ImmuCell Corp. of Portland reported on Monday second-quarter revenue of $1.7 million, a 26 percent decrease from the second quarter of 2016.

The bovine health products maker also reported a net loss of $218,000, or 5 cents per share, compared with a loss of $9,000, or less than 1 cent per share, a year earlier.

ImmuCell attributed the relative drop in sales partly to its record sales in the first quarter of 2017, saying that some distributors may not have needed to buy additional stock for the second quarter.

It also noted that sales during the second quarter of 2016 included roughly $1.3 million in backlog orders that had been unfulfilled from earlier months. Since the third quarter of 2016, the company has had enough inventory available to prevent a backlog, it said.

The company said its revenue of $5.3 million in the first six months of the year was nearly identical to the $5.4 million in revenue it generated during the first half of 2016.

“We expect to build on the revenue generated in the first half of 2017 and report positive sales growth for the six-month and 12-month periods ending Dec. 31, 2017, in comparison to the same periods during 2016,” said ImmuCell President and CEO Michael Brigham.

ImmuCell develops all-natural products to prevent and treat diseases among dairy and beef cattle. Its flagship product, First Defense, contains antibody-rich colostrum – milk produced in late pregnancy – in capsule form. It can be fed to newborn calves to help prevent scours, which causes diarrhea and dehydration. First Defense is a natural product made from cow’s milk that is approved for organic farming.

In early 2015, ImmuCell’s sales and profits exploded after harsh environmental conditions faced by cattle ranchers in states such as California and Texas significantly increased the value of cattle.

ImmuCell also is working on a new production facility in Portland for nisin, the active ingredient in another product it has developed called Mast Out, for which it is seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Construction on the $20 million pharmaceutical-grade facility began in fall 2016 with the help of tax increment financing from the city of Portland.

Mast Out is a natural treatment for mastitis, inflammation of breast tissue that can afflict lactating dairy cows. Existing antibiotic treatments render the milk unsalable temporarily, causing a loss of revenue to the farmers. However, with the FDA’s approval, milk from cows treated with Mast Out could be sold immediately, giving the product a competitive edge.

ImmuCell is a publicly held company that trades on the Nasdaq exchange. Prior to the earnings report, which was released after the market closed, the price of ImmuCell shares increased by 10 cents in trading Monday to end the day at $7.70 per share.

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