Intervet became one of the largest suppliers of veterinary vaccines in the United States when it recently purchased the North American Bayer Animal Health Biologicals Business. The company aspires to be a leading supplier for the US animal health market. In 1999, the company acquired Hoechst Roussel Vet, another animal biologicals business.

As a part of the agreement, Intervet will acquire a production facility in Worthington, Minn, and a research facility in De Soto, Kan. A contract with Bayer will allow Intervet to lease the current biological facilities. A total of 150 employees will be gained in the United States as a result of the acquisition. Intervet International, based in Boxmeer, Netherlands, is one of the leading animal health companies.

In October, Pfizer announced it will sell the feed-additive products of its Animal Health Group to Phibro Animal Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of Philipp Brothers Chemicals Inc. Phibro Animal Health, based in Fairfield, NJ, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of feed additives and other products to livestock and poultry producers. The transaction involves all Pfizer feed-additive product lines.

Another change that occurred in October was the merger of VetConnect Inc, a leading veterinary Internet portal, with IDEXX Informatics Inc, one of the largest suppliers of veterinary practice management software. The new company, VetConnect Systems Inc, will offer veterinarians a full line of in-office practice management systems as well as veterinary medical Internet applications. It will be headquartered in Portland, Maine.