OUR STORY

The Priority IAC Story

Priority International Animal Concepts (IAC) is a farm-developed, family-owned company that blends microbiology and nutrition for animal health. Priority IAC is the first to create and market Microbiology Nutrition as a less costly, more efficient, and effective way to feed animals. We utilize Smartbacteria, which amplifies the impact of feed by improving rumen health through microbiology. 

Priority IAC products began with dairy cattle and can be applied to different sizes and styles of dairy management, including, but not limited to, grazing, tie stalls, free stalls, and robotic dairies. Since its inception in 1998, Priority IAC has expanded its product line to include cows, horses, sheep/goats, swine, poultry, deer, pets, and humans. 

Get to know more about how Priority IAC began and the research backing our products.

Man Holding Bucket at Farm

Priority IAC Over the Years

Richard was born on a dairy farm in Sheboygan Falls, WI. From an early age, he could be found in the barn with the animals, working with them, helping with breeding, and seeing firsthand the daily challenges farmers face, especially in keeping their cows healthy.

Just 3 miles from Richard’s childhood home was a purebred dairy that had cattle achieving Excellent 97, the highest classification of the breed. Through this connection, Richard developed the art of cattle fitting, traveling the country to assist producers, and learned the art of animal husbandry. 

By age 20, Richard was asked to join a commercial producer at Clover Mist Farm to turn his cattle into one of the best purebred herds in the Nation. He was successful in creating a world-renowned dairy farm that entertained visitors and buyers of global genetics on a daily basis. 

Richard V. Breunig was the first recipient in the state to receive the Wisconsin Governor’s Export Achievement Award for the export of genetics worldwide!

Richard found that to be successful, working with the animals hands-on is the best way to learn what they need. When he noticed cows in his herd were struggling, he studied nutrition as a way to save their lives.

Breunig began working with a Ph.D. Rumen Microbiologist who selected organisms that saw real benefits in the laboratory to test on Richard’s dairy farm to determine the effectiveness of these organisms. 

Over the course of three years, he began to see exceptional results and benefits that sparked Richard’s interest in studying strains of bacteria and the benefits they provide. He quickly learned how microbiology could enhance nutrition and improve animal performance. 

In 1998, Richard founded Priority IAC (International Animal Concepts). Priority IAC is the only company bringing the fields of microbiology and novel nutrition together for animal health and providing a more cost-effective and simplified approach to nutrition. 

Priority IAC is a farm-developed and family-owned business bringing the unique viewpoint of invention and knowledge directly to cattle owners across the United States. 

Similar to how Richard Breunig trusted the cows of Clover Mist Farm when he first started his path researching microbiology nutrition, his hands-on approach, practical experience in production agriculture, and microbiology and nutritional expertise make Priority IAC unique.

Priority IAC maintains a research and product development mentality that starts with dairy. Our team provides education on how each branded strain of Smartbacteria works, how the most fermentable, home-grown forages can be used, and how producers can monitor their cow performance to know the next adjustments. 

Microbiology nutrition is a new concept that is less costly, more efficient, and a cost-effective way to feed cows. At Priority IAC, we make it the 1st ingredient For Healthy Cows®.