Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co. Inc., announced June 17 the completion of its acquisition of Quantified Ag, a data and analytics company that monitors cattle body temperature and movement in order to detect illness early.

In April 2018, Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the U.S. and Canada, invested in Quantified Ag and partially funded the firm's development work in data analytics in livestock.

Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The company said the acquisition "further positions Merck Animal Health as a global leader in animal health, broadening its portfolio in connected technology to improve cattle health outcomes by leveraging data and analytics for animal health and well-being."

Quantified Ag, located in Lincoln, Neb., provides a proactive system for cattle producers and feedlot operators to track an animal’s biometrics and behavioral data through a non-invasive cattle ear tag equipped with sensors to monitor the health of the individual animal or herd, the announcement said.

The technology can detect animal illness, thus reducing the potential for disease outbreak, allowing for easy identification of sick animals and providing easy-to-use software reports on any mobile device, desktop, tablet or secure website, Merck Animal Health said. Proprietary algorithms are able to identify animals showing signs of illness or disease and provide real-time alerts.

The Quantified Ag product portfolio will join the Allflex Livestock Intelligence business unit within Merck Animal Health. Allflex Livestock Intelligence is a complementary business that specializes in identification and monitoring technology that delivers real-time, actionable data and insights to help improve livestock management.

“We are pleased to take this step forward with Quantified Ag as we continue to broaden our portfolio with complementary products and technologies to advance animal well-being for our customers,” Merck Animal Health president Rick DeLuca said. “Our goal is to improve the detection of animal illness and the responsible use of treatments to maintain the health of livestock. We are at the technological forefront of shaping the future of animal health through our commitment to leveraging our scientific and technical capabilities and expertise through comprehensive solutions to manage the health and well-being of animals.”

New digitally based tools that enable rapid, large-scale data capture, coupled with powerful data management platforms for rapid analysis and monitoring, are transforming the farming and companion animal industries, Merck Animal Health said. This more informed approach to animal health and disease prevention is facilitating improved process management, thereby enhancing yields, overall efficiency and sustainability while complementing the portfolio of veterinary pharmaceuticals and vaccines at Merck Animal Health.

Quantified Ag co-founder and chief executive officer Vishal Singh said, “We believe that Merck Animal Health is the right company, ideally positioned to keep developing our products in a sustainable manner. We’ve enjoyed a collaborative partnership over the past few years and are pleased with this next step.”

Merck Animal Health is the global animal health business unit of Merck & Co. It 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 present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets.