The Animal and Dairy Sciences Department’s Extension Specialists in Management, Genetics, Physiology, and Reproduction are the outreach arm of the University of Wisconsin - Madison. These specialists conduct applied research and conduct extension and outreach programs in dairy science. The Dairy Science program is part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. This website serves as a resource for clientele on dairy cattle management topics. Victor E. Cabrera, PhD, Professor and Extension Specialist in Dairy Management, is available to contact for more information.
Victor E.Cabrera, Ph.D.
Professor Extension Specialist in Dairy Management
434 Animal Sciences,
1675 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: (608) 265-8506
E-mail: vcabrera@wisc.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Animal & Dairy Sciences Profile Page
Professional Experience
- Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist in Dairy Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison 2018-Present
- Associate Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist in Dairy Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison 2014-2018
- Assistant Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist in Dairy Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison 2008-2014
- Assistant Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist
- New Mexico State University 2006-2008 Post-Doctoral Research Associate University of Miami, 2004-2006
- Teaching and Research Assistant University of Florida 1999, 2001-2004
- Consultant Inter-American Development Bank 1999-2001
- Extension Agent Valle Grande Rural Institute (ONG) 1994-1997
Education
- Postdoctoral Training, University of Miami, 2004-2006
- Ph.D., University of Florida 2001-2004
- M.S., University of Florida 1997-1999
- Postgraduate Diploma, UNEFA, Madrid-Paris 1995
- B.S. & Eng., La Molina Agrarian University, Peru 1988-1993
Short Bio
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.
Biography
Dr. Victor E. Cabrera was born and raised in the Inca's land of Cusco, Peru. After finishing High School, he moved to
Lima to pursue his B.S. and Engineering degrees from La Molina Agrarian University. After graduation, he worked for three
and a half years as an agriculture educator in a college. During that time he completed a 3-month post-graduate course on
administration of agriculture schools in Spain and France. In 1997, Victor was awarded a fellowship from the Kellogg
Foundation to pursue a M.S. degree in Farming Systems Research and Extension at the University of Florida. His M.S. research
focused on improving small farm livelihood systems using alternative agronomic practices, which were evaluated with linear
programming techniques. After finishing his M.S. degree, Victor accepted a 6-month interim position at the University of
Florida Food and Resource Economics Department.
Victor went back to Peru in 1999 where he worked as a consultant in a project of the Inter-American Development Bank for
two years. In 2001, he returned to the U.S. to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Florida School of Natural Resources
working as a research and teaching assistant in the Food and Resource Economics Department. During his Ph.D. program,
he became deeply involved with dairy industry and dairy farm systems developing a comprehensive decision support system
to help dairy producers cope with increasing environmental restrictions while maintaining profitability. In 2004, right
after graduating, Victor accepted a Postdoctoral position with the University of Miami, where he worked performing risk
analyses of using climate information under government farm programs. In early 2006, Victor accepted the position of
Assistant Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist with the New Mexico State University where he worked for two years.
During that time, Dr. Cabrera worked performing applied research focused on environmental decision-making for the growing
dairy industry in New Mexico and Western Texas.
In April 2008, he joined the faculty team of the Dairy Science Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Dairy Management with 70% Extension and 30% research appointment split.
Victor was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in November 2013 and then promoted to full professor in 2018.
Dr. Cabrera is focusing his extension and research programs on dairy farm economic decision-making for improved profitability
and sustainability. Dr. Cabrera translates proven research into user-friendly decision making tools addressed to dairy
producers, extension agents, and dairy farm consultants. During his career, Victor has authored or coauthored >70 peer-reviewed
publications, 9 book chapters, >60 Extension publications, >80 proceeding papers, and developed more than 40 scientific tools
for decision-making.
Dr. Cabrera has been invited as speaker or consultant to many States in the
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