Phone
608-265-8506Website
https://DairyMGT.infoOffice Location
https://DairyBrain.wisc.edu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_E._Cabrera
1675 Observatory Dr
434 Animal Sciences
Madison, WI 53706
Dr. Victor E. Cabrera is a professor and extension specialist in dairy management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Dairy Science Department. Dr. Cabrera combines applied research, interdisciplinary approaches, and participatory methods to deliver practical, data-driven, user-friendly, and scientific decision support tools for dairy farm management. These scientific tools are improving dairy farm profitability, environmental stewardship, and long-term sustainability. Dr. Cabrera’s research and extension programs have a global impact. Dr. Cabrera and his workgroup have developed 50 decision support tools, published 90+ refereed articles, and 10+ book chapters. Dr. Cabrera has presented in 100+ scientific sessions, and given extension talks in 400+ extension meetings in Wisconsin, other States, and around the world. Dr. Cabrera’s work in the past 14 years has been pivotal to attract $5.5+ million to support his research and extension initiatives. Dr. Cabrera has been distinguished with the American Dairy Science Association DeLaval Dairy Extension Award, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Award, the Second Mile Extension award of the Wisconsin Association of County Agricultural Agents, the Pound Extension Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Florida School of Natural Resources and Environment, the Foundation Scholar Award in Dairy Production from the American Dairy Science Association, and the Alfred Toepfer Faculty Fellow Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Selected Peer Reviewed Articles
Li, M., K. Reed, G. Rosa, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022 (in press). Investigating the impact of temporal, geographic, and management factors on US Holstein lactation curve parameters. Journal of Dairy Science 00:00-00. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21882.
Zhang, F., K. A. Weigel, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022 (in press). Predicting daily milk yield for primiparous cows using data of within-herd relatives to capture genotype-by-environment interactions. Journal of Dairy Science 00:00-00.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., S. R. Wangen, T. E. da Silva, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022. Addressing data bottlenecks in the dairy farm industry. Animals 12(6):721. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12060721.
Silva-Boloña, P., J. Upton, V. E. Cabrera, E. Tedward, and D. J. Reinemann. 2022. A simulation model of quarter milk flowrates to estimate quarter and cow milking duration and automated milking system’s box duration. Journal of Dairy Science 105:4156-4170. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20464.
Barrientos-Blanco, J., H. White, R. D. Shaver, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022. Graduate Student Literature Review: Considerations for nutritional grouping in dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science 105:2708–2717. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21141.
Cabrera, V. E. 2022. Economics of using beef semen on dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science Communications 3:147-151. https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2021-0155.
Cue, R., M. Doornik, R. George, B Griffiths, M. W. Jorgensen, R. Rogers. A. Saha, K. Taysom, V. E. Cabrera, S. R. Wangen, and L. Fadul-Pacheco. 2021. Data governance in the dairy industry. Animals 11(10):2981. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102981.
Asghar, S., I. Ashraf, V. E. Cabrera, K. M. Chaudhary, and M. Q. Bilal. 2021. Perception and correlation of dairy cattle farmers concerning electronic media as a source of information in Punjab, Pakistan. Dairy 2(3):489-499. https://doi.org/10.3390/dairy2030039.
Lauber, M., E. Cabrera, V. Santos, P. Carvalho, M. Carolina, B. Carneiro, A. Valenza, V. E. Cabrera, J. Parrish, P. Fricke. 2021. Comparison of reproductive management programs for submission of Holstein heifers for first insemination with conventional or sexed semen. Journal of Dairy Science 00:00-00. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20617.
Baldin, M., T. Breunig, R. Cue, A. De Vries, M. Doornink, J. Drevenak, R. Fourdraine, R. George, R. Goodling, R. Greenfield, M. W. Jorgensen, A. Lenkaitis, D. Reinemann, A. Saha, C. Sankaraiah, S. Shahinfar, C. Siberski, K. Wade, F. Zhang, L. Fadul-Pacheco, S. Wangen, T. E. da Silva, V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Integrated decision support systems (IDSS) for dairy farming: A discussion on how to improve their sustained adoption. Animals 11:2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11072025.
Wangen, S. R., F. Zhang, L. Fadul-Pacheco, T. E. da Silva, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Improving farm decisions: The application of data engineering techniques to manage data streams from contemporary dairy operations. Livestock Science 10462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104602.
