Our Founder

William "Bill" Zimmer

Bio-Vet, Inc. began as a vision of our Founder, Dr. William “Bill” Zimmer. “Doc,” a nickname that suited his analytical mind and passion for veterinary science, was a man whose life was defined by intelligence, wisdom, and generosity. As a leader in the development of animal health products, we continue to follow the philosophy Doc developed over his career as both a veterinarian and visionary. We are proud to continue his legacy.

Bill was born in 1962 and grew up in rural Outagamie County, Wisconsin. His early years were filled with life outdoors, particularly while hunting and fishing with his father and brother and a tight-knit group of friends. The outdoors, in all seasons, was to become Bill’s ‘go to’ place for inspiration and reflections for the next 60 years.

Bill grew up around animals, both wild and domestic. He knew he wanted to become a veterinarian by his first year in high school, and it was working on area farms throughout high school where he “fell in love with dairy cows.”  As he put it, he was “tuned in” to the needs of dairy cattle and he made the decision to formally pursue large animal veterinary medicine as a career. After graduating salutatorian from Freedom High School in 1981 Bill attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, leading to his entrance (in an accelerated program targeted to exceptional learners) and graduation from the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988.

Doc was known for his commitment to animal welfare and food animal veterinary medicine, where he quickly became a respected figure in his field. His reputation as a genuine resource for farmers was earned over many years as a reflection of his passion for the complexities of animal physiology. Doc began his professional career as a veterinarian in private practice in Pulaski, Wisconsin, and during this time he became particularly interested in utilizing microbial and nutritional products to benefit livestock. Several years previously, Bill completed a student externship with his cousin Gary Zimmer at Midwestern BioAg in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. As a leader in the field of “systems-based mineral balanced agriculture,” Gary helped Bill became an advocate for the relationship between the soil, balanced nutrition, livestock health and productivity. A ‘seed’ was planted, which years later led to Dr. Zimmer leaving his successful mixed animal practice to concentrate further on animal nutrition and natural systems integration as an official member of Midwestern BioAg. The foundation for Bio-Vet was in place.

Doc’s vison for Bio-Vet became reality after conducting extensive research, making several handshake agreements, and gaining the respect of farmers across the country in this new role. In 1991, Bio-Vet, Inc. was established as a separate division within Midwestern BioAg with the goal of improving the health and well-being of livestock. Doc was the leader of this new enterprise. On what would be a fateful day in Doc’s career, a livestock nutrition salesman named Bill Allen posed the question, “Was there anything to these probiotic (microbial) products coming onto the market?”  This led to Doc experimenting with a commercial pressed bolus, concluding that the “live” microbes in the product were not viable once they reached the gut. Although he was convinced the benefits of microbial delivery to animals were real, he began researching delivery methods to ensure microbial viability.

As a result of his eagerness to pursue this new technology, Bio-Vet achieved a pivotal accomplishment in 1994 with the development of Capsule-In-A-Capsule™ technology – an advanced packaging technique for direct fed microbials and nutritional combinations that established Bio-Vet as a pioneer in the animal health industry and earned the company its first patent (5,310,555).  This technology is still considered cutting edge 30+ years later, thanks to Doc being the right person at the right time to advance and validate this budding advancement. This accomplishment helped grow the division and led to the establishment of Bio-Vet as an independent company in 1996. Doc was named the President and majority owner of Bio-Vet and formed a trusted partnership with the four principal owners of Midwestern BioAg (Gary Zimmer, Don Faber, Don Gilbertson, Fred Kurschner) and Bill Allen to advance the company into the 21st century.

Since the 1990’s Doc worked diligently to expand the company’s product lines to include capsules, boluses, pastes, soluble powders, electrolytes, and feed additives. Bio-Vet thrived under his leadership, developing numerous innovative products that utilized groundbreaking technologies. He and his team became powerful players in the animal health arena, equipped with the knowledge and confidence to provide solutions to farmers. Growth resulted in expansion into a new production and office headquarters in Barneveld, Wisconsin in 2013, Bio-Vet’s current home. The company has continued to lead the industry in providing the highest quality products, containing the most diverse and dense microbial populations, while ensuring quality deliverability on-farm. These are the uncompromising standards of Bio-Vet.

Bill was motivated by his respect for dairy cows and how he could ensure their performance within healthy and productive herds. He believed that optimal animal care did not begin in the sick pen, but instead by helping cattle prevent illnesses before they could occur. As Doc once said, “They are the neatest animal…. I just really want them to be the best functioning animal they can be.” This respect was part of his legacy as a pioneer in animal health.

Dr. Zimmer’s commitment to excellence and his forward-thinking approach are evident in every facet of Bio-Vet, including research and development, customer service, and fostering a trusted reputation in both national and international veterinary medical markets. His passion for veterinary science has fueled the Bio-Vet vison for more than 30 years. The pillars of research-based product development established by Dr. Zimmer still drive our organization today, and we are honored to expand on the vision set forth by our founder.

Our Mission

At Bio-Vet, our mission is to empower farmers and animal producers with cutting-edge solutions that enhance the health and overall well-being of their animals. As a decades-long leading producer of animal health & nutrition products, our unique veterinary-developed approach supports the natural systems of animals, ensuring their optimal performance and profitability.
Leadership Team