Photo: Devenish NA
Dr. Mira Courtney has joined Devenish North America as Poultry Nutritionist. Her professional background includes extensive experience across the poultry industry.
Devenish North America has announced the addition of Dr. Mira Courtney to the Poultry Team. Courtney received her B.S. in Avian Biology and Ph.D. in Reproductive Endocrinology and Nutrition from the University of Georgia, Athens (UGA). At UGA, her graduate research included:
• Collaborating with the poultry industry, Ajinomoto Heartland, LLC,
• Conducting digestible amino acid requirements of broilers during various production periods and under varying environmental conditions,
• Assisting in projects researching and characterizing zona pellucida proteins in avian species — mainly broiler breeder hens.
Characterization of ghrelin-acyltransferase in avian species including:
• Blood and tissue collections,
• Serum extractions,
• RNA isolation,
• Real time PCR,
• Gel electrophoresis,
• Preparation of chemically competent cells and plasmid purification,
• Gene sequence mapping and BLAST analysis.
Mira Courtney’s professional background includes extensive experience across the poultry industry with positions at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center Laboratories, and several small and large animal private practices as well as the UGA Small Animal and Large Animal Veterinary Hospital.
Most recently, Courtney served as Director of Nutrition for Pilgrim’s where she was responsible for broilers ranging from fast food to commercial size, formulating for the organic complex as well as responsibility for eight complexes and seven feed mills.
Mira currently lives in North Alabama, USA, with her husband; Jeff Courtney and two daughters; Olivia and Haley where she enjoys riding and showing reining horses and hunting with her husband in their free time.
