Merck Animal Health Joins Winston County Self Help Cooperative in Beef Cattle Herd Health Initiative

The initiative provides on-farm cattle working workshops and demonstrations to educate and train underserved ranchers

RAHWAY, N.J., July 17, 2024 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), has unveiled an initiative in collaboration with the Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) in East Central, Mississippi, to improve the economic and environmental viability of minority-owned cattle herds.

          The Beef Cattle Herd Health Initiative is a two-year program designed to provide livestock herd health information, education and training to cattle ranchers operating small farms through classroom educational events, producer farm tours, on-farm workshops and demonstrations. Efforts are focused on improving veterinarian care, grazing plans, animal welfare and performance, economic viability, as well as enhanced conservation and sustainability outcomes on the farms.

          “We’re excited about the opportunity that the Beef Cattle Herd Health Initiative presents as it encapsulates Merck Animal Health’s commitment to providing support, information and education to those who improve the lives of animals,” said John Hutcheson, Ph.D., director, beef technical services, Merck Animal Health. “We continue to engage with ranchers to improve care for their animals, improve economic outcomes for minority ranchers in the industry and create more environmentally sustainable management practices on their farms.”

         Ten pilot ranchers were selected to participate in the initiative and are being provided with the following support: livestock veterinarian to lead education efforts and prescribe necessary medications; a grazing technician for hands-on assistance in management of forages for improved cattle weight gain and farm sustainability; and experienced local ranch hands to assist in livestock handling.

          Merck Animal Health’s support for the initiative, totaling approximately $145,000, includes veterinary and animal handling expertise, assistance in training sessions with the ranchers and animal health products, including ear tags for identification, vaccines, implants, both internal and external parasite treatments and insecticide ear tags. Additional provided supplies include fecal sample kits and vaccine coolers.

          The initiative has momentum. “The initial feedback from ranchers has been very positive,” said Dr. Hutcheson. “We’ve held our first on-farm demonstrations and are looking forward to the second round of visits with the ranchers and the Winston County Self Help Cooperative personnel to monitor progress. One of the greatest benefits of this initiative is to see these producers work together to strengthen each other and their care for animals and their operations. It’s wonderful to be part of this community working together to improve animal health, economic outcomes and environmental impact.”

Merck Animal Health joins Winston County Self Help Cooperative to help provide on-farm cattle demonstrations and workshops that are part of the Beef Cattle Herd Health Initiative.

The Beef Cattle Herd Health Initiative is designed to provide livestock herd health information, education and training to cattle ranchers operating small farms in the Mississippi area through virtual and on-farm workshops and demonstrations.

About Merck Animal Health

          At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals^®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, 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 connected technology that includes 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, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA

          This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

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