Merck unveils ALLFLEX APR handheld readers

Merck Animal Health has announced the wide availability of a new series of ALLFLEX APR handheld RFID readers, which are designed to enhance efficiency and productivity for livestock producers.

The new family of handheld readers offers expanded storage in a compact, rugged format, which is useful for livestock producers to manage record collection with speed, convenience, and accuracy.

The new APR650 is the top-of-the-line unit. This reader scans Electronic Identification tag numbers and barcodes, opening new avenues for producers to link an animal to any information that has a barcode.

“Scanning barcodes provides a seamless flow of information about a specific animal – ranging from its breeding records to its wellness information to its production potential – right into the office of the livestock producer,” said Brandt Kreuscher, business development manager for Merck Animal Health. “This technology gives them immediate access to private, accurate, reliable information about their animals.”

Kreuscher added, “You can use or create a barcode to represent any key piece of information – genetic records, pedigree, health input, DNA sample, or even a barcode that the producer assigns to a specific protocol or location-based task.”

The APR650 has a useful keypad for entering information, stores up to one million records and can be connected remotely to a producer’s office.

Another option is the Allflex APR250, a more basic reader, that stores up to 100,000 electronic ID numbers and offers advanced remote connectivity for modern mobile information management.

“We are excited to see producers and veterinarians utilizing these new handheld readers to identify, track, store and analyze data – making it a real game-changer in delivering advanced animal management,” Kreuscher said.

Each APR product is ergonomically designed in rugged casing and verifies reads with flashing lights, vibrations, and sounds. The free Allflex CONNECT smartphone application facilitates information transfer from APR to office.