Is Fred Hassan’s bark worse than his bite? Perhaps only the Intervet animal health division knows for sure. And the sales reps, in particular, will know tomorrow. That’s when about 60 positions from the 400-strong sales force, or 15 percent, will be told goodbye, according to sources. A spokeswoman confirms the cuts.

Cutbacks at Schering-Plough are not surprising, of course. In response to the collapse in Vytorin and Zetia scrips, Hassan trumpeted plans to cut 10 percent of the drugmaker’s workforce of 55,000 in order to save up to $1.5 billion by 2012, although most of the cuts are expected to occur by 2010.

In making his April announcement, Fred vowed to consolidate management; use more shared staff support and services; reduce travel; cut sales and marketing; slash R&D; consolidate product lines, particularly in the animal health unit; and close some of the 60 manufacturing plants. These are in addition to the 400 jobs cut following the recent acquisition of Organon Biosciences, which also had an animal health business.