Geoff Zanton St. Charles, Missouri geoffrey.zanton@novusint.com Ruminant Nutrition Manager, Novus International, Inc.
Please describe your agricultural background.
I was raised on a small dairy farm in south-central Wisconsin and was very involved in 4H, FFA and the National Grange activities. I always enjoyed working on the farm and with the animals which has nurtured my interest in agriculture and dairy production.
What education are you bringing with you to this position?
I received a B.S. degree in Animal Science with a Business focus in 2000 and a B.S. in Dairy Science with a Natural Science focus in 2002, both from University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2009, I received a PhD in Dairy and Animal Science with a minor in Statistics from Penn State University.
What previous positions have you held?
This is my first professional position after grad school.
What are your new responsibilities?
I will manage ruminant research conducted by Novus International in collaboration with universities, research farms and our technical teams across all world areas.
What territory will you cover?
I will be based out of the Novus International headquarters in metropolitan St. Louis, MO and will work with researchers from across world areas to investigate the production effects and mechanisms of action of Novus products and programs for ruminants.
What excites you most about working in your new role?
I enjoy working in ruminant research. To be able to work for a company like Novus International that has a strong commitment to animal research and development is very exciting.
How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
I will be working toward providing science-based solutions to ruminant nutrition and feeding. This will allow producers to make informed decisions about the nutrition options available for their animals in an effort to optimize production.
What’s your best story from the first day on the job?
On my first day, I had the opportunity to meet many of the people in the company and begin my orientation. The main job that I had given myself to complete that day, however, was to read and organize the 115 emails that were already in my inbox.
Why did you choose this company?
Novus International is committed to understanding the mechanisms underlying the products and programs that it provides to the ruminant market. I chose Novus because this commitment places a premium on research and fits with my goal of providing science-based solutions to dairy and beef producers through improved nutrition for production efficiency.
What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
My major goal is to improve the knowledge of ruminant nutrition and transfer this knowledge to producers, feed mills, veterinarians, food manufacturers and nutritionists. Through this knowledge, the ruminant market can make better informed decisions about the products or programs that they purchase as to optimize the production efficiency of their operations specific nutritional program.