Hansen, T. L., M. Li, J. Li, C. J. Vankerhove, M. A. Sotirova, J. M. Tricarico, V. E. Cabrera, E. Kebreab, and K. F. Reed. 2021. The Ruminant Farm Systems Animal Module: A Biophysical Description of Animal Management and Industry Applications. Animals 11(5): 1373. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051373.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., M. Liou, D. J. Reinemann, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. A Preliminary Investigation of Social Network Analysis Applied to Dairy Cow Behavior in Automatic Milking System Environments. Animals 11(5): 1229. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051229.
Cabrera, V. E., and L. Fadul-Pacheco. 2021. Future of dairy farming from the Dairy Brain perspective: Data integration, analytics, and applications. International Dairy Journal 121:105069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2021.105069.
Skevas, T., I. Skevas, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Examining the Relationship Between Social Inefficiency and Financial Performance. Evidence from Wisconsin Dairy Farm. Sustainability 13(7): 3635. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073635.
Selected Book Chapters
Cabrera, V. E. Data-driven decision support tools in dairy herd health. In: Improving dairy herd health. Prof. Emile Bouchard (Ed). Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-1786764676.
Fraisse, C. W., N. E. Breuer, and E. Cabrera. 2019. Developing climate-based decision support systems (DSS) from agricultural systems models. In: Advances in crop modelling for sustainable agriculture. Boote, K. (Ed), Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science, ISBN-13: 978-1786762405.
Overton, M. W., and E. Cabrera. 2017. Monitoring and quantifying value of change in reproductive performance. In: Large Dairy Herd Management Book (http://ldhm.adsa.org). American Dairy Science Association.
Liang, D., and E. Cabrera.2017. Dairy Farm Management Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Mitigation Strategies and Economic Considerations in the US. in: Agricultural Research Updates. Volume 20. Nova Science Publishers, ISBN-20: 978-1-53612-216-9.
Krpálková, L., E. Cabrera, J. Kvapilik, J. Burdych, M. Štipková, P. Crump, L. Stádnik, and M. Vacek. 2014. Optimal growth of heifers and effect of milk yield level on dairy herd production, reproduction, and profitability. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, Saarbrücken, Deutschland, Germany. ISBN: 978-3-659-58200-4.
Cabrera, V. E. DairyMGT: A suite of decision support systems in dairy farm management. IN Decision Support Systems. Jao C. (Ed), INTECH, Rijeka, Croatia. ISBN: 978-953-51-0799-6.
Cabrera, V. E., P. E. Hildebrand. Chapter 7th: Linear programming for dairy herd simulation and optimization: An integrated approach for decision-making. IN Linear programming – New frontiers in theory and applications. Zoltan, A. M. (Ed.), Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. ISBN: 978-1-61209-579-0.
Cabrera, V. E., D. Solís, G. A. Baigorria, and D. Letson. Chapter 7th: Managing climate variability in agricultural analysis. IN: Long, J.A., and D. S. Wells (Eds), Ocean circulation and El Niño: New research, p. 163-179, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. ISBN: 978-1-60692-084-8.
Hoogenboom, G., C. W. Fraisse, J. W. Jones, K. T. Ingram, J. J. O’Brien, J. G. Bellow, D. Zierden, D. E. Stooksbury, J. O. Paz, A. Garcia y Garcia, L. C. Guerra, D. Letson, N. E. Breuer, E. Cabrera, L. U. Hatch, and C. Roncoli. 2007. Climate-based agricultural risk management tools for Florida, Georgia and Alabama, USA. In: Sivakumar, M. V. K. and J. Hansen (Eds.), Climate Prediction and Agriculture: Advances and Challenges, p. 273-278, Springer, Berlin. ISBN: 978-3-540-44650-7.
Langeveld, J.W.A., A. Crawford, M. Paine, S. Pinheiro, W. de Boef, I. S. Kristensen, J. Hermansen, B. Dedieu, P. E. Hildebrand, E. Cabrera, D. Jansen, and J. Dixon. 2006. Project setup and learning processes in participative systems-oriented research initiatives. In: Langeveld, H., N. Roling (Eds), Changing European farming systems for a better future. New visions for rural areas. p. 89-91, Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. ISBN: 978-9-086-86002-9.
