Pablo Dominguez Castaño

Experience in performing statistical analyses, estimating genetic parameters, and conducting genomic predictions using pedigree and genomic information from large dairy and beef cattle datasets.

Currently, Pablo is part of a project conducting quantitative genetic analyses using phenotypic, pedigree, genomic, and weather data to understand the impact of heat stress on milk yield losses in Holstein, Jersey, and Swedish Red dairy cattle in Sweden.

I grew up in a city but remained closely connected to the farm, as my father is a cattle breeder. During my high school holidays, I helped out on the farm, which sparked my interest in agricultural work. This led me to pursue a degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Caldas (Colombia). During my degree, I completed an internship in Brazil, which inspired me to pursue a Master’s degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics at São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil. After completing my Master’s, I began working as a professor at Uniagraria (Colombia). It was during this time that I discovered statistics and its pervasive use in quantitative genetics and breeding aligns with my interests in biology, maths, and farming. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to mentor younger students, which not only deepened my understanding of the field but also sparked a passion for teaching and research. This naturally led me to pursue a PhD in Animal Science, also at UNESP. During this time, I had the opportunity to spend time with the Livestock Genomics Group at the University of Queensland (Australia). There, I developed experience with genomics and its use in animal breeding. After the PhD, I returned to Uniagraria to continue my academic work. This international journey eventually led me to Sweden, where I currently have a postdoctoral position at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, working on a project focused on heat resilience in dairy cattle.

Dominguez-Castaño, P., Fortes, M., Tan, W. L. A., Toro-Ospina, A. M., & Silva, J. I. V. (2024). Genome-wide association study for milk yield, frame, and udder-conformation traits of Gir dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-24648

Souza, L.L., Dominguez-Castaño, P., Gianvecchio, S. B., Sakamoto, L. S., Rodrigues, G. R. D., Soares, T. L. D. S., ... & Zerlotti Mercadante, M. E. (2024). Heritability estimates and genome-wide association study of methane emission traits in Nellore cattle. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae182

Dominguez-Castaño, P., Fortes, M., Toro-Ospina, A. M., & Silva, J. I. V. (2024). Genetic parameters for milk production and body-conformation traits in Dairy Gir cattle. Animal Production Science.https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23207

Dominguez-Castaño, P., Marchi Maiorano, A., Silva Lopes, J. E., Vargas de Oliveira, M. H., Michel Castilhos, A., & Vasconcelos Silva, J. A. I. (2023). Genetic parameters for mouth size and their influence on growth traits in pasture-raised Nelore cattle. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad150

Toro-Ospina, A. M., Faria, R. A., Dominguez-Castaño, P., Santana, M. L., Gonzalez, L. G., Espasandin, A. C., & Silva, J. A. I. V. (2023). Genotype–environment interaction for milk production of Gyr cattle in Brazil and Colombia. Genes & Genomics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13258-022-01273-6

Dominguez-Castaño, P., Toro Ospina, A. M., El Faro, L., & de Vasconcelos Silva, J. A. I. (2021). Genetic principal components for reproductive and productive traits in Holstein cows reared under tropical conditions. Tropical Animal Health and Production. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02639-w