Last month, Merck Animal Health launched a new pharmaceutical product, on the trade show floor of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with Merck's National Lead on Animal Welfare Dr. Angela Baysinger, to talk about this first-of-its-kind product for the cattle industry.

"As everyone knows, the cattle industry has never had a product specifically labelled for pain," said Baysinger. "Well, Merck has come out with a transdermal Banamine that gets absorbed through the skin. It’s labelled for pain due to foot-rot and fever for bovine respiratory disease. It is the first pain product for a food producing animal. So, we're really excited about it."

The pour-on application eliminates the time-consuming and stressful treatment process associated with intravenous administration. Within several minutes of application, Baysinger says the medicine will enter the animal’s bloodstream and begin actively working to relieve pain. For producers with an animal that may be lame and discouraged from foraging or seeking water, she says this product could help to keep that animal going, remain productive and hopefully assist in the animal’s recovery. Not only does this product, which can be used from the cow/calf level to the feedyard, lend a positive outward appearance to consumers concerned with animal welfare - Baysinger says producers agree it is the right thing to do to manage livestock’s pain when necessary.

“There are times when animals feel pain - no doubt,” she said. “You’re able to apply this down the back of the animal and it gives them pain relief. So, you’ve got an animal that might be lame… may not want to get up and eat or drink. This may be able to help them get up and still be productive.”

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