The Merck Animal Health Cattle Team created the “Clean Up with SAFE-GUARD^®” Sweepstakes to educate cattle producers about the importance and benefits of strategic parasite deworming for herd health. Earlier this spring, the winners were named – Wally and Doris Olson of Claremore, Okla. The couple recently retired, so they decided to donate their prize, which included a Priefert rough stock open corral system, squeeze chute and panels for up to 35 head of cattle, to Service Member Agricultural Vocation Education (S.A.V.E.) Farm in Manhattan, Kan. With approximately 40 percent of our nation’s veterans interested in farming, the 320-acre S.A.V.E. Farm was created to provide a pathway to farming for veterans and transitioning military members.

Recently, Merck Animal Health team members – SAFE-GUARD Marketing Manager Becky Weishaar, Cattle Territory Manager Troy Warnken, Cattle Technical Services Veterinarian Tim Parks, D.V.M., and Livestock Communications Associate Director Tom Schad traveled to Manhattan to witness the corral system in action as the farm’s first cow-calf pairs went through it.

“The sweepstakes served to educate cattle producers on the benefits of strategic parasite deworming,” Becky said. “In addition, we are thrilled that a bonus to this effort is the grand prize winner opting to donate the corral system, scale and EID system to the S.A.V.E. organization.”

Following a lunch with S.A.V.E. Farm staff, Mike Burris of Priefert Manufacturing, volunteers, the sweepstakes winners, and more than 15 S.A.V.E. Farm students, the group processed 15 cow-calf pairs for spring turn out to pastures. The Merck Animal Health team taught the students how to administer vaccines and a complete parasite control program using SAFE-GUARD, ULTRABOSS^® and DOMINATOR^® Insecticide Ear Tags.

“It was an amazing day to see the system put to use for the first time with S.A.V.E. Farm’s newly-purchased 15 cow-calf pairs,” Tom said. “Witnessing our team train and educate the students on herd health techniques was a ‘feel good’ moment and reminded us all of the power of the work we do for our customers.”

S.A.V.E. Farm President and retired Army Colonel Gary LaGrange awarded the Olsons a plaque to thank them for their generous donation. He also bestowed one to Merck Animal Health to thank the company for its support.

“This system is a major win for us,” Gary said in a press release. “It shows that good people of this country like the Olson’s and organizations such as Merck Animal Health sincerely care about helping to reintegrate our nation’s heroes who wish to farm.”

To learn more, visit https://www.thesavefarm.org/.

© 2019 Intervet Inc., doing business as Merck Animal Health, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.