Selected Conference Proceedings
Zhang, F., K. A. Weigel, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022 (upcoming). Month-ahead daily milk yield prediction for individual cows using test-day and genomic evaluations data. 3rd International Conference on Precision Dairy Farming, Vienna, Austria, 30 Aug – 2 Sep 2022.
Gong, Y., M. Li, M. A., Sotirova, K.F. Reed, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022. Animal life cycle submodule on Ruminant Farms Systems (RuFaS) model: a sensitivity analysis to evaluate heifer reproductive protocols. American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (ADSA), Kansas City, MO, 19-22 June 2022.
Da Silva, T., J. Van Os, K. F. Reed, V. E. Cabrera, N. Cook. 2022. Lameness and its impacts on dairy herds: the welfare sub-module in the Ruminant Farm Systems model. 18th International Conference on Production Diseases (ICPD) in Farm Animals, Madison, WI, 15-17 June 2022.
Li, M. K. F. Reed, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022. A time-series analysis of milk productivity changes in US dairy states. 2022 ICAR/Interbull Conference. Montreal, CA, 30 May- 2 June 2022.
Cabrera, V. E., and L. Fadul-Pacheco. 2022. Understanding data access and flow. DHI System Leadership Sessions and 57th National DHIA Annual Meeting. 22-24 February 2022. San Antonio, TX.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., and V. E. Cabrera. 2022. Data governance in the dairy industry. Data Science Research Bazaar, UW-Madison 2 February 2022.
Fadul-Pacheco, L. and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Exploring integrated data as a tool for better understanding health-associated issues in dairy farms. Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRAWD), Chicago, IL,3-7 December 2021.
Silva, T., J. Van Os, V. E. Cabrera, and K. Reed. 2021. Predicting lameness and its impact on dairy herds: the welfare sub-module in the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model. Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRAWD), Chicago, IL, 3-7 December 2021.
Reed, K. F., D. V. Nydam, M. Li, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Application of the Ruminant Farm Systems model (RuFaS) to assess the environmental impact of reproductive strategies in dairy farms. Annual Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. Salt Lake City, Utah. 7-9 October 2021.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., M. Liou, D. Reinemann, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Using social network analysis to Identify cows’ affinities in automatic milking systems. American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (ADSA), Virtual, Louisville, KY, 11-14 July 2021. Journal of Dairy Science 104: (Suppl. 1): 226.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., E. Rolli, D. Reinemann, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Precision milking management strategies to improve automatic milking systems performance. American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (ADSA), Virtual, Louisville, KY, 11-14 July 2021. Journal of Dairy Science 104: (Suppl. 1): 225.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. Exploring integrated data as a tool for better understanding health-associated issues in dairy farms. American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (ADSA), Virtual, Louisville, KY, 11-14 July 2021. Journal of Dairy Science 104: (Suppl. 1): 342.
Zhang, F., K. A. Weigel, and V. E. Cabrera. 2021. A non-time-series approach to predict milk lactation curves for primiparous cows relying on dam and siblings’ production information. American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (ADSA), Virtual, Louisville, KY, 11-14 July 2021. Journal of Dairy Science 104: (Suppl. 1): 341.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., and V. E. Cabrera. 2021.Understanding health-associated issues in dairy farms using integrated data. Precision Dairy Conference. Bloomington, MN, 22-23 June 2021.
Cabrera, V. E., L. Fadul-Pacheco, S. Wangen, T. da Silva, R. H. Fourdraine, and J. M. Mattison. 2021. Collecting, integrating, harmonizing and connecting data from dairy farms: The US Dairy Brain project experience. The International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) – INTERBULL Virtual Conference, Leeuwarden, 26-30 April 2021.
Selected Popular Press Articles
Cabrera, V. E., and T. E da Silva. 2022. How we can link environment and economy. Hoard’s Dairyman Intel. 09 May 2022. Link.
Cabrera, V. E. 2021. A step towards smarter management in dairy farms. Scientia. https://doi.org/10.33548/SCIENTIA758.
Hallbach, T., E. Cabrera, M. J. Fuenzalida, and L. Seefeldt. Records reveal heat stress losses. Herd management software like Dairy Comp 305 can be used to assess the potential impact of heat stress on your dairy. Hoard’s Dairyman. 25 August 2020. Interview available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu_Gyv-6Cvk&feature=youtu.be.
