Research & Articles
The RuFaS model is built on peer-reviewed research to deliver a dynamic model that is reliable and agile to changing conditions and needs. Additionally, RuFaS has created opportunities to contribute to important research outcomes that we hope will serve the scientific community too.
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Article
Setting the Pace for Progress: A Unified Approach to Dairy Sustainability
2025
Dairy Herd
Through collaboration and sustained effort, the dairy industry positions itself at the forefront of sustainable agriculture,...
Article
Dairy Leaders Share Progress, Priorities at Fall Alliance Meeting
2025
Oklahoma Farm Report
ANAHEIM, Calif. – More than 270 leaders from across the dairy value chain gathered Nov. 18 for the 2025 Dairy Sustainability Alliance® Fall...
Article
New Study: Genetic Selection with Dairy Wