“US pharmaceutical company Merck has acquired digital livestock and animal health tech company Antelliq Group for €2.1 billion ($2.37 billion). Antelliq manufactures sensors for animals, including ear tags for dairy cows through a product called Allflex that can monitor cows’ activity and provide traceability.
Merck acquired Antelliq from private equity firm BC Partners, who held a controlling stake in the company, Canadian pension plan PSP Investments and other smaller shareholders.
This is the second livestock technology acquisition this year after Zoetis, the 2013 spin-off from Pfizer, acquired Austrian ear tag tech startup Smartbow.
Antelliq says its Allflex technology can identify, collect, and analyse animal data about feed conversion and breeding efficiency, respiratory and digestive diseases, environmental stress, and parturition distress.
According to TechAccel founder, president, and CEO Michael Helmstetter, a strategic acquisition of this magnitude sends a major message about the animal health digital space.
“Merck’s positioning in using technology and smart data for animal identification and well-being further validates the growth and potential of animal intelligence technologies for both companion and food animals. The continued, accelerating trend of significant M&A animal health deals is very encouraging for those of us who are focused on investing in and advancing innovation for disease prediction, monitoring, and treatment.”