Gunderson, S., and E. Cabrera. 2020. Considerations in Reducing Milk Production: Switching Cows from 3X to 2X Milking. Dairy Extension Resources. UW-Division of Extension.
Fuenzalida, M. J., T. Kohlman, A. Olson, and E. Cabrera.2020. Milk Reduction Strategies Through Early Dry Off. Dairy Extension Resources. UW-Division of Extension.
Reed, K., E. Cabrera, E. Kebreab, K. Panke-Buisse, G.Thoma, J. Tricarico, and P. Vadas. 2020. Next-generation whole-farm dairy sustainability analysis: The Ruminant Farm Systems Model. Progressive Dairy Magazine, 15 July 2020.
Dairy Brain Team. Creating value from data. Hoard’s Dairyman. 10 May 2020.
Dairy Brain Team. Making data work on the farm. Hoard’s Dairyman. 25 April 2020.
Dairy Brain Team. Data: Think big, but start small. Hoard’s Dairyman. 10 April 2020.
Dairy Brain Team. Farming out data-driven decisions. Hoard’s Dairyman. 25 March 2020.
Dairy Brain Team. Help us help you make better use of dairy data. Hoard’s Dairyman. 10 February 2020.
Cabrera, V. E. Um cérebro virtual para gestão da informação recolhida nas explorações. Ruminantes, Abril-Maio-Junho 2019.
Cabrera, V. E. Uso de herramientas de soporte de decisión para mejorar el rendimiento económico de los productores lecheros. Boletín ANEMBE 124, Abril, Mayo, Junio 2019.
Bach, A., L. A. Quintela, E. Cabrera, A. de Prado. 2019.Strategies to improve the economic returns through dry-off management. CEVA- Dry Your Best Technical Publications.
Aguirre-Villegas, H., R. A. Larson, M. D. Ruark, D. Liang, M. Wattiaux, L. Chase, E. Cabrera. 2018. Enteric methane emissions from dairy cows: Accounting techniques. Sustainable Dairy Fact Sheet Series, UW-Extension Learning Store.
Selected Computerized Decision Support Tools
Cabrera, V. E., and R. Shaver. Quick assessment for diet formulation. https://dairymgt.info/tools/DietFormulation/index.php?tab=tool
Cabrera, V. E. Bulk tank SCC and milk value. https://dairymgt.info/tools/milk_quality/index.php
Cabrera, V. E. Repro Money Extension program in Wisconsin 2010-2014. https://dairymgt.info/tools/ds/index2.php
Gaspar, N., and E. Cabrera. Economic evaluation of CholiPEARL use on preventing subclinical Ketosis. https://dairymgt.info/tools/eval_choline/index.php
Cabrera, V. E. Characteristics of organic, grazing, and conventional dairy farms in the state of Wisconsin. https://dairymgt.info/tools/ds/index3.php
Cabrera, V. E., and K. A. Weigel. Integrated genomic testing for Jersey heifer calf decision support tool. https://dairymgt.info/oldtools/genomics_last/index.php
Cabrera, V. E., G. Lopes, and W. Li. Premium on beef dairy program. https://dairymgt.info/tools/acc_gen/index.php
Shahinfar, S., A. Kalantari, E. Cabrera, and K. A. Weigel. Retention Pay-Off (RPO) calculator. https://dairymgt.info/tools/rpo_calc/
Cabrera, V. E. Nutritional grouping in Wisconsin and Michigan dairy farms. https://dairymgt.info/tools/ds/index.php
Cabrera, V. E. The economic value of a dairy cow. https://dairymgt.info/tools/cow_value_resp_v2/index.php
Cabrera, V. E., L. Armentano, and R. D. Shaver. FeedVal. https://dairymgt.info/tools/feedval_12_v2/index.php
Cabrera, V. E., and J. O. Giordano. UW-CornellDairyRepro$Plus: A reproductive analysis tool that includes heat detection devices. https://dairymgt.info/oldtools/UWCUDairyRepro/tool1.php
Cabrera, V. E. Dairy reproductive economic analysis. https://dairymgt.info/markov/reader.php
Cabrera, V. E. Grouping strategies for feeding lactating dairy cattle. https://dairymgt.info/tools/grouping_strategy/index.php
Cabrera, V. E. Exploring timing of pregnancy impact on income over feed cost. https://dairymgt.info/tools/pregnancy/
Selected Other Publications
Cabrera, V. E. 2022 (upcoming). Integration of AI and Machine Learning. American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists California Chapter, California 26-27 October 2022.
