What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri?  

I am an assistant research professor and state extension specialist in livestock systems. My appointment is divided into research and extension, and my primary focus is beef cattle reproduction. The goal of my laboratory is to increase the number and weight of calves weaned using the same number of cows in the operation, which ultimately increases profits. For this, on my daily basis I blend research and extension to engage with ranchers, understand their needs, and develop research to solve their problems. I am constantly visiting ranchers around the state and giving extension talks to the community. When I face a problem that I can see a possibility of being solved with research, I develop a research question, establish collaborations with local ranchers, and perform on-farm research to answer the question. 

How long have you worked in this position? 

I started this position in July last year, so 11 months. 

What is your favorite part about the work you do? 

It is hard to say because I love research and I love extension, and this position allows me to work on both. So, I think my favorite part is the distribution of my appointment that allows me to be doing different things every day. One day I am on dirt roads visiting farms, and in the other I am running molecular analysis in my laboratory. This mix of activities helps me to not feel overwhelmed all the time.   

How are you helping MU A&E Extension reach our #2xAg2030 goal? 

Missouri is considered a cow-calf state, thus one of the ways to double the value of agriculture is by educating ranchers on how to increase their reproductive efficiency. This is exactly where I focus on my position. I educate ranchers on sustainable alternatives for cow-calf operations. For example, last month we just finished a large on-farm experiment in partnership with eight local ranchers, where we are testing how many times a progesterone device (CIDR) can be reused. Our results will increase profits by reducing the long-term investment in drugs and preserve the environment by reducing waste. My laboratory is also focused on addressing rural challenges. We are performing one experiment using the semen of a gene-edited bull that could generate offsprings more resistant to toxic Fescue, a common forage in cow-calf operations. Lastly, I recently launched an extension program “Beef University video series” where I release monthly reels on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube. Each video is focused on a scientific paper that has meaningful results for cow-calf producers. Here is the link to sign up and receive an email with our monthly videos (https://mailer.missouri.edu/p/42N5-9FQ/sign-up ). If you have an interest, here is the link to watch one of our recent videos: https://www.facebook.com/reel/679915004527240  

What is something your CAFNR and MU Extension teammates may not know about you? 

I love high intensity and outdoor activities. In fact, last summer I climbed the highest European sea cliff (Slieve League – Ireland).  

What is your hometown, place of high school graduation, and degrees/universities? 

Hometown- Fraiburgo – Santa Catarina State, in Brazil.  

I graduated from my high school in Carlos Drummond de Andrade school in Fraiburgo – Brazil.  

Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine: Federal University of Santa Catarina – Brazil 

Master’s in animal reproduction: University of Sao Paulo – Brazil.  

PhD in Animal Science: University of Florida – USA