Latest news with #Norbrook
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Be alert to the risk of gut worms
HERD HEALTH SERIES: Maura Langan, Commercial and Technical Manager (Large Animal) at Norbrook. Maura Langan, Norbrook Veterinary Advisor. The warm, dry spell in March was welcomed by farmers and led to cattle being turned out earlier than usual. While we have had a healthy spring, farmers will need to factor in the early exposure to worms and a longer grazing period when dosing their cattle. Young calves are totally naive to parasites but will acquire some immunity as they are exposed to gut worms over time. As vets and farmers, we try to balance that exposure against the welfare and production losses associated with a significant worm burden. As a result, we tend to group animals according to risk. In a seasonal calving system like Ireland, that tends to be first grazing season (FGS), second grazing season (SGS) and adult cattle. Although there are around 20 types of gut worms that affect cattle, the two that are most economically important are Ostertagia and Cooperia. Over-wintered infective larvae are ingested soon after turnout and complete their lifecycle within the cattle before eggs are excreted back onto pasture. On dairy farms where cattle have only been housed for a couple of months and there have been few sustained frosts, it is likely that a significant number of viable larvae will have survived. Young FGS dairy calves are particularly vulnerable as they ingest more vegetation than suckler calves of the same age. Depending on the grazing pressure and level of contamination they may need anthelmintic treatment after only a few weeks. Clinical infections of parasitic gastroenteritis are often associated with scour, but it is the suppression of appetite that occurs in both clinical and subclinical cases that causes reduced growth rate. Parasitic infections can also lead to other developmental and fertility issues such as a delay in puberty, reduced conception rates and increased calving intervals. The decision when to dose and with what product, should be discussed with your vet. They will have a detailed knowledge of your farm, management system and its history. As well as being able to prescribe anthelmintics, they may undertake diagnostic tests such as faecal egg counts and recommend preventative grazing strategies. For FGS dairy or dairy-to-beef cattle, a key consideration will be the persistency of the product used. Some products, such as Taurador Pour-On or the new Taurador Injection protect against re-infection for up to 6 weeks after treatment. On farms where it may be difficult to bring cattle in to treat more regularly, this could be an appropriate strategy. The need for fewer worm doses can save both time and money, especially on busy dairy farms. Immunity to Ostertagia takes longer to build, so although SGS cattle may still need anthelmintic treatment, it may not be necessary until later into the summer. Products without persistency, such as Levacide Low Volume, may require more frequent retreatment but can be effective in allowing exposure to gut worms while checking the effects on production. Of course, the Irish climate may still have surprises for us, as our recent spell of warm weather looks set to change. Temperature does play a part in the hatching and development of worm larvae within the dung pat, but moisture is also required. In fact, rain plays an essential part in the distribution of larvae throughout the farm as faecal matter is through water flow and spread via transport hosts including cattle. For more information, visit HERE.
Belfast Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Rory McIlroy climbs Rich List leaderboard as NI's richest young person with £260m fortune
With Masters prize money of $4.2m (£3.5m) swelling the coffers, the 36-year-old now has a fortune of £260m, according to the annual list. That makes him our richest person under 40 — and 19th on the list of the UK's wealthiest people under 40. McIlroy's wealth has risen by £35m over the last year, the Sunday Times research said, a bigger jump than the £25m rise reported a year earlier. Robert Watts, the compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List 2025, said: 'McIlroy earlier this year became the second golfer after Tiger Woods to have earned in excess of $100m (£75m) on the PGA Tour during his career. "Since launching his career 15 years ago he has chalked up nearly 30 victories from more than 260 events on the tour. "The bulk of McIlroy's fortune stems from sponsorship deals and other tie-ups with Nike, Omega and TaylorMade. He has also prospered from property in Dubai, New York and Florida.' The news comes as McIlroy competes at the US PGA at the Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina. 'Dream come true' - Rory McIlroy finally completes grand slam with Masters win Yet for all the riches sporting prowess can bring, the golfer, from Holywood in Co Down, can't gain entry to the big league of names from business who dominate the Northern Ireland Rich List. At number one for another year are Lady Ballyedmond (77) and her family, with a wealth of £922m. She is the widow of Lord Ballyedmond, who founded Newry veterinary pharmaceuticals firm Norbrook and was killed in a helicopter crash in 2014. Their fortune from the family's continued ownership of Norbrook has gone up by £8m over the last year, the Sunday Times said. The Naughtons, another family behind a business with roots in Newry, are at number two with their fortune of £825m. Patriarch Martin Naughton (86) founded the Glen Dimplex company in Newry in 1973, beginning with manufacturing oil-filled radiators. Glen Dimplex underwent a radical restructuring which began in 2024, with the family's fortune declining by £25m. The Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies this week revealed that their company, Glen Electric, recorded the highest pre-tax profits in Northern Ireland of the last year at £468.6m. The Rich List also reveals that the wealth of Belfast-based father and son Robert (80) and William Barnett (49) and their family climbed by £2m over the year to reach £647m, placing them at number three. Their family business, W&R Barnett, has interests ranging from commodity trading to agribusiness and industry. The success of LCC Group in Cookstown, an energy supplier and owner of Go petrol stations, has given founder Michael Loughran (74) and his family a fortune of £530m — down from £604m the year before. Eoin McCann (68) and the other family members behind the concrete company FP McCann Group in Magherafelt has the highest increase in wealth of the big hitters in Northern Ireland, according to the list. Their wealth grew by £51m over the year to a total of £462m in 2025. Derek Keys (59), owner of Euro Auctions in Dromore, Co Tyrone, made it into the list for the first time with riches of £400m. Mr Keys' company carries out plant and machinery auction sales in the UK, Europe, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Canada and the US. As well as revealing the wealth of the 350 richest people in Britain, the weekend's 76-page special edition of The Sunday Times Magazine also reveals The Sunday Times Giving List in association with the Charities Aid Foundation. It found that the 100 most philanthropic people on the list gave £3.7bn to charity. But The Sunday Times said familiar names on the list had faced significant financial challenges. This year's list of 350 individuals and families together hold a combined wealth of £772.8bn — 3% down on last year. The minimum entry level had flatlined at £350m, which The Sunday Times said was 'another indicator of a subdued year'. Mr Watts said: 'The Sunday Times Rich List is changing. Our billionaire count is down and the combined wealth of those who feature in our research is falling. We are also finding fewer of the world's super rich are coming to live in the UK. 'This year we were also struck by the strength of criticism for Rachel Reeves's Treasury. We expected the abolition of non-dom status would anger affluent people from overseas. But homegrown young tech entrepreneurs and those running centuries-old family firms are also warning of serious consequences to a range of tax changes unveiled in last October's budget. 'Our research continues to find a wide variety of self-made entrepreneurs building fortunes not just from artificial intelligence, video games and new technologies but also mundane, everyday items such as makeup, radiators and jogging bottoms. "We know many of our readers find these people and their stories inspiring — especially the many who had tough starts or setbacks to their lives and careers.'
Business Wire
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
The Veterinary Cooperative (TVC) Announces New Partnership with Norbrook to Bring Felanorm™ to Independent Veterinary Practices
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Veterinary Cooperative (TVC), the largest group purchasing organization supporting independent veterinary practices, is excited to announce a new partnership with Norbrook Animal Health. This collaboration focuses on Felanorm™, Norbrook's innovative solution designed to support hyperthyroidism in cats. Felanorm™ is a game-changing product developed to help manage feline hyperthyroidism. It is easy to administer with a honey-flavored liquid formula allowing for more accurate dose titration. 'We are thrilled to partner with Norbrook to bring Felanorm™ to our members,' said Kim London, Director of Strategic Partnerships at TVC. 'Hyperthyroidism is a widespread condition that affects many cats, and Felanorm™ provides a trusted solution to help manage it effectively. This partnership continues our commitment to bringing high-quality, impactful products to the independent veterinary community.' 'Norbrook and TVC have established a new partnership to enhance support of independent veterinarians with differentiated and novel solutions like Felanorm™,' said Brian Hopkins, VP of North America Sales and Marketing. 'We're excited to work alongside a group that shares our commitment to accessible innovation and better patient outcomes.' About The Veterinary Cooperative (TVC) The Veterinary Cooperative (TVC) is the largest veterinary GPO, serving nearly 4,000 member locations across the United States. TVC is a member-owned organization dedicated to supporting independent veterinary practices. By leveraging the collective buying power and expertise of its members, TVC helps clinics reduce costs, access innovative resources, and strengthen their business operations. Focused on education, and community engagement, TVC empowers its members to thrive while maintaining their independence and values. For more information, visit About Norbrook Animal Health Norbrook® is a global leader in veterinary pharmaceuticals, committed to providing high-quality, affordable solutions for animal health. With a strong portfolio of products for both companion animals and livestock, Norbrook supports veterinarians with products to enhance patient care and practice success. For more information, visit
Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Sales at Norbrook's arm in Republic rise despite wider group challenges
Revenues and staff levels at animal health group Norbrook's arm in the Republic of Ireland were stable last year despite what its directors described as a 'disappointing' performance across the wider group. Accounts filed recently by Norbrook Labs Ireland – which markets and distributes the pharma group's products in the Republic from its base in Monaghan – reveal a 12 per cent jump in sales in the 12 months to August 2nd last. Separately, sales at Norbrook's manufacturing arm in the Republic, also based in Monaghan, increased by around 9 per cent to €3.16 million, according to accounts filed in Dublin by Norbrook Manufacturing. Staffing at the two southern-registered companies in the Northern Ireland-based group was stable in the year at 58 across the two companies. READ MORE It comes after Norbrook, which employed around 2,000 in total at the time, unveiled a programme of redundancies in 2023, looking to shed some 180 jobs as it pursued cost cuts. The latest accounts cover a challenging period for the wider business, which was founded by the late businessman Edward Haughey. In January, Norbrook, a significant employer in the Newry area, reported a 6 per cent decline in sales in the 12 months to the start of August last year to £219 million (€257.5 million). Overall, sales were down more than 20 per cent below the peak of £275 million they hit in 2018 and only slightly above the £215 million reported a decade ago. Group profits for the period came in at £5.3 million. That was up on the £3.9 million recorded in 2023 but still well short of the £21.3 million the business recorded in the 12 months to the end of July 2022. It was also distorted by the £3.15 million Norbrook booked in redundancy costs in the previous year, without which profit would have fallen again. The directors said at the time the performance had been 'disappointing' as 'sales came under pressure in a number of markets during [the 2024 financial year],' hitting turnover at the business, which researches, manufactures and sells animal health products. Staff costs, meanwhile, fell to £78.2 million last year from £82.6 million in 2023 after the redundancy programme, as Norbrook slashed staff numbers to 1,719 last year from 1,938 in the year to the end of July 2023. The group was founded in 1969 by Mr Haughey, Lord Ballyedmond. He died in a helicopter crash in 2014. The company is now controlled by a family trust, while Mr Haughey's widow controls a stake of 21 per cent.
Irish Examiner
24-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Be alert to the risk of grass tetany
HERD HEALTH SERIES: Maura Langan, Commercial and Technical Manager (Large Animal) at Norbrook Maura Langan, Norbrook Veterinary Advisor Grass tetany or staggers is a metabolic disease caused by an acute deficiency of magnesium (hypomagnesaemia). Lactating cows, especially those that are newly calved, have an increased requirement for magnesium. Most supplementary feeds will include adequate supplies of magnesium, but suckler cows and store cattle are rarely supplemented at grass and as such they may experience grass tetany. Cattle are unable store this essential mineral and have no active hormonal control of magnesium levels in the body, so they are reliant on daily dietary intake. Magnesium levels in pasture can vary quite considerably. The application of fertilisers containing nitrogen and potassium interferes with the uptake of magnesium by the grasses reducing the availability for cattle. Rapidly growing spring grass (especially rye grasses) is therefore low in magnesium, this is typically seen when a warm dry spell is followed by rain. Spring grass is also much lower in fibre which increases the rate of transit through the rumen, reducing magnesium absorption rates and causing scour. Poor weather, often a sudden cold and wet spell, is often associated with cases of grass tetany as cattle stop grazing and magnesium intake is further reduced. Clinical Grass Tetany is a rapid onset metabolic disease and a true veterinary emergency. Clinical signs include restlessness, hyper-excitability, 'wild eyes', frothing at the mouth, incoordination, staggering, collapse and seizures. Treatment needs to be instigated as soon as clinical signs are noticed, as animals will rapidly deteriorate and in severe cases death can occur within one hour of first symptoms. Emergency veterinary treatment is required with intravenous administration of a calcium and magnesium solution (Calciject 40+3) at first sign of symptoms. A further follow-up treatment of Magniject should be administered subcutaneously. Animals should not be stimulated during treatment. As with other metabolic conditions, animals that display clinical signs are only the tip of the iceberg and much of the herd is likely to be sub-clinically affected. Preventative measures via oral supplementation of magnesium are the simplest and most cost-effective option in managing grass tetany. Magnesium salts and minerals can be unpalatable. Mineral licks can be unreliable as individual intakes cannot be guaranteed. The optimum way of ensuring supplementation is through administration of a sustained release magnesium bolus. Opti-Mag3 bolus provides 100g of slow-release magnesium. Administration of two boluses 2-3 days before the risk period will supply approximately 6g of magnesium per animal per day for four weeks.
