July 2025 - Journal FINAL - Flipbook - Page 23
Our Team
Where he once worked with about 400 small farrowto-昀椀nish farms averaging 40 to 400 sows each, that
number has dwindled to roughly 2 sow farms in the
same geographical footprint, though overall pig
numbers are larger.
Along with changes in scale and expectations,
producers now face more pressure to prove their
practices through audits and documentation—layers
that weren’t part of the industry years ago.
Advances in technology have transformed herd health
management. “We have more tools now. We can
monitor things more precisely, respond faster, and
make better decisions with data,” Dr. Myers explains.
“But at the end of the day, it still comes down to
stockmanship and good husbandry.”
Lead with Relationships
Dr. Bryan Myers’ path to Pipestone didn’t begin with a
job posting or a career plan—it started with people.
“Long before I joined Pipestone, I was already working
with some producers who were shareholders in sow
farms managed by Pipestone,” he said.
Through those shared clients, Dr. Myers developed a
professional relationship—and eventually a friendship—
with Dr. Cameron Schmitt, who was providing
veterinary care to those farms. When Dr. Schmitt
moved to Independence, Iowa, the timing aligned. The
connection and mutual respect were already there.
“Joining the team at Pipestone wasn’t something I had
necessarily planned,” Myers said. “But the relationships
made it feel like the right move.”
That sense of trust, mutual respect, and shared purpose
laid the foundation for his transition—and re昀氀ects
the very approach Myers has taken throughout his
veterinary career: lead with relationships, and the rest
will follow.
“One of the things I’ve tried to do over the years is
help younger vets get better,” he said. “I’ve been
fortunate to have some really good mentors in my own
life. I try to do the same.”
Whether he’s walking pens, helping producers navigate
tough decisions, or talking a young vet through a
dif昀椀cult case, his approach is consistent: be present,
be honest, and keep learning. “I still learn something
every day,” he said. “This job keeps you humble.”
He also encourages younger vets to embrace what they
don’t know. “It’s OK to say, ‘I don’t know,’” he said.
“The key is working your tail off to 昀椀nd the answer—
and following up.”
Dr. Cara Haden was honored to stand beside Dr. Bryan
Myers as both were recognized by the Iowa Pork
Producers in 2025.
Dr. Cara shared, “Bryan brings a wealth of knowledge
and experience to mentorship. He is truly an
exceptionally skilled veterinarian. At the same time,
he walks in humility, which makes him incredibly
approachable. When you’re interacting with Bryan, you
genuinely feel that there are no stupid questions.
But it’s not just his humility that makes him an excellent
mentor—a big part of it is that he truly cares about
people. Bryan is always asking questions that go
beyond veterinary medicine. He cares about you not
only as a vet but also as a person.
I’ve been so blessed to have Bryan as a mentor, and
I’m incredibly grateful that our time at Pipestone
overlapped. I know all the young vets on our team
would say the same.”
Over time, his quiet presence has shaped not only
practices, but people. “In the last few years, I’ve heard
younger vets say, ‘That’s the way Myers taught me,’ or,
‘That’s the way Doc does it.’ Sometimes that’s not the
right way,” he added with a chuckle, “but it’s what I
showed them.”
Those same younger vets often sharpen his thinking
in return. “They’ll ask why I do something, and I have
to stop and think, ‘I’ve been doing it that way for 35
years.’ And sometimes I realize, ‘That actually does
make more sense.’”
Though he never set out to build a legacy, Dr. Myers
has cultivated a culture of growth and humility—where
both seasoned vets and newcomers feel supported,
challenged, and better because of the example he sets.
SUMMER 2025 | 23
