From the Saddle to the Sales Route

Travis Wiygul’s commitment to agriculture is rooted in generations of hard work, land stewardship and a deep love for cattle work. Now MWI Animal Health’s regional account manager for Livestock East and a 2025 Circle of Excellence Award winner, Wiygul brings that heritage to every client conversation.

Wiygul’s story begins in Florida, where his family has lived for three generations. His great-grandfather was a cotton farmer. His grandfather was both a produce broker and a cattleman. His father stayed with citrus, an industry he still works in today.

“Cattle and citrus have always been our family’s industries,” he said. “My passion was always the cattle side, and we still have cattle now. That’s what I grew up doing.”

That foundation made the transition into production animal agriculture feel natural. In 2005, during a time when animal identification technology was driving significant industry discussion, Wiygul began as an intern at a small reseller that sourced product from Walco and MWI. He stayed with that business for seven years before joining MWI — where he has now spent nearly 16 years serving producers across four states.

Covering that kind of territory means no two days look exactly alike, he said. Wiygul follows a general route, but his schedule shifts depending on customer needs. Some producers he visits every month, others every six to eight weeks, and a handful every couple of weeks. Between windshield time, phone calls, order coordination, and problem-solving, the work is constant, but grounded in connection.

“A lot of our producers prefer to call their orders directly to me because of the relationship,” he explained. “It’s a lot of traveling and communicating, but I’ve got a good routine.”

That relationship-first approach has become Wiygul’s hallmark. When asked about his philosophy for building strong customer partnerships, he didn’t hesitate.

“Being present,” he said. “Showing up, answering the phone, responding to texts. If you can’t call right back, at least respond. Just being there matters.”

Reliability, he said, is the foundation of trust, and trust is at the center of everything he does. Many of his customers have become more than clients; they’re close friends. That connection is mutual and meaningful.

That dedication — to people, to service, to showing up — helps explain why Wiygul was honored with MWI’s 2025 Circle of Excellence Award. The recognition was humbling, he said, and deeply personal.

“I’ve told my boss many times — I couldn’t do it without God and Jesus Christ,” he said. “They’ve allowed me to do what I do, and the honor goes to them. They’ve been the rock for me in my career.”

Market forces

Even with strong relationships and a sense of purpose, today’s production animal environment presents major challenges. Chief among them: historically low cattle numbers. On both the beef and dairy sides, current inventories are the lowest they’ve been since 1951.

“That’s a challenge, especially when we’re trying to grow — there just aren’t many new producers entering the business,” Wiygul said.

Yet he remains optimistic, largely because of the dramatic gains in efficiency the industry has achieved. Even with fewer cattle, U.S. producers are supplying more beef than ever.

“It’s incredible when you break it down,” he said. “Better genetics, better tools, improved efficiency … we’re feeding a growing world with fewer animals.”

Consolidation is another major force shaping the future, affecting everything from cattle operations to veterinary practices. The average large-animal veterinarian today is in their mid-60s, and fewer new graduates want to enter production animal medicine.

To change that trajectory, Wiygul believes veterinary schools must play a central role. “There need to be incentives or programs that show students the opportunities in large-animal medicine,” he said. “Many schools don’t promote it enough.”

His commitment to agricultural advocacy extends well beyond his day job. Wiygul serves as president of his county Farm Bureau board, vice president of the county Cattlemen’s board, and sits on his church council and mission board. Whether the focus is policy, education, or community, he sees these roles as essential.

“Consumers need to know we have the safest, highest-quality protein in the world,” he said. “There are strict FDA and USDA regulations we follow. We take pride in that.”

New horizons

Outside of work and service, Wiygul spends as much time as possible with family. Hunting, fishing, and team roping are favorite pastimes, and rodeo has become a shared family activity. His two children, ages 10 and 5, both competed this year.

“Rodeo is something we can do as a family, which makes it fun,” he said. “We actually had the awards ceremony last night.”

Looking ahead, Wiygul is energized by the pace of innovation in production agriculture. He sees technology — not only in genetics and production systems but in veterinary tools and services — as the biggest opportunity on the horizon. MWI’s Micro Technologies, he noted, continually pushes for new advancements that help producers adapt and thrive.

His passion for cattle, however, traces back to simpler beginnings: early mornings, horseback rides, and time spent working side-by-side with family.

“Getting up early, getting on a horse, riding through the cattle — that’s all I ever wanted to do,” he said.

That firsthand experience is part of what makes Wiygul so effective. Like many members of MWI’s production animal team, he isn’t just serving the industry — he’s living in it.

“We’ve got skin in the game,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Travis Wiygul.