Beef New Products

First Generic Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment Approved by the FDA

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:43:04 GMT

Updated October 8, 2025

Bimedia US has now launched Gamrozyne, an FDA approved antibiotic (gamithromycin) injectable solution for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) caused by Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle. Additionally, Gamrozyne has been approved to help control respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with M. haemolytica and P. multocida.

This marks the first FDA-approved generic version of Zactran (gamithromycin; Boehringer Ingelheim) injectable solution and has been determined to be bioequivalent.

Gamithromycin has been shown to reach target lung tissue within 30 minutes and delivers 10 days of treatment with a single subcutaneous injection.

How To Recognize BRD

BRD is the most common and costly respiratory disease affecting the North American beef cattle industry. Delayed diagnosis and treatment increases the risk of secondary bacterial infections and can lead to severe illness and death. Clinical signs of BRD in cattle depend on the age of the animal, the causative organism(s) and the stage of the disease. However, the general clinical signs are:

Fever (over 40°C/104°F)
Labored breathing
Nasal and/or ocular discharge
Depression and/or dullness
Lack of appetite
Rapid, shallow breathing
Coughing
Salivation

Of these symptoms, fever in cattle is most commonly attributed to BRD and can be one of the earliest signs of disease. Further, the type of coughing can be indicative of the severity of the infection. In early cases, the lungs and airways are painful, so the animal will try to clear the airway with tentative, soft coughing. Later stage infection is characterized by more prominent coughing, and at this point, treatment is difficult.

BRD Prevention

To prevent BRD in cow-calf operations, close collaboration between the veterinarian and the producer is key. Developing a prevention-based herd-health program can improve the reproductive performance of the cow herd and help prevent illness in pre-weaned calves. This program should include:

A vaccination program tailored to the risk factors of your herd
Adequate herd nutrition (including assuring passive transfer with colostrum intake)
Consistent cattle handling to reduce stress
Testing for and removing cattle persistently infected with BRD

Your Next Read: Risk Factors Associated with BRD in Preweaned Calves

Merck Introduces Allflex CleanVax Nozzles and Shields for Intranasal Vaccination

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 19:10:58 GMT

Merck Animal Health announces new Allflex CleanVax nozzles and shields for clean, fast and convenient administration of intranasal vaccines to cattle.

The CleanVax intranasal vaccination system includes shorter nozzles that are less invasive than conventional cannulas, as well as clear plastic disposable shields that can be replaced between animals or groups of animals for more hygienic administration.

“CleanVax nozzles and shields optimize every aspect of the intranasal vaccination process for confidence in a clean, consistent dose every time,” says Jonathon Townsend, DVM, PhD, dairy technical services for Merck Animal Health. “The system is simple to use and enhances calf comfort, hygiene and consistency, making it easier on both the calf and caregiver.”

The following are the advantages of the CleanVax intranasal vaccination system:
• Calf-friendly, shorter nozzles minimize discomfort;
• Atomizer tips ensure even distribution across mucosal surfaces and reduce product drip;
• Easy-to-use nozzles attach to any brand of syringe or Luer lock applicator gun;
• Hygienic shields add a layer of protection and enhance biosecurity.

“CleanVax nozzles and shields are designed to make intranasal vaccine administration more hygienic, calf-friendly and consistent,” Townsend adds. “As a leader in intranasal vaccination technologies, Merck Animal Health continues to advance cattle health and production with innovative and effective solutions for cattle producers.”

Intranasal vaccines available from Merck Animal Health include Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH, Bovilis Nasalgen 3, Bovilis Nasalgen IP, Bovilis Coronavirus and Bovilis Once PMH IN.

Allflex CleanVax products are now available throughMerck Animal Health representatives or Allflex suppliers. Learn more at MAHcattle.com.

New Oral Vitamin and Mineral Supplement for Cattle

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 15:43:31 GMT

Bimeda, Inc. has recently launched BOVitalize™ in the US. BOVitalize is an oral vitamin and mineral supplement for beef and dairy cows, bulls and ruminating calves.

Vitamin and mineral nutrition is vital to cattle throughout their lifetimes. Both play a key role in reproduction and fertility, growth and development, immunity, and performance. Inadequate vitamin and mineral levels in cattle can lead to suppressed immune function, lower fertility and decreased growth rates---all of which will negatively impact a producers’ bottom line.

In an ideal situation, the majority of an animal’s required vitamins and minerals should be furnished through their daily diet of high-quality forages and/or grains. However, this is not always guaranteed, and supplementation should be used to achieve adequate levels.

BOVitalize contains selenium, copper, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin E. The product was specifically designed to complement operations’ existing nutrition program to provide key trace mineral fortification to support cattle productivity during stressful events in their lifetimes—like calving, breeding, branding, weaning, transport, and processing—where the bioavailability of nutrients can be negatively affected.

“Bimeda is excited to offer a product containing key vitamins and trace minerals that will give veterinarians and producers the ability to supplement cattle when they need it in a convenient manner.” said Dr. Chris Thomsen, Senior Technical Services Veterinarian, Bimeda US.

BOVitalize is administered to cattle as a single oral dose of 5 mL per 220 pound of body weight and will be available initially in 4 Liter jugs.

To learn more go to www.BimedaUS.com/bovitalize

BETSY Delivers Sophisticated Phenotyping System

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 14:45:49 GMT

“OneCup AI has designed an artificial intelligence (AI) technology using computer vision that is named BETSY, which stands for Bovine Expert Tracking and Surveillance,” explained Mokah Shmigelsky, OneCup AI. Shmigelsky was a featured speaker during the 2023 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Symposium July 5 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

According to Shmigelsky, BETSY was created because of the lack of permanent traceable identification in the livestock industry. Visual Identification was the first developed product followed by seven other value propositions.

(Farm Journal)

“As we went through the developmental process, we discovered there was a lot of different things on farm that producers didn’t have access to because many of these processes are very manual,” Shmigelsky said.

In the beef and dairy cattle industry, the use cases that were identified were calving, feed tracking, shipping and tracking, and estrous and breeding. Shmigelsky said cattle tend to leave the herd or not face the camera making it difficult to collect data.

“In computer vision models you need to have a robust data set and all the data needs to be annotated as well,” Shmigelsky said. “Instead of tracking individual symptoms we were going to track what the animal’s behavior was.”

Once the animal is detected, BETSY identifies different behaviors and what is going on with the animal and alerts the producer. The user interface is an easy-to-understand system that gives the producer information graphical and visually along with alerts.

BETSY brain is broken down into levels that classify each animal by detection, bounding box, key points, identification, instance and time-series.

“Level 0 is detection it identifies different animals in the scene as well as humans and vehicles,” Shmigelsky said. “Level 1 is the bounding box it depicts the entire body of the animal and pulls out the relevant pixels needed for the next levels. Level 2 has 52 key points and angles which allow us to identify limping and changes in the animal. Level 3 is identification and can pair the final data to an individual animal as well as read the tag. Level 4 gets into the behavior and growth changes in the animals.

OneCup AI worked closely with the Canadian Angus Association to identify hooves, claws, udders and teats as the highest importance phenotypes. To identify these, they created additional points to the hooves and udders as well as created a 3-D visual. Clean animals made it easier to get a good ratio and analysis. Where mud and walking through grass effects accuracy.

“We are working on getting a more accurate reading so we can identify more than just the good things,” Shmigelsky explained.

To watch Shmigelsky’s full presentation, visit https://youtu.be/loMEQaDu7iA . For more information about this year’s Symposium and the Beef Improvement Federation, including additional presentations and award winners, visit BIFSymposium.com .

Zoetis Introduces Valcor Injectable, with Doramectin and Levamisole, for Parasite Control

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 22:46:18 GMT

Zoetis announces it is introducing Valcor, the first approved dual-active endectocide available by prescription, to the beef and dairy industry. The product contains doramectin (Dectomax) and levamisole, according to Mark Alley, senior technical services veterinarian for Zoetis.

Valcor is designed to address 35 internal and external parasites – including various growth stages.

The parasite spectrum targeted for control includes adult and L4 of Haemonchus placei, Cooperia spp. (including C. oncophora) and Ostertagia ostertagi, as well as the adult version of Nematodirus helvetianus and Ostertagis ostertagi (inhibited L4).

The product is also indicated for the treatment and control of lungworms, eyeworms, grubs, mange mites and sucking lice.

Target Populations Approved For Treatment

Valcor can be used in beef cattle 2 months of age and older and in replacement dairy heifers less than 20 months of age. It is not for use in beef bulls intended for breeding over 1 year of age, dairy calves or veal calves.

It will be administered in a single, subcutaneous injection of 1 mL per 55 lb. of body weight.

Valcor will be available for purchase, starting August 1, 2023, company officials said during a virtual media conference call on Thursday.

Veterinarians were informed of the new product this past week during a similar online meeting, according to Alley.

“The information on Valcor will also be presented at the Academy of Veterinary Consultants meeting coming up next week,” he adds.

Why Injectable Imidazothiazole?

As the company evaluated active ingredients it could bring to the marketplace as a new tool to combat parasites in beef and dairy cattle, injectable imidazothiazole came to the company’s attention. Out of the 286.5 million doses of parasiticides sold in the U.S. in 2022, for use in 39 million beef and dairy cows, none were injectable imidazothiazole, Alley reports.

“That gives us a great opportunity to be able to incorporate this particular class of dewormer into our program and, hopefully, be able to get much better control than we historically have gotten with some of the other dewormers that we have available to us,” he says.

Mode Of Action

Alley says the two active ingredients in Valcor lead to parasite paralysis and death. How the two active ingredients work:

• Doramectin modulates the activity of chloride ion channels in the nervous system of nematodes and orthropods to inhibit the electrical activity of nerve cells.

• Levamisole is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist that continuously stimulates worm muscles.

In a research study with more than 1,500 head of heifers, Valcor reduced fecal egg count numbers by 99.9% compared to a leading competitor at 85%, Alley reports.

Heifers treated with Valcor gained 9.3 pounds more than the competitor-treated heifers over 56 days. “That additional weight gain adds up to more dollars per head,” he says.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not treat cattle with Valcor within 15 days of slaughter. Not for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows; not for use in beef calves less than 2 months of age, dairy calves, and veal calves. Safety has not been evaluated in breeding bulls. Use with caution in cattle treated with cholinesterase inhibitors. This product is likely to cause injection site swelling; tissue damage (including granulomas and necrosis) may occur. These reactions have resolved without treatment. See full Prescribing Information at ValcorTough.com/pi .

Seaweed Supplements Could Reduce Livestock Methane Emissions

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:53:58 GMT

As Cop26 continues to debate methane – with the US And EU having pledged to reduce agricultural methane outputs from ruminant livestock by upwards of 30% by 2030 – scientists at the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen’s University Belfast are to feed seaweed to farm animals in a bid to slash methane by at least 30%.

Seaweed has long been hailed a ‘superfood’ for humans but adding it to animal feed to reduce methane gas released into the atmosphere by ruminants’ burping is a relatively new idea. Early laboratory research at IGFS has shown promising results using native Irish and UK seaweeds.

Previous research in Australia and the USA generated headline results – up to 80% reductions in methane emissions from cattle given supplements from a red seaweed variety. These red seaweeds grow abundantly in warmer climates; however, they also contain high levels of bromoform – known to be damaging to the ozone layer. Seaweed indigenous to the UK and Ireland tends to be brown or green and does not contain bromoform.

UK and Irish seaweeds are also rich in active compounds called phlorotannins, found in red wine and berries, which are anti-bacterial and improve immunity so could have additional health benefits for animals.

Now the IGFS science is moving into the field, with trials on UK farms about to begin, using seaweed sourced from the Irish and North Seas as a feed supplement for cattle.

One 3-year project is in partnership with the UK supermarket Morrisons and its network of British beef farmers who will facilitate farm trials. The project also includes the Agrifood and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), in Northern Ireland, as a partner.

A second project sees IGFS and AFBI join a €2million, international project - led by Irish agency An Teagasc - to monitor the effects of seaweed in the diet of pasture-based livestock. Seaweed will be added to grass-based silage on farm trials involving dairy cows in NI from early 2022.

As well as assessing methane emissions of the beef and dairy cattle, these projects will assess the nutritional value of a variety of homegrown seaweeds, their effects on animal productivity and meat quality.

IGFS lead Sharon Huws, Professor of Animal Science and Microbiology within the School of Biological Sciences, said she expected the combined research to evidence a reduction in GHG emissions of at least 30%.

She said: “The science is there. It’s simply a matter of providing the necessary data and then implementing it. Using seaweed is a natural, sustainable way of reducing emissions and has great potential to be scaled up. There is no reason why we can’t be farming seaweed – this would also protect the biodiversity of our shorelines.

“If UK farmers are to meet a zero-carbon model, we really need to start putting this kind of research into practice. I hope IGFS and AFBI research can soon provide the necessary data and reassurance for governments to take forward.”

Agriculture accounts for around 10% of all UK GHG emissions. Within this, beef farming is the most carbon-intensive, with methane, which cows produce as they digest, a major component. At a NI level, methane accounts for almost a quarter of GHG emissions, with 80% of that from agriculture.

The above projects form part of the Queen’s-AFBI Alliance – a strategic partnership between Queen’s University and AFBI to maximise science and innovation capacity in NI to meet global challenges, such as carbon-neutral farming.

Morrisons supermarket plans to be completely supplied by net-zero-carbon British farms by 2030. Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture at Morrisons said: “As British farming’s biggest customer, we’re very mindful of our role in supporting and inspiring the farmers we work with to help them achieve goals in sustainable farming.

“By supporting this research at Queen’s and AFBI, we are trialling this natural approach to reducing environmental emissions and improving the quality of beef products.”

Merck Animal Health Introduces New Vaccine Portfolio Name

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 16:10:42 GMT

Merck Animal Health has announced new naming for its cattle vaccine portfolio; one of the largest and most comprehensive vaccine portfolios in the industry. The goal of the new naming and packaging is to make it easier for customers to recognize the company’s vaccines and to identify specific formulations.

“All Merck Animal Health cattle vaccines will lead with Bovilis followed by the current product name, such as Bovilis Vista, Bovilis Vision or Bovilis Guardian,” says Scott Nordstrom, DVM, director of livestock innovation and discovery, Merck Animal Health. “In addition, all vaccine packaging will share a new, consistent design and color coding to make it easier for customers to identify the vaccine formulation needed.”

Veterinarians and producers will start seeing the new packaging in the coming weeks, but the switch of the entire portfolio will not happen overnight.

“The vaccines that veterinarians and producers rely on have not changed – only the branding,” explains Nordstrom. “Customers can confidently use vaccine in the previous packaging through the expiration date.”

New vaccines will be introduced under the Bovilis name. This includes the latest vaccine, Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH, the only intranasal BRD vaccine against viral and bacterial pneumonia.

“Our commitment to improve the health and well-being of cattle has been the driver to developing new vaccines,” says Nordstrom. “Merck Animal Health has introduced more vaccines in the last three years than any other animal health company.”

Label Update Addresses Pyrexia In Beef And Dairy Cattle

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 16:54:45 GMT

Zoetis announces it expects to market new Draxxin KP as early as this month to control bovine respiratory disease and specifically pyrexia (fever) in cattle.

“It’s an exciting addition to our antimicrobial line and a very nice upgrade to our flagship product, Draxxin,” says Jess Hinrichs, DVM.

“It’s indicated for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) with the same pathogens that were already on the Draxxin label, and that portion of the drug has not changed,” he adds.

(Farm Journal)

The additional label claim to address pyrexia is accomplished through the addition of the KP portion of the product which stands for ketoprofen, the active ingredient in ketofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

“It’s been used primarily in horses in this country up until this point,” Hinrichs says.

There are two key differences between the KP product and the original Draxxin:

1. Draxxin KP does not have “the metaphylaxis or control label for BRD” that can be used in a mass treatment scenario typically on incoming cattle, Hinrichs says.
It also does not carry label claims for pinkeye or foot rot while the original Draxxin does.

“We looked at this product from the standpoint of fever reduction, and it did an excellent job at decreasing temperatures over Draxxin at the six-hour post treatment mark,” he adds. “We saw no difference in treatment success rates between the two products at 14 days post treatment.”

(Farm Journal)

Hinrichs say all the major BRD bacterial pathogens were represented in the study he conducted.

“So we feel confident in the ability of this product to perform as well as Draxxin and for BRD treatment, and to have the added advantage of fever reduction very early in the treatment process,” he says.

He adds that injection site reactions are very mild with Draxxin KP.

Zoetis anticipates having Draxxin KP available for purchase and use sometime in August.

(Farm Journal)

Increxxa Available for U.S. Cattle Producers

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 21:13:00 GMT

Elanco Animal Health announces Increxxaä (tulathromycin injection) for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Increxxa quickly targets the site of infection in the lungs for fast-acting performance combined with a long half-life, giving cattle more time to bolster an effective defense against BRD.

“BRD contributes to 40-50% of all cattle mortality. We recognize what a challenge it can be for the cattle industry and are excited to offer Increxxa to veterinarians and producers, giving them yet another solution to help combat this respiratory disease in cattle,” said Jose Simas, executive vice president, U.S. farm animal business at Elanco.

(Farm Journal)

“Studies consistently show tulathromycin, the active ingredient in Increxxa, helps decrease the negative effects of BRD, such as morbidity and mortality, when used metaphylactically,” noted Bill Platter, executive director, U.S. beef at Elanco. “This can lead to more profits by avoiding return trips to the hospital pen and getting cattle back to the feedbunk.”

With the availability of Increxxa, producers have another viable option to help support the responsible use of antibiotics in their herds.

Increxxa is indicated for the treatment of BRD and control of respiratory disease in cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with M. haemolytica, P. multocida, H. somni and Mycoplasma bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle. It is also approved for treatment of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) associated with Moraxella bovis and treatment of bovine foot rot (interdigital necrobacillosis) associated with F. necrophorum and P. levii.

Merck Announces Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH Intranasal BRD vaccine

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:10:52 GMT

Merck Animal Health has announced that Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH is now available to veterinarians and cattle producers to protect cattle from five of the most common pneumonia-causing viral and bacterial pathogens. Approved for use in dairy and beef cattle, this is the first intranasal vaccine effective in providing early, broad-spectrum respiratory protection against both viral and bacterial pathogens in a needle free, animal- and BQA-friendly administration.

“Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH is a modified-live, intranasal vaccine that stimulates a strong early immune response to help give calves a strong foundation of respiratory disease protection,” says Scott Nordstrom, D.V.M., director of livestock innovation and discovery, Merck Animal Health. “Results of efficacy, duration of immunity and safety studies demonstrate the vaccine is safe and effective for calves at 1 week of age or older.”

The vaccine protects against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), parainfluenza 3 (PI3), Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida.

Cattle veterinarians and producers can now purchase Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH. The vaccine is administered in a single 2-mL dose. It contains a unique BluShadowTM diluent that clearly indicates which animals have been vaccinated. With needle-free intranasal administration, the vaccine meets best management practices outlined in the industry’s Beef Quality Assurance program.

Bovilis Nasaslgen 3-PMH is proven safe for use in pregnant cows and in calves nursing pregnant cows, as well as young calves. It is available in 2-mL, 20-mL and 100-mL packages. Consult your veterinarian for specific usage guidance.