Texas A&M AgriLife High Plains forage program gains research expertise
Garcia to integrate forage and water management into grazing systems
The newest faculty member at the Texas A&M AgriLife High Plains Research and Extension Center in Canyon is Carlos Vela Garcia, Ph.D., who will build a research and outreach program focused on water-limited forage systems.
Garcia, who started Sept. 1, has a 75% appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and a 25% appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. He will serve as an assistant professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and he also has an appointment with the Texas Water Resources Institute.
He brings to Texas A&M AgriLife experience across production environments in the U.S. and Latin America, including the Peruvian Amazon, the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil, and forage systems in Florida. Most recently, he held a postdoctoral research associate position at Clemson University.
Garcia earned his bachelor’s in animal science from the National University of the Peruvian Amazon in Peru, and his master’s and doctorate in animal science from the Rural Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
Building a program to serve High Plains producers
Garcia’s research will aim to develop integrated, water-efficient forage systems that sustain forage and livestock production under the water-limited conditions of the Texas High Plains.
“My priority is to develop resilient forage systems that help Panhandle producers remain productive with less water,” Garcia said.
As he develops his program, Garcia said he will evaluate alternative forages and irrigation strategies to improve forage use.
This will include improving efficient forage production; optimizing the limited irrigation and water use of the region; and integrating forage and grazing management to improve livestock performance.
“The goal is to make better use of the resources we already have while exploring new options adapted to the region,” Garcia said.
