In the swine industry, success is built on strong relationships—between producers and their veterinarians, between vet clinics and distributors, and across every link in the chain that keeps operations running smoothly. For Fairmont Veterinary Clinic and MWI Animal Health, their decades-long partnership shows how aligned values, responsive service, and thoughtful use of technology can create measurable value for independent swine producers.

A relationship built on customer service and trust

Fairmont Veterinary Clinic, an eight-doctor swine practice based in Minnesota and MWI didn’t create one of the industry’s strongest partnerships by chance. The relationship, which dates to the early days of MWI’s swine business, grew out of a shared philosophy: customer service is everything.

“If you look back at the beginnings of the relationship between MWI and Fairmont, they understood the foundation of our business,” says Chase Stahl, Partner and Head Veterinarian at Fairmont Vets. “We’re a very customer-centric relationship business, and I think that’s what sets us apart from others in the industry—our focus and execution on customer service. MWI has been there every step of the way.”

That commitment to service is evident in how MWI responds to challenges. Glenn Miller, clinic manager at Fairmont, knows he can always rely on MWI for quick, effective solutions. “When there’s issues, I know who to pick up the phone and call, whether it’s Leslie, whether it’s Kate, whether it’s Tim,” he explains. “That brings a lot of value to our business.”

This responsiveness is critical in the swine industry, where timing often determines success. A single barn with numerous pigs can face significant challenges if health issues aren’t addressed immediately. A partner who understands that urgency and has the resources to act quickly can make all the difference.

Understanding the unique needs of swine producers

Fairmont Vets works with a diverse group of producers, each with different needs and operational styles. Some producers manage their own farms, while others rely on varying levels of support from Preferred Capital Management (PCM), Fairmont’s swine management division. PCM offers services like site selection, permitting, marketing, and HR, while Fairmont provides veterinary expertise and health products. This combination ensures producers have all the tools needed to succeed.

The role of swine veterinarians has changed dramatically in recent years. In addition to providing animal care, they now serve as business consultants, helping producers optimize operations and control costs.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all when you start talking about the management side of our business and our health side of the business,” Stahl notes. “Our commitment to making the pig win—and in turn, making the client win—sets the stage for a very successful long-term relationship with our clients.”

MWI shares this philosophy by offering customized solutions rather than pushing a single approach. Together, Fairmont and MWI work to match the right tools and technologies to each producer’s specific circumstances. 

Overcoming challenges in inventory management

Without modern inventory technology, producers rely on processes like phone calls, faxes and in-person ordering. This leads to inefficiencies, frequent stockouts, and emergency requests that disrupted daily operations.

Most farms today are diversified, so they have a lot of spinning plates. Their veterinary partner can get multiple calls a day with on-the-spot orders. “At our end, we’re doing this with one-on-one phone calls, texting them, trying to help them,” Miller recalls.

Enter Repleni-Trac, MWI’s inventory management system. Miller had been watching the system for six years, waiting for the right producer to pilot the technology. “I wanted to pick the perfect producer,” he explains. “That’s why I selected LB Pork.”

Accessed through a tablet or smartphone, Repleni-Trac gives producers a real-time look at products on-hand across all locations, helping them make more informed decisions about ordering.

LB Pork proved to be an ideal candidate for this platform. As a diversified operation with centralized locations and a multilingual workforce, they benefited from Repleni-Trac’s visual interface and streamlined ordering process. The system helped LB Pork reduce unnecessary orders, improve efficiency, and better utilize products.

“You can tell they’re more organized,” Miller observes. “They’re running more efficiently. They’re not ordering numerous times a day.”

The power of technology and teamwork

Success in the swine industry requires a careful balance of technological efficiency and human judgment. MWI’s ability to combine innovative tools with hands-on support makes them an invaluable partner to swine practices like Fairmont. 

“The producers we work with have the option to work with anybody,” Stahl says. “MWI’s willingness to go out and find solutions in a timely manner keeps us [Fairmont Vets] in the conversation.”

Tools like Repleni-Trac improve efficiency and organization, but it’s the shared values and responsive service that truly drive success. By addressing challenges like inventory management and product availability, Fairmont Vets and MWI are helping swine producers thrive in a competitive industry.