot and backgrounded cattle on arrival.”

Consisting of a specialized sound collection device and a predictive algorithm, the device analyzes an individual animal’s lung sound, heart sound, rectal temperature and weight and delivers actionable data to feedlot managers and veterinarians for decisions at the individual animal level. 

Based on the individual animal examination, the predictive algorithm calculates each animal’s risk of sickness. Farmers and veterinarians can then use this information to determine which beef cattle may benefit from antimicrobial therapy for BRD control, while leaving those at reduced risk of disease untreated, thereby ensuring responsible use of antibiotics. 

“WHISPER® ON ARRIVAL is another innovation from Merck Animal Health as we continue to seek new solutions for the cattle industry,” says Paul Koffman, North America lead, Allflex Livestock Intelligence. “The technology has the potential to transform how feedlot managers and veterinarians can help to prevent diseases in cattle. It advances thoughtful antimicrobial stewardship by maintaining the animal health and welfare benefits associated with conventional control practices. Providing precision targeting of only those animals that may be at a higher risk of sickness can result in a reduction in unnecessary use of antibiotics and a positive impact to the bottom line for producers.”

WHISPER® ON ARRIVAL is now available as a part of a limited rollout, with plans to expand availability in 2022. 

For more information on WHISPER® ON ARRIVAL, go to WhisperOnArrival.com.

About Merck Animal Health

For 130 years, 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, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, 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 ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of digitally connected identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. 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 and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Allflex Livestock Intelligence 

Allflex Livestock Intelligence is a world leader in the design, development, manufacturing and delivery of solutions for animal identification, monitoring and traceability. Our data-driven solutions are used by farmers, companies, and countries to manage hundreds of millions of animals worldwide. By putting intelligent, actionable management information into farmers’ hands, our solutions empower them to act in a timely manner to safeguard their animals’ health and wellbeing, while achieving optimal production outcomes for a healthy food supply. Allflex Livestock Intelligence is a Livestock portfolio of digital products within Merck Animal Health. As the largest provider of animal identification technology, we meet growing customer needs by providing over 500 million tagsfor identifying, tracking and monitoring animals every year and we monitor over 5.5 million cows daily, which allows access to real-time, actionable data and insights to help improve or enhance animal management and health outcomes. With over 60 years of experience, we have a global network of experts, each with a great depth of experience and unparalleled knowledge, who provide a valuable resource to farmers, companies and countries. Allflex Livestock Intelligence has manufacturing and technology subsidiaries in North America, Europe, Israel, South America, China, Australia and New Zealand. Our products are distributed in over 100 countries. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-intelligence/allflex-livestock-intelligence/ or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter @AllflexNA.

Note: This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease in animals.  For the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of disease in animals, you should consult your veterinarian.  The accuracy of the data collected and presented through this product is not intended to match that of medical devices or scientific measurement devices.