10 December 2024

7 minute read

By: Sarah Mikesell

North America

Through Heritage Feeds Tomorrow, Zoetis wants to honor the industry’s proud history and the amazing people who are working to help feed families in the US and around the world.

Bri Frederich, a veterinarian with the technical services team at Zoetis Pork, is being spotlighted due to her strong family heritage in the agriculture industry and her love of working with pigs and the producers who care for and raise them.

“My family are primarily row crop and cattle farmers today. However, back in the day when people were settling the wilds of Iowa, my great, great grandpa started a farm in eastern Iowa. He was the first of our family to raise pigs,” said Dr. Fredrich. “They started out with about 15 to 20 sows, and over the generations, carrying down to my father, they gradually expanded the sow herd to around 75 sows. I know that's considered small by today’s standards, but in the early 1980s, it was a large group of sows to farrow. My dad was involved in raising the pigs for the family, and he really appreciated his opportunities on the farm and learning how to care for animals.”

Back then, there was no artificial insemination (AI) on their farm; it was all-natural breeding using Duroc boars to get to a Duroc-cross market hog. About six months later, it would be a 240-pound market hog as opposed to the 300-pound market weight target with today’s genetics.

The 1980s were challenging economically for pig producers and when the decision had to be made about expansion, her family ultimately decided to expand their beef cattle herd. The pigs went to market, and that’s when her dad left for college. Then, Bri’s dad moved to Tennessee, which is where she was born and raised. Thus, Dr. Fredrich didn’t actually grow up on a pig farm, surrounded by the pig industry, which she finds interesting since she’s so passionate about it today.

“Every summer and winter break, I just wanted to go to the farm. I was riding around on the tractors with my grandpa, and he would always have a couple of bucket calves for me to take care of,” she said. “I remember my first real interaction with pigs on the family farm. I think as payment for a job, someone gave Grandpa three piglets. While I was there, he said, ‘That's your job - every day, go and feed them.’ So, I took care of the pigs, and it was so cold. But I remember going out and feeding them in the mornings and checking on them at night until they were at market weight.”

It wasn't until college that Dr. Fredrich had another chance to work with pigs. She took a job as a teaching assistant for an animal science class. Her job was to make sure that all the market hogs and sows at the university were comfortable and well cared for, so they could teach students how to farrow sows and process pigs along with general pig husbandry practices.

Becoming a veterinarian

“I went into college knowing that I wanted to be a veterinarian. Being from Tennessee, I had interned quite a bit with equine practices. I really liked the medicine and the science, and I loved to solve the puzzle,” said Dr. Fredrich. “I knew I wanted to go into large animal coming from an agricultural background, but at that point, pigs hadn’t really crossed my mind. But as I learned about pigs, I thought they were interesting. And I thought, ‘Here's an avenue that I haven't explored yet.’ In my vet school interview, they asked what species I was considering, and I said, ‘Definitely livestock and I think I'm going to be the one pig kid here at the University of Tennessee.’ And lo and behold, that's what I pursued.”

Dr. Fredrich thanks her hardworking grandparents and family for helping her to pursue her passion as a veterinarian.

“I was very fortunate to be raised in a family that was so passionate about agriculture. My grandparents are 90 years old, and they are still out driving tractors today. Whether it's raking or baling hay, wherever my grandfather can be useful on the farm, he is there,” she said. “Seeing his work ethic and passion for the industry made me realize what I wanted. I knew I wasn't going to be a farmer because I didn't have the farmland to start with, but I wanted to be able to contribute as a veterinarian. I knew that's where I needed to be in life to help give back to the community and my family.”

The University of Tennessee offered Dr. Fredrich great mentors and professors who helped her get the experience she needed to become a swine veterinarian.

“I was involved in mentorships that – whether it was a producer or a veterinarian – were always willing to step up and say, ‘This kid is interested in pigs; I want to help them pursue that passion.’ It is amazing how much time the mentors donated, and remember, they are not being paid for that. They just want to do the right thing for the community,” she said.

While at University, rather than rotating through avian and exotic courses, she was able to do an externship with private swine practitioners or production systems where she received hands-on training.

“It was so important to have that hands-on experience, so I could really consider if this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and if this was the lifestyle I wanted,” she explained. “I fell in love with it - I love the pigs; I love working with farmers; I love their stories. They've all got their little quirks of what makes them tick every day, and what makes them get up and want to take care of animals.”

Listening is so important to a veterinarian. Dr. Fredrich says you never know what comment a producer might make that is going to make you say “Aha, this is how I think I can help you because of what you've just told me.”

She learned very early on in her career that there isn't a cookie cutter method in the swine industry. There are so many things that are in play on a farm that you must consider each situation individually.

“I enjoy the puzzle and the complexity of it. Whether we just changed a sow’s ration or the operation changed feed mills, that's equivalent to a vet asking someone what food they are feeding their dog, but with pigs it’s much more complex. We have to consider the quality of the corn that went into the pig that day and was it from the end or the beginning of corn planting season because so many things can impact the ration,” she said. “It gives you a chance to collaborate with nutritionists and others in the industry like universities, diagnostic labs and specialists in their fields. From a veterinary standpoint, you have a huge network to call upon for help, and everyone is very generous with their time.”

Heritage Feeds Tomorrow resonates

When Zoetis announced the Heritage Feeds Tomorrow campaign to the team, Dr. Fredrich felt that it was an important idea to share with the industry. Tying back to her agricultural roots, she wants to see farmers, ag companies and the communities that they support and serve thrive.

“It is something that is becoming increasingly difficult with the economic pressures that we are all aware of,” she said. “Making sure the next generation has the chance to be raised in an area where they can experience a bucket calf or raise a piglet from farrow to finish - those aren’t things that are taught in school. They're taught by our families and the generations around us. The fact that Zoetis is supporting this program and trying to enrich the lives of the community through the Heritage Feeds Tomorrow campaign really resonates with me.”

During these tough economic times, Dr. Fredrich says an example of Zoetis’ continued commitment to the swine industry is that during National Pork Month in October, Zoetis identified a number of customers who were giving back to their community by volunteering their time or providing pork to their local food banks, etc. Zoetis donated $1,000 to each of these rural communities to help amplify the giving and support their customer’s communities.

“During these tough times for the industry, it’s important to remember all that Heritage Feeds Tomorrow stands for – the multi-generational heritage and legacy of our industry, that the pork industry is helping to feed not just families in the US but all around the world and we are growing and innovating for the pork producers of tomorrow,” said Dr. Fredrich.