Scientific Advisory Board
Robert Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD
Robert Van Saun received his DVM degree from Michigan State University in 1982. He practiced in northern New York in a predominately dairy practice prior to returning to Michigan State to complete an MS degree in nutrition (1988) and a residency in theriogenology (reproduction). Dr. Van Saun completed a PhD program in ruminant nutrition from Cornell University (1993). He is board certified diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists and American College of Veterinary Nutrition. Dr. Van Saun was on faculty at the College of Veterinary Medicine Oregon State University from (1992-2000) and worked with the dairy and small ruminant (sheep, goats, camelids) industries in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Van Saun has completed research projects dealing with vitamin D, hepatic lipidosis, and trace mineral nutrition in llamas and alpacas.
Dr. Van Saun joined the Penn State faculty in 2000 as an extension veterinarian and is currently a Professor of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Van Saun provides extension programs across species on various nutrition, animal health and reproductive topics regionally, nationally and internationally. He is responsible for teaching courses on parasitology and pathology of nutritional diseases. His research interests include the role of nutrition in animal health and performance, especially pregnancy nutrition,and improving diagnostic tests to evaluate nutritional status. He authored the nutrition chapter for the Complete Alpaca book and recently published articles describing nutritional requirements for llamas and alpacas that have been incorporated into the new NRC publication.