United Animal Health Inc. of Sheridan, Ind., announced that it has hired Mike Blair as its new senior manager of U.S. poultry nutrition and Keith Staggs as its new director of U.S. poultry sales.

The addition of Blair and Staggs to the poultry team will allow United Animal Health to provide needed expertise on poultry feed and nutrition to customers throughout the industry, the company said.

Together, Blair and Staggs will lead, manage and oversee everything from initial poultry nutrition research to strategic client growth across United Animal Health’s key accounts. These hires, the company said, communicate to the marketplace that it is dedicated to creating value and success for its partners across all livestock groups: swine, dairy and poultry.

“We are fortunate to have these two individuals join our team as we launch our new poultry products and tools,” said Dr. Kerry Keffaber, vice president of product development and strategy at United Animal Health. “Their experience and understanding of production will help us help our customers capture value. We are excited about the future these new additions bring to complement our innovative product portfolio.”

Blair graduated with a degree in animal science from Purdue University and a master's of science and Ph.D. in poultry nutrition from Virginia Tech. He comes to United Animal Health from Devenish, where he served as a poultry nutritionist, providing consulting services to the poultry and feed additive industries. Prior to Devenish, he was the president of A&J Nutrition Services, a successful business he grew from the ground up. Blair has more than 30 years of experience in the poultry industry working for a feed company internationally, for feed additive companies and for a broiler integrator.

“Having grown up in Indiana, not far from Sheridan, and working with United Animal Health personnel over my entire career in the poultry industry both in technical support and as a customer of their products, the opportunity to work for such a trustworthy and respected company is both exciting and rewarding,” Blair explained. “I am looking forward to working with the poultry team to bring research-based safe and efficient products and also ideas to address issues facing the poultry industry today and in the future. One of my personal life philosophies is that I have chosen a career that helps feed the world. Joining United Animal Health fits right in.”

Staggs graduated with a bachelor degree in poultry science from Texas A&M University. He joins United Animal Health from Holmes Foods Inc., a privately held commercial broiler company, where he served as director of live operations with responsibilities for a hatchery, two feed mills, pullet and breeder production, broiler growout and live transport. Prior to Holmes Foods, Staggs worked for DuPont/Danisco Animal Nutrition. Staggs serves the state of Texas as the Texas Animal Health commissioner for commercial poultry, appointed by the governor of Texas. He is also the National Honor Show Chow ambassador for market poultry at Purina Animal Nutrition, where he provides technical expertise on show feed products for young people who are producing show animals as part of 4-H and FFA.

“The opportunity to develop and grow United Animal Health’s presence in the U.S. commercial poultry industry is exciting,” Staggs said. “United’s advanced technologies, product portfolio and depth of research provide a wide range of solutions serving the areas of animal nutrition and animal health as we collaborate with producers and stakeholders to develop solutions and deliver results for our customers. Working with the U.S. poultry industry to provide a supply of safe and affordable food has always been a passion, and I am pleased to work for a company that shares the philosophy of ‘We Feed the Animals That Feed the World.’”

United Animal Health, founded in 1956, is dedicated to providing research-based solutions that create value and success for its partners in animal agriculture. With more than 400 employees, the company offers livestock nutrition and health solutions through the United and affiliate brands.