Luiz F. Ferraretto
Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist - Ruminant Nutrition
60% Extension, 40% Research
Luiz Ferraretto is originally from Brazil where he earned his B.S. in Animal Science from São Paulo State University in 2008. Immediately after the completion of his B.S. Degree, Luiz joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison for an internship (2009) followed by an M.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2015) in dairy science with a focus on applied dairy nutrition and forage quality. After the completion of his Ph.D., Luiz joined The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute as a Post-doctoral Research Associate. From 2016 to 2020, Luiz was an Assistant Professor of Livestock Nutrition at the University of Florida. Luiz joined UW-Madison in May of 2020.
His research and extension interests are applied ruminant nutrition and management. His program is focused on understanding and improving starch and fiber utilization by dairy cows, corn silage and high-moisture corn quality and digestibility, the use of alternative by-products as feed ingredients, supplementation of feed additives to lactating cows, and the development of on-farm and laboratory techniques for forage and feed analysis.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles
Saylor, B. A., E. C. Diepersloot, C. Heinzen Jr., C. L. McCary, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2021. Effect of kernel breakage on the fermentation profile, nitrogen fractions, an in vitro starch digestibility of whole-plant corn silage and ensiled corn grain. J. Dairy Sci. Comm. In press
Arriola, K. G., D. Vyas, D. Kim, M. C. N. Agarussi, V. P. Silva, M. Flores, Y. Jiang, X. Yanlin, A. A. Pech-Cervantes, L. F. Ferraretto, and A. T. Adesogan. 2021. Effect of Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lactobacillus buchneri or their combination on the fermentation and nutritive value of sorghum silage and corn silage. J. Dairy Sci. In press
Arriola, K. G., A. S. Oliveira, Y. Jiang, D. Kim, H. M. Silva, S. C. Kim, F. X. Amaro, I. M. Ogunade, H. Sultana, A. A. Pech Cervantes, L. F. Ferraretto, D. Vyas and A. T. Adesogan. 2021. Meta-analysis of effects of inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneri with or without other bacteria on silage fermentation, aerobic stability, and performance of dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. In press
Diepersloot, E. C., M. R. Pupo, L. G. Ghizzi, J. O.Gusmão, C. Heinzen Jr., C. L. McCary, M. O. Wallau, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2021. Effects of microbial inoculation and sorghum variety on fermentation profile and nutrient composition of whole-plant silage under short term ensiling conditions. Front. Microbiol. 12:660567.
Diepersloot, E. C., E. M. Paula, H. Sultana, E. van Santen, M. O. Wallau, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2021. Effect of plant density and hybrid relative maturity on yield, nutrient composition, ruminal in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility and predicted milk production of dairy cattle in whole-plant corn silage in subtropical conditions. Applied Anim. Sci. 37:106-114.
Gusmão, J. O., L. M. Lima, L. F. Ferraretto, D. R. Casagrande, and T. F. Bernardes. 2021. Effects of hybrid and maturity on the conservation and nutritive value of snaplage. Anim. Feed Sci. Tech. 274:114899.
Salvati, G. G. S., W. P. Santos, J. M. Silveira, V.C. Gritti, B. A. V. Arthur, P. A. R. Salvo, L. Fachin, A. P. Ribeiro, N. N. Morais Júnior, L. F. Ferraretto, J. L. P. Daniel, K. A. Beauchemin, F. A. P. Santos, and L. G. Nussio. 2021. Effect of kernel processing and particle size of whole-plant corn silage with vitreous endosperm on dairy cow performance. J. Dairy Sci. 104:1794-1810.
Gomes, A. L. M., A. V. I. Bueno, F. A. Jacovaci, G. Donadel, L. F. Ferraretto, L. G. Nussio, C. C. Jobim, and J. L. P. Daniel. 2020. Short communication: Effects of processing, moisture, and storage length on the fermentation profile, particle size, and ruminal disappearance of reconstituted corn grain. J. Anim. Sci. skaa332.
Luck, B. D., J. L. Drewry, R. D. Shaver, R. M. Willett, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Predicting in situ dry matter disappearance of chopped and processed corn kernels using-image analysis techniques. Applied Anim. Sci. 36:480-488.
Saylor, B. A., T. Fernandes, H. Sultana, A. Gallo, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Influence of microbial inoculation and length of storage on fermentation profile, N fractions and ruminal in situ starch disappearance of whole-plant corn silage. Anim. Feed Sci. Tech. 267:114557.
Fernandes, T., E. M. Paula, H. Sultana, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Influence of sorghum cultivar, ensiling storage length, and microbial inoculation on fermentation profile, N fractions, starch disappearance and aerobic stability of whole-plant sorghum silage. Anim. Feed Sci. Tech. 266:114535.
McCary, C. L., C. Heinzen Jr., E. M. Paula, M. O. Wallau, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Short communication: Effect of planting density on nutritive value, dry matter yield, and predicted milk yield of two brown midrib forage sorghum hybrids. Applied Anim. Sci. 36:320-328.
McCary, C. L., D. Vyas, A. P. Faciola, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Graduate Student Literature Review: Current perspectives of whole-plant sorghum silage production and utilization by lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 103:5783-5790.
Agarussi, M. C. N., V. P. Silva, E. M. Paula, D. Vyas, A. T. Adesogan, O. G. Pereira, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Effects of ensiling of whole-plant corn on silage processing score and fermentation and long-chain fatty acids profiles. Applied Anim. Sci. 36:167-171.
Saylor, B. A., F. Casale, H. Sultana, and L. F. Ferraretto. 2020. Effect of microbial inoculation and particle size on fermentation profile, aerobic stability and ruminal in situ starch disappearance of high-moisture corn ensiled for a short period. J. Dairy Sci. 103:379-395.
Selected Conference Proceedings
Ferraretto, L. F., A. T. Adesogan, K. G. Arriola, E. M. Paula, and D. Vyas. 2019. Strategies to improve fiber digestibility of whole-plant corn silage. Proc. I Simpósio Internacional de Nutrição de Gado de Leite. Uberlandia, MG, Brazil. Pages 47-55.
Ferraretto, L. F. 2019. Length of silage storage: What does it change? Proc. IX Simfor. Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Pages 171-182.
Ferraretto, L. F. 2019. New perspectives on fiber and starch digestibility of corn silage. Proc. Four-State Dairy Nutr. & Mgmt. Conf. Dubuque, IA. Pages 164-169.
Ferraretto, L. F. 2019. Optimizing the role of starch as an energy source for dairy cows. In: Proc. 28th Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, Fort Wayne, IN. Pages 17-26.
Ferraretto, L. F., E. M. Paula, C. S. Ballard, C. J. Sniffen, and I. Shinzato. 2018. Impact of essential amino acid balancing postpartum on lactation performance by dairy cows. In: Proc. 29th Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium, Gainesville, FL. Pages 1-12.
Selected Popular Press Articles
Diepersloot, E., J. Goeser, G. Dahlke, and L. Ferraretto. 2020. Down corn silage harvesting and considerations. University of Wisconsin, Division of Extension. https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/dairy/down-corn-silage-harvesting-and-considerations/
Ferraretto, L., L. Binversie, and M. Lippert. 2020. Summer feed storage and feed bunk management. University of Wisconsin, Division of Extension. https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/dairy/summer-feed-storage-and-feed-bunk-management/
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Providing a good meal to dairy cows is more than diet formulation. Wisconsin State Farmer, December 7th, 2020.
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Does fermentation change corn silage processing score? Vita Plus Forage Foundation Newsletter, December 16th, 2020 issue.
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Feeding to maximize protein yield. PDPW’s Dairy Bottom Line, December, 2020 issue.
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Leave it in the silo – here’s why. Hay and Forage Grower, November 16th, 2020 issue. Pages 10-11.
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Mind 2020 forage conditions. PDPW’s Dairy Bottom Line, October 1st, 2020 issue.
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Inoculating earlage. Vita Plus Forage Foundation Newsletter, August 17th, 2020 issue.
Ferraretto, L. 2020. Manage summer feed storage. PDPW’s Dairy Bottom Line, August, 6th, 2020 issue.
Akins, M., and L. Ferraretto. 2020. Fermentation of frozen & thawed corn silage. MFA Forage Focus, March 2020 issue. Pages 14-15.
McCary, C., and L. Ferraretto. 2020. Re-evaluating berry processing score. Hay and Forage Grower, January 2020 issue. Pages 30-31.
Selected Videos
Maximizing nutrient digestibility of corn silage – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVMzrgD3DNg&t=1413s
Feeding the 2020 corn silage crop – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRUMMRacWrU
Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences Extension and Outreach Committee
Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences Dairy Herd Committee
CALS Ag Research Stations Committee ADSA Program Committee – Forages and Pastures
Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference planning committee Associate Editor – Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia / Brazilian Journal of Animal Sciences Reviewer, several journals related to agriculture and animal sciences