Ligia Cavani

Post Doctoral Research Associate

Office Location

Animal Sciences

1675 Observatory Dr, Office 472

Madison WI, 53706

Ligia Cavani is originally from Brazil, where she received her BS in Animal Science from the State University of Londrina, and her MS and PhD from São Paulo State University. Her research has included quantitative genetics, the development of new phenotypes using high–throughput datasets, genomic prediction, and gene mapping in dairy cattle. Cavani is mentored by Francisco Peñagaricano and Kent Weigel from the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences.

Selected Peer Reviewed Articles 

Cavani, L.; Parker Gaddis, K.L.; Baldwin, R.L.; Santos, J.E.P.; Koltes, J.E.; Tempelman, R.J.; Vandehaar, M.J.; Caputo, M.J.M; White, H.M.; Peñagaricano, F.; Weigel, K.A. (2022). Impact of parity differences on residual feed intake estimation in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science Communications (in press)

Cavani, L.; Brown, W.E.; Parker Gaddis, K.L.; Tempelman, R.J.; Vandehaar, M.J.; White, H.M.; Peñagaricano, F.; Weigel, K.A. (2022). Estimates of genetic parameters for feeding behavior traits and their associations with feed efficiency in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 105(9):7564-7574.

Brown, W.E.; Cavani, L.; Peñagaricano, F.; Weigel, K.A.; White, H.M. (2022) Feeding behavior parameters and temporal patterns in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of residual feed intake values. Journal of Dairy Science. 105:8130–8142.

Novo, L.C.; Cavani, L.; Pinedo, P.; Melendez, P.; Peñagaricano, F. (2022) Genomic analysis of visceral fat accumulation in Holstein cows. Frontiers in Genetics. 12:803216.

Cavani, L.; Poindexter, M.B.; Nelson, C.D.; Santos, J.E.P.; Peñagaricano, F. (2022). Gene mapping, gene-set analysis and genomic prediction of postpartum blood calcium in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 105: 525-534.

Cavani, L.; Braz, U.B.; Giglioti, R.; Okino, C.H.; Gulias-Gomes, C.C.; Caetano, A.R.; Oliveira, M.C.S.; Cardoso, F.F.; Oliveira, H.N. (2020). Genomic study of Babesia bovis infection level and its association with tick count in Hereford and Braford cattle. Frontiers in Immunology 11:1905.

Cavani, L.; Lopes, F.B.; Giglioti, R.; Bresolin, T.; Campos, G.S.; Okino, C.H.; Gulias-Gomes, C.C.; Caetano, A.R.; Oliveira, M.C.S.; Cardoso, F.F.; Rosa, G.J.M.; Oliveira, H.N. (2020). Inferring phenotypic causal networks for tick infestation, Babesia bovis infection, and weight gain in Hereford and Braford cattle using structural equation models. Livestock Science 238:104032.

Carreño, L.O.D.; Conceição, P.M.; Espigolan, R.; Takada, L.; Bresolin, T.; Cavani, L.; Baldi, F.; Carvalheiro, R.; Albuquerque, L.G.; Fonseca, R. (2019). Genome Association Study for Visual Scores in Nellore Cattle Measured at Weaning. BMC Genomics 20:150.

Montes, D.E.; Braz, C.U.; Ribeiro, A.M.F.; Cavani, L.; Barbero, M.M.D.; Albuquerque, L.G.; Curi, R.A.; Oliveira, H.N. (2019). Selection signatures in candidate genes and QTL for reproductive traits in Nellore heifers. Animal Reproduction Science 207:1-8.

Barbieri, A.; Ono, R.K.; Cursino, L.L.; Farah, M.M.; Pires, M.P.; Bertipaglia, T.S.; Pires, A.V.; Cavani, L.; Carreño, L.O.D.; Fonseca, R. (2015). Genetic parameters for body weight in meat quail. Poultry Science 94:169-171.

Cavani, L.; Garcia, D.A.; Carreno, L.O.D.; Ono, R.K.; Pires, M.O.; Farah, M.M.; Ventura, H.T.; Millen, D.D.; Fonseca, R. (2015). Estimates of genetic parameters for reproductive traits in Brahman cattle breed. Journal of Animal Science 93:3287-3291.