A swine geneticist and author who spent his entire career at the Lacombe Research Centre will be remembered by his friends in the industry as the father of the Lacombe Pig.
Howard Fredeen was born in Macrorie, Sask. on December 10, 1921 and died in Lacombe on December 27, 2021 – just over two weeks past his 100th birthday.
Fredeen earned a master’s degree in animal science from the University of Alberta and was hired by the federal government in 1947 to work at the Lacombe Research Centre.
He and Director John Stothart were tasked with developing a new breed of pig that would meet standards matching the Danish Landrace, which was not available at the time to producers in North America.
Some Landrace bloodstock had been exported to the United States during the Second World War to preserve their genetics in case of a Nazi victory in Europe, says Alberta producer Jurgen Preugschas. His father, who had been a breeder before immigrating from Germany, became involved with the program in the late 1950s, when the first stock was released to 30 farms across Canada.
Development of the Lacombe program was started when the research centre was able to secure some of the breeding stock that had been released to the US. The goal was to create a uniquely Canadian pig that would be a good bacon maker and have good mothering and milking traits, with the idea that they could then be crossed with Yorkshires to create a superior commercial pig, says Preugschas.
The result of the Lacombe program was a genetic mix of 50 per cent Landrace and 25 per cent each of Berkshire and Chester White, he says.
His father, Kurt, was the first of 30 producers from across Canada whose names were drawn to receive a small number of the first Lacombe bloodstock released in the late 1950s. Through their involvement with the breed, Kurt Preugschas and his sons, Jurgen and Walter, developed close ties and an enduring friendship with Fredeen.
“He was a great man,” says Preugschas.
Fredeen took a brief sabbatical from Lacombe in the early 1950s to earn a doctorate in animal breeding and genetics from Iowa State University. He remained with the centre until his retirement in 1984, after which he continued to do some work with PIC on their genetics program. PIC has never revealed what role, if any, the Lacombe breed has had in the development of its genetics, says Preugschas.
He and his family continued using Lacombes in their breeding program when they joined with a few other breeders to form Peak Swine.

But the breed suffered some image problems arising from rivalry between Lacombe and the Guelph Research Centre, who had been in competition for the program. The Preugschas farms were the last in Canada to keep herds of Lacombe pigs. Jurgen shipped his last Lacombes in 2013, when Peak swine dissolved, and he switched his operation to commercial feeding. His brother, Walter and father continued with the Lacombes for a few more years, but the last of those animals are also gone.
Ultimately, the breed disappeared excluding some frozen semen and embryos that remain in storage in case someone wants to revive those genetics in the future, says Preugschas.
He has no doubt that, if Fredeen were still active today, he would be at the leading edge of genetics and genomics programs, conducting research into improving bloodstock for the benefit of Canadian swine producers.
“He was brilliant. His mind was so far ahead of most people.”
A history of the University of Alberta’s infamous Bar None celebrations, authored by C.J. McAndrews, cites Fredeen as its instigator:
“It was Howard Fredeen, a post-graduate student in Animal Science starting in the fall of 1945, coach of the Golden Bears wrestling team, and of all things, one of the leading performers in the first ballet presented by the neophyte University Ballet Club, who suggested to the Ag Club that the diversity of experience and maturity of its members provided an opportunity to establish a presence on campus of far greater significance than merely a reputation for kidnapping the Engineers’ Queen. With executive support . . . and the names of the Powers brothers and Frank Belye come to mind . . . he proposed to the faculty that class attendance be “forgiven” for a two-day period each spring to accommodate competitive events that would challenge the skills, wits, and inventiveness of all students and faculty members.”
The event celebrates its 74th anniversary this year, with proceeds raised to help support the STARS air ambulance.
Along with his involvement breeding and research, Fredeen wrote more than 300 scientific and technical papers, according to an article published by the online site, Wikipedia. Honours bestowed upon him during his career include a fellowship in the Agricultural Institute of Canada, the Public Service of Canada Merit Award and the Lacombe Citizen of the Year Award.
Fredeen also earned the Genetics Society of Canada Award for Excellence and the American Board of Human Development’s National Health Development Award for his work in human genetics and an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation for his efforts to preserve history of the region.
Fredeen is survived by his wife, Joan, their five children and 11 grandchildren.
The Dr. Howard Fredeen Endowment in Agriculture has been set up in his honour. Those interested in contributing to the fund can visit the University of Alberta website to learn more. •
— By Brenda Kossowan