Dr. Gabriela Perez-Hernandez joined Tarleton State University in August 2025 as an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science and as Director of the Southwest Regional Dairy Center, where she also serves as Dairy Specialist. In this role, she supports research and outreach efforts aimed at strengthening dairy production systems in Southwest Texas, and she has contributed to multiple grant-funded projects related to sustainability, screw worm research and long-term dairy production resilience.
Originally from Mexico, Dr. Perez-Hernandez earned her Bachelor’s of Science in agronomy and animal Science from Chapingo Autonomous University. She continued there for her Master’s of Science. There, her work focused on dairy nutrition and the metabolic challenges that affect cows during the transition period. That research foundation was complemented by industry experience as a dairy manager in Northeast Mexico, which continues to inform her emphasis on solutions that are scientifically rigorous, practical and economically viable for producers.
Dr. Perez-Hernandez later completed her Ph.D. in dairy sciences at Virginia Tech, where she studied how management, physiological and environmental factors influence a cow’s milk synthesis capacity, with a strong emphasis on lactation physiology. After earning her doctorate, she remained at Virginia Tech for two additional years as a postdoctoral research associate, expanding her expertise in mammary epithelial cell function and its role in milk and milk protein synthesis. These collective experiences positioned her to bridge fundamental lactation biology with applied challenges in commercial dairy systems.
At Tarleton State, Dr. Perez-Hernandez is building an integrated research program centered on improving milk production and lactation persistency while protecting cow health and longevity. A major focus is heat stress, a pervasive environmental stressor that disrupts systemic homeostasis in dairy cows and can be especially costly in high-producing herds. According to a study published in the Journal of Dairy Science, cows in Texas may experience heat stress for an estimated 128 to 219 days per year. Dr. Perez-Hernandez’s research found milk yield losses associated with heat stress estimated at approximately 4.3 kg per cow per day, representing a significant economic burden for dairy operations across the state.
Dr. Perez-Hernandez’s work examined how heat stress may limit production capacity by altering mammary gland microstructure and the biology of mammary epithelial cells, including cells that can be recovered from milk. Building on these findings, she is now exploring how mammary blood flow and nutrient supply may further constrain or potentially support mammary function during heat stress. In parallel, her research takes a whole-cow approach by evaluating how heat stress influences rumen health, rumen pH dynamics and water intake patterns, and how these changes translate into differences in milk yield and milk quality. Through this combined physiological and management-focused framework, Dr. Perez-Hernandez aims to develop strategies that help cows produce better and more consistently across lactation without compromising welfare, resilience or productive lifespan. Ultimately, her program is designed to contribute to more profitable and sustainable dairy systems for farmers, the foundation of the supply chain that delivers the milk, cheese, ice cream and other dairy foods that we enjoy every day.