Our Team | Juan Vargas
Contact: [email protected]
Research Scientist
Juan Vargas is originally from Bogota, Colombia. He obtained degrees in Animal Science and a Masters of Animal Production at the National University of Colombia. For four years, he joined the Colombian Agricultural Research Institute (AGROSAVIA), working on feeding practices under grazing systems with small and medium-scale dairy producers. After that, he obtained his Ph.D. in Animal Science at the University of Florida, working on nutritional strategies to reduce environmental impact in the beef sector. Juan has also been involved in research projects related to livestock sustainability and he’s excited to join AgNext’s research team.
Recent Publications:
- Schilling-Hazlett, A. K., Stackhouse-Lawson, K. R., Bryant, T. C., Place, S. E., Ritten, J. P., Vargas, J. J., Reis, I. A., Martins, E. C., Swenson, M. A., Burke, E. N., Campion, R. K., Velasquez, C., Shadbolt, A. M. & Carvalho, P. H. (2025). Evaluation of cattle Sub-species and growth-promoting technology on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and enteric gas flux of steers finished in winter feedlot conditions. Journal of Animal Science, skaf448.
- Vargas, J. D. J., Werner, M., Swenson, M., Sitorski, L., Paula, E. M., Manriquez, D., Carvalho, P. H. & Place, S. E. (2025). Residual methane emission determination and classification of growing steers during the backgrounding and finishing phases. Journal of Animal Science, 103, skaf403.
- Gandolfo, I. M., Derner, J. D., Enns, R. M., Kuehn, L. A., Johnston, M. K., Kearney, S. P., Place, S., Raynor, E., Ritten, J., Shadbolt, A., Stackhouse-Lawson, K., Vargas, J., & Carvalho, P. H. (2025). Steer Growth Performance and Enteric Gas Flux Across Backgrounding Phases in the Western Great Plains. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 103, 247-257.
- Schilling-Hazlett, A. K., Stackhouse-Lawson, K. R., Bryant, T. C., Vargas, J. J., Place, S. E., Ritten, J. P., Martins, E. C., Souze, W. A., Swenson, M. A., Burke, E. N., Campion, R. K., Shadbolt, A. M., & Carvalho, P. H. (2025). Evaluation of cattle sub-species and growth-promoting technology on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and gas flux of steers finished in summer feedlot conditions. Journal of Animal Science, skaf322.
- Raynor, E. J., Shadbolt, A. M., Johnston, M. K., Augustine, D., Derner, J., Ritten, J. P., Delay, N., Carvalho, P., Vargas, J., Place, S., & Stackhouse-Lawson, K. R. (2025). Incorporating virtual fencing to manage yearling steers on extensive rangelands: spatial behavior, growth performance, and enteric methane emissions. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 12, 1637190.
- Vargas, J., Swenson, M., Gomez-Salmoral, M., Garcia, L., Paula, E., Sitorski, L., Campos, L., Carvalho, P., Stackhouse-Lawson, K., DiLorenzo, N., & Place, S. (2025). Use of animal performance and gas flux for estimating dry matter intake in growing steers. Translational Animal Science, 9, txaf111.
- Fernandez-Marenchino, I., Garcia, L., Maderal, A., Tarnonsky, F., Podversich, F., Vargas, J. D. J., Cuervo, W., Gomez-Lopez, C., Schulmeister, T. M., Yoon, I., & DiLorenzo, N. (2025). Assessing the effects of supplementation with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation-derived postbiotic on methane production, ruminal fermentation, and nutrient utilization in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 103, skaf223.
- Cerón‐Souza, I., Castillo‐Sierra, J., Reyes‐Herrera, P. H., Berdugo‐Cely, J. A., Parra‐Salazar, A., Lozano‐Arce, D., Duitama, J., Avellaneda, Y., & Vargas‐Martínez, J. D. J.(2025). Evidence of long‐distance clonal spreading and low genomic diversity of Kikuyu grass from highland livestock farms after a century of intentional introduction in Colombia. Crop Science, 65(3), e70086.
- Vargas, J., Swenson, M., Schilling-Hazlett, A. K., Reis, I. A., Velasquez, C., Martins, E. C., Sitorski, L., Campos, L. M., Carvalho, P. H. V., Stackhouse-Lawson, K. R., Place, S. E. (2025). Evaluation of models of enteric methane emissions in finishing steers. animal.
- Raynor, E. J., Carvalho, P. H. V., Vargas, J. d. J., Martins, E. C., Souza, W. A., Shadbolt, A. M., Jannat, A., Place, S. E., & Stackhouse-Lawson, K. R. (2025). Accounting for Diurnal Variation in Enteric Methane Emissions from Growing Steers Under Grazing Conditions. Grasses, 4(1), 12.
- de J Vargas, J., Manriquez, D., Swenson, M., Carvalho, P. H., & Place, S. E. (2025). Enteric methane emission classification and ranking of growing steers during the backgrounding and finishing phases. Journal of Animal Science.
- Vargas, J. J., Menezes, T. C., Auvermann, B., Derner, J. D., Thoma, G., Hales, K., Johnson, K., Leytem, A., Place, S., Plaut, J., Ritten, J., Thompson, L., & Stackhouse-Lawson, K. R. (2024). Net zero initiative in US beef and dairy systems: integrative on-farm recommendations for greenhouse gas reduction. Environmental Research Communications, 6(10), 101010.
- Avellaneda-Avellaneda, Y., Mancipe-Muñoz, EA, Mayorga-Cubillos, FG, Castillo-Sierra, J., & Vargas-Martinez, JDJ (2024). Productive response of Cenchrus clandestinus (Hochst. ex Chiov.) Morrone to fertilization, residual height and timing of defoliation. Pastures and Forages , 47 .
- Cuervo, W., Gómez, C., Tarnonsky, F., Fernandez-Marenchino, I., Maderal, A., Podversich, F., Vargas, J., & DiLorenzo, N. (2024). Effect of Cashew Nutshell Extract, Saponins and Tannins Addition on Methane Emissions, Nutrient Digestibility and Feeding Behavior of Beef Steers Receiving a Backgrounding Diet. Animals, 14(21), 3126.
- Vargas, J., Carvalho, P., Raynor, E., Martins, E., Souza, W., Shadbolt, A., Stackhouse-Lawson, K., Place, S. (2024) Determination of gas flux of growing steers under intensive grazing conditions, Translational Animal Science.
- Vargas, J., Swenson, M., & Place, S. E. (2024). Determination of gas flux and animal performance test duration of growing cattle in confined conditions. Translational Animal Science.
- Raynor, E.J., Schilling-Hazlett, A, Place, S, Vargas, J, Stackhouse-Lawson, K, Thompson, L, Johnston, M, Jorns, T, Beck, M, Kuehn, L, Derner, J. (2024). Snapshot of Enteric Methane Emissions from Stocker Cattle Grazing Extensive Semiarid Rangelands.
- Avellaneda, Y., Mancipe, E., Vargas, J., & Manriquez, D. (2024). Energy and Protein Requirements of Growing Lambs in Colombian Highlands. Animals, 14(14), 2117.