Purina Animal Nutrition announces the hiring of Robert Jacobs, PhD., as an equine research nutritionist.

“Dr. Jacobs’ passion for researching ways to better the lives of horses through nutrition will be a great asset to our company and to our customers,” says Mary Beth Gordon, PhD., director of equine research and new product development at Purina Animal Nutrition. “Our team is devoted to developing products based on sound scientific research, and Dr. Jacobs will certainly contribute to that goal.”

Most recently, Jacobs worked as a graduate teaching and research assistant in the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech. He also held research and teaching roles at the Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Middleburg, Va. and at the University of Florida.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of the Purina Animal Nutrition team,” Jacobs says. “Purina Animal Nutrition’s focus on science-based nutrition combined with its state-of-the-art research facilities makes it a leader in the industry.”

In his new role, he will conduct nutritional research that he hopes will help horse owners achieve their nutritional, breeding and performance goals.

“I believe nutrition provides us with the greatest opportunities to impact the lives of our equine companions,” Jacobs says. “We feed our horses on a daily basis, and providing them with the best feeds and supplements truly enables us to better their lives. The unique nature of the horse, in which they are considered both a livestock species and a companion animal, allows me to not only impact the life of the animal, but also the lives of the owners who invest a great deal of emotion into the care of their horses.”