APIAM Animal Health has announced the appointment of Dr Tom Harrison and Dr Sarah Jenkin as joint business managers of the Apiam companies that service the Australian pig industry.
Apiam provides the Australian pig industry with a fully integrated and comprehensive service model that encompasses the entire swine production system, with veterinary and technical services through Portec Veterinary Services (WA) and Chris Richards & Associates (eastern Australia), artificial insemination services through Pork Storks Australia and diagnostic services and bespoke vaccine solutions from recently acquired ACE Laboratory Services.
Dr Sarah Jenkin joined the Apiam vet team in 2010. Sarah graduated with a veterinary degree from Massey University, and in 2018 was awarded a Master of Veterinary Studies in Epidemiology. In her role as a senior swine veterinary consultant, Sarah has a special interest in improving reproduction performance, data analysis of production patterns of disease and extensive experience in boar stud health and management.
With her role as an APIQ auditor for seven years, Sarah is well known throughout the industry for her knowledge of quality systems across production methods and boar studs. Dr Tom Harrison graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2013, progressing directly into rural veterinary practice, initially in the Goulburn Valley and then in the United Kingdom.
Tom joined the Apiam vet team in 2017 where he provides veterinary and production advice to some of Australia’s highest-performing production systems. His special interests include development of high-performance production teams through benchmarking production performance and focusing on high-return activities such as day one pig care and gilt management.
Both Tom and Sarah will continue to provide these leading services to Apiam clients in conjunction with their new roles. Dr Chris Richards, in announcing the new appointments, said both Sarah and Tom had wide-ranging experience and dedicated industry knowledge across all the pig businesses, ensuring Apiam will continue to provide world-class services to clients and continue to be at the forefront of bringing new technologies to industry.
Dr Richards said he was also proud of the fact these appointments are aligned with Apiam’s succession planning program, which rewards long-term employees who demonstrate the integrity, skill development and leadership qualities required to guide the success of the company into the future.
“The global swine world is currently being challenged on a number of fronts, and having Tom and Sarah lead our swine team will ensure we continue to be at the forefront of pig veterinary and production advice, and continue to invest in technologies to ensure our clients have sustainable production systems,” Dr Richards said.
New team members strengthen services and customer focus
Apiam Animal Health has also welcomed the arrival of three key members within the Apiam Swine Team: Dr Bri Fredrich, Dr Ruel Pagoto and Sam Custodio. “The new staff members bring a wealth of knowledge and experience across Australian and international pig markets to the Apiam Swine Team, providing exciting development opportunities that will further strengthen the services we provide to our clients,” Dr Richards said.
Dr Fredrich and Dr Pagoto provide additional veterinary expertise to the Apiam Swine Team.
Previously employed by one of the largest swine integrators in the US, Dr Fredrich brings a fresh perspective backed by extensive hands-on experience to the Apiam Swine Team. Dr Fredrich graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee in 2016.
In the US she provided veterinary oversight to 55,000 sows and their wean-to-market grow-outs.
With a special interest in day one pig care, farrowing house management, mycoplasma elimination and biosecurity, Dr Fredrich said she was looking forward to providing insight to Apiam clients into larger production system practices as well as a fresh approach to everyday protocols.
Dr Fredrich was directly involved in the recent ASF outbreak simulation exercise undertaken by the US pig industry.
This brings valuable experience to our industry as we continue to implement best practice biosecurity and develop the industry response to an ASF incursion. Dr Pagoto brings 20 years’ experience in piggery and poultry production. First in the Philippines, where he graduated with a veterinary degree, and upon arrival in Australia where he gained critical experience in pig and poultry production under local conditions.
Attaining another DVM at the University of Adelaide in 2014, Dr Pagoto broadened his experience working as a swine technical vet for Boehringer Ingelheim. Joining the Apiam team in 2019, Dr Pagoto’s key focus areas have been respiratory disease, veterinary pathology and internal medicine.
Sam Custodio, the new Swine, Business Account Manager, will focus on improving client engagement and Apiam’s client value proposition.
Mr Custodio has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry with Boehringer Ingelheim where he managed the swine team. His first-hand experience across Australia’s swine production systems provides valuable insight into the industry and how best Apiam can support clients.
In introducing the three new members of the Swine Team, Dr Richards said he was looking forward to them building strong client relationships as they work to evolve, improve and grow the services Apiam delivers.
The new appointments join an experienced Swine Team at Apiam with extensive skills across all aspects of swine veterinary, reproduction and production.
The Apiam team is committed to assisting producers to produce sustainable production systems with extensive experience in reducing antimicrobial use, biosecurity systems, welfare systems and applying new and emerging technologies to pork production systems.