Merck Animal Health to acquire TARGAN, a maker of poultry chick-sorting and vaccination systems

Merck Animal Health agreed to acquire TARGAN, which makes WingScan, a vision-based system that sorts chicks by sex at up to 160,000 chicks per hour, and a high-speed ocular spray that vaccinates day-old chicks. The purchase price was not disclosed, and the deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. It is a small tuck-in for the Animal Health business, which made about a tenth of Merck's 2025 revenue.

• Price: undisclosed
• WingScan sorts up to 160,000 chicks per hour
• Expected close: third quarter of 2026
• Animal Health was about 10% of 2025 sales