As an Agricultural Engineer with a master’s in animal production, I am committed to developing livestock systems that balance productivity with ecosystem conservation. As a researcher of Argentina's National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), my work integrates scientific research, extension services, and practical innovation, utilizing geospatial tools and advanced statistical analysis. My research has focused on developing comprehensive sustainability frameworks for livestock systems, with particular emphasis on soil-plant-animal interactions. This work involves designing and implementing field trials to evaluate nutrient cycling efficiency, forage system productivity, and the environmental impacts of different management practices. I have led initiatives assessing water and carbon footprints in dairy systems while developing practical protocols for effluent management and precision grazing. My approach integrates geospatial analysis with on-farm monitoring of key indicators like soil nutrients dynamics, compaction levels, and nutrient balances, translating these findings into management recommendations that enhance both productivity and ecosystem health. This research has yielded multiple peer-reviewed publications and informed regional best practices through extension programs. Currently, I am expanding this work through PhD research applying the Integral Health paradigm to deer production systems. This study explores how holistic farm redesign can simultaneously improve animal welfare, ecological resilience, and productivity, where humans participate as system components and health becomes the organizing principle. I believe animal production science must balance productivity with ecosystem health, animal welfare, and socioeconomic outcomes. This evidence-based, holistic approach, recognizing all system components as interconnected, is essential for transforming food systems.
Featured Team Member
Dr Lucas Gonzalez
I was born and raised in a beef cow-calf and dual-purpose ovine flock farm in the Southwest of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, where I developed an early interest in livestock husbandry. I earned an Ag. Eng. degree from the National Southern University (Argentina). As undergraduate student, I completed a 6-mo academic exchange at the Autonomous University of Chiapas (Mexico). Also, I completed an internship at the Forage Production Department of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA; Bordenave Experimental Station) which sparked my interest in researching. My undergraduate thesis identified a novel high-starch, low-fiber, and high-yielding barley cultivar whose whole-plant silage increased the digestible dry matter yield per hectare. Afterwards, I joined the Animal Production Department at the General Villegas Experimental Station of INTA. Recently, I completed my PhD program at the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). My doctoral studies (i) explored the nutritional value of maize grains from contrasting origins as ruminant feedstuff, (ii) determined the microbial rumen degradable protein (RDP) needs on steers fed maize-based finishing diets, and (iii) improved gain-to-feed, carcass yield, and nutrients digestibility, unaffecting nitrogen excretion, of steers fed semi-dent, maize-processed, RDP-balanced diets. As part of my doctoral training, I completed a 3-mo visit to the North Florida Research and Education Centre of the University of Florida in Marianna (USA) as a Fulbright scholar. Nowadays, I am investigating opportunities for methane sensing and destruction on animal- and on barn-basis as post-doctoral fellow at Lincoln University. My research interests include ruminant nutrition, feedstuffs nutritional value evaluation, and sustainable ruminant production to reduce N excretion and emissions footprint.
