The country’s largest manufacturer of production animal vaccines is reassuring farmers they will not run short of product because of restrictions applied during the Covid-19 alert period.
MSD Animal Health’s Upper Hutt site continued to operate throughout the lockdown. The company reported there was adequate supplies of key clostridial and bacterial vaccines for farmers.
The site’s general manager Ian Pawson said the company made adjustments to the production line to meet the ‘safe social distancing’ requirements set by the Government during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Orders were received and dispatched to wholesalers, vet clinics and rural supplies stores on schedule.
Pawson said farmers might notice small changes to the packaging of the vaccines due to delays in packing materials from suppliers. Also MSD’s own staff minimised people-contact through greater separation on the packing lines rather than any change in supply or production of the vaccines.
“One of the great benefits of having our plant at Upper Hutt is that we’re making the vaccines right here in New Zealand.
MSD’s livestock business unit lead for NZ, Dr Pauline Calvert, said the site is focused now on the production of clostridial vaccines for the period leading up to calving and lambing.
MSD produces Multine, Nilvax and Covexin10 range of vaccines at the site.
Salmonella is another challenge for farmers to be mindful of as winter approaches.
The company has sufficient supplies of its vaccine, Salvexin+B, available.