Zhang, F., K. A. Weigel, and V. E. Cabrera. 2022. New insights on data integration and artificial intelligence to predict primiparous lactation curves capturing genotype-by-environment interactions. 2022 American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting. Oklahoma City, OK, 26-30 June 2022.
Cabrera, V. E. 2021. The economic value of nutritional grouping on dairy farms (O valor econômico do agrupamento nutricional em fazendas leiteiras). 56th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science + Formuleite – Brazil. Florianopolis, Brazil.16-20 August 2021.
Cabrera, V. E. 2021. Economics of using beef semen. American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (ADSA), Virtual, Louisville, KY, 11-14 July 2021. Journal of Dairy Science 104: (Suppl. 1): S150.
Cabrera, V. E. 2021. Panel on Data integration in dairy farms from the Dairy Brain perspective. Precision Dairy Conference. Bloomington, MN, 22-23 June 2021.
Cabrera, V. E., and M. Ferris. 2021. Applications of integrated data on dairy farms. Keynote Speakers. The Center for Digital Agriculture at Cornell University. 28 January 2021.
Cabrera, V. E. 2020. Developing a Dairy Brain: The Next Big Leap in Dairy Farm Management Using Coordinated Data Ecosystems and Artificial Intelligence. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting. 8-11 November 2020.
Cabrera, V. E. 2020. Developing a Dairy Brain: The Next Big Leap in Dairy Farm Management Using Coordinated Data Ecosystems and Artificial Intelligence. Keynote speaker. International Milk Genomics Consortium. 2020 Symposium. 13-16 October 2020.
Fadul-Pacheco, L., F. Zhang and V. E. Cabrera. 2020. Comparing Machine Learning Algorithms for Prediction of Clinical Mastitis in Early Lactation. International Milk Genomics Consortium, Virtual Symposium 2020. 13-16 October 2020.
Cabrera, V.E. 2020. Developing a Dairy Brain: Improved Decision-Making from Continuous Integrated Data. Midwest section meeting of the American Society of Animal Science. 2-4 March 2020. Omaha, Nebraska.
Cabrera, V. E., J. Barrientos, L. Fadul, and H. Delgado. 2019. Real-time continuous decision-making using big data. American Dairy Science Annual Meeting. Cincinnati, OH. Journal of Dairy Science 102: (Suppl. 1): 322.
Cabrera, V. E. 2018. What are the economic advantages of grouping and feeding dairy cows by nutritional need? Proceedings of 29th Annual Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium. Gainesville, FL 5-7 February 2018.
Mur-Novales, R. M., and V. E. Cabrera. 2017. What type of semen should I use? Proceedings Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council Annual Convention. Reno, NV 7-9 November 2017.
Bach, A., and V. E. Cabrera. 2016. Nutritional approaches in robotic herds. Journal of Dairy Science 99 (Suppl. 1):35.
Cabrera, V. E. 2015. Economics of production efficiency: Nutritional grouping. Journal of Dairy Science 98 (Suppl. 2):350.
Animal & Dairy Sciences Climate and Diversity Committee
Animal & Dairy Sciences Faculty and Development Committee
CALS Equity and Diversity Committee
Data Science Hub Steering Committee
Journal of Dairy Science Editorial Board
ANIMALS Journal Editorial Board
Frontiers in Animal Sciences Journal Editorial Board
Recommender on Peer Community in Animal Science
Ruminant Farm System Model National Initiative Executive Committee Member
ANEMBE (National Association of Veterinarians, Spain) Advisory Committee
American Dairy Science Association. DeLaval Dairy Extension Award. (Plaque)(Picture)(News)
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Award (Letter) (News)
Wisconsin Association of County Agricultural Agents. Second Mile Award (Plaque) (Citation)
University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Pound Extension Award (Letter) (Plaque) (Words)
University of Florida School of Natural Resources and Environment. Distinguished Achievement Award (Plaque) (Words)
American Dairy Science Association. Foundation Scholar Award in Dairy Production (Letter) (Plaque) (Citations)
University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Alfred Toepfer Faculty Fellow Award. (Letter)