Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. of St. Joseph said Monday it has closed its deal with Pfizer to acquire a large portion of a Fort Dodge, Iowa, animal health business.

The acquisition also includes U.S. properties and others in Australia, Canada and South Africa — as well as the two manufacturing and research facilities in Fort Dodge, company officials said.

They said the move will significantly increase the size of Boehringer Ingelheim’s companion animal and cattle portfolios and strengthen the company’s position as a leading vaccine supplier.

The acquisition translates into 50 new jobs at Boehringer Ingelheim’s St. Joseph facilities, according to spokeswoman Amy Kunkel. A total of 900 jobs will come to the company from Pfizer’s Iowa operations. A $150 million expansion announced earlier this year will produce 124 new positions for the company, Ms. Kunkel said.

“What we’ll be doing is a complete assessment of our personnel needs,” she said. “We are in the very beginning of (our) strategy.”

Terms were not disclosed. Acquisition of the European properties is still subject to approval by anti-trust authorities.

Adding the Fort Dodge properties demonstrates a commitment to growing St. Joseph’s animal health industry, Ms. Kunkel said.

“It gives us a really good platform,” she said.

Part of the deal will involve Boehringer’s acquisition of the Duramune line of vaccines for dogs, the Fel-O-Vax line of feline vaccine, and Rabvac rabies vaccines manufactured and sold in the United States, Canada and Australia. A portfolio of pet and equine pharmaceutical products now sold in the U.S. is included.

The company also will acquire cattle vaccines in North America, including the Triangle, Pyramid and Presponse lines. Pharmaceutical products include Cydectin for cattle and sheep, along with Polyflex. The key brands of Today and Tomorrow are included in the dairy portfolio.

Some cattle vaccines sold in Europe and South Africa — as well as several Canadian swine vaccines — are included in the acquisition.

Ray Scherer can be reached at rscherer@npgco.com.