Garden City ? A business that is consolidating its business in three other states and moving to the Garden City area plans to begin hiring a small number of employees as early as next month.

Dave Robbins, owner of TekVet, says he will hire at least a couple dozen employees between July and September.

TekVet manufactures ear tags that monitor cattle health. After Garden City and Finney County offered several incentives, the company decided to relocate its headquarters and research facilities from Florida, Alabama and South Dakota.

Robbins says the company’s target customers are feedyards, and Garden City is a central hub for that type of business.

The Garden City Telegram reports that TekVet has said the company could generate up to 60 full- and part-time jobs in its first year of operation.