Meet the team: Dr. Tye Perrett

Dr. Tye Perrett has spent his life taking care of beef cattle. From hands-on experience on a cow-calf operation to using data for more sustainable and cost-effective beef production, Tye applies a wealth of experience to his role as General Manager of Services and Pharmaceutical Supply on TELUS Agriculture’s Animal Health team.

What is your role?

As the General Manager of Services and Pharmaceutical Supply, part of my job is overseeing business operations for our consulting team. That means regular meetings with the teams, checking in with clients and coming up with specific solutions where I can.

I also manage the provision of pharmaceuticals for our clients. We help them decide on the right products and make sure they get the right items delivered at the right time. It ends up being a mix of customer service, consulting, supply chain management and logistics. I like it, because I get to see how well all of our teams work together, and how hard they work to provide a really high level of customer service.

What drew you to this business?

I grew up around cattle, so my progression to Feedlot Health and now TELUS Agriculture feels pretty natural. My family had a cow-calf operation, so I’ve been interested in beef cattle production since I was young.

I was determined to become a veterinarian and went to the University of Alberta for my Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Alberta. After that I was fortunate to be admitted to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. I graduated with my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and started working at a veterinary practice in Lethbridge, Alberta, right out of school.

A big reason I joined Feedlot Health in 2004 is because I’m fascinated with using data to help make cost-effective decisions in beef production. It’s such a critical and involved industry, and any improvements I contribute can have a huge impact on sustainability.

What career advice do you have to offer?

I try to be cognizant of the fact that I am one of the fortunate ones who was able to find a career path that I could have only dreamed about. My approach has been to have a vision of what I wanted to do professionally and use that vision to guide me when I reached a decision point. I’d ask myself which choice would bring me closer to my dream, and do my best to make that choice work.

But, quite honestly, I was the beneficiary of good luck and the goodness of others around me, and people who gave me opportunities. There are rarely shortcuts in life, but I do believe that we can get to where we want to be when we follow what we are passionate about.

What do you want people to know about livestock management?

At times, agriculture is portrayed as having negative effects on animal well-being, welfare and sustainability. But in my experience, an overwhelming majority of primary producers are committed stewards of the animals and the land. Every day, I see people prioritizing equitability and sustainability in agriculture, looking for opportunities for continuous improvement.

I don’t think the general public realizes how prevalent the use of science and data is in agriculture, and how much the entire industry prioritizes sustainability.

Since we’re talking about food and agriculture, what do you like to eat?

I’ve never once regretted ordering a ribeye steak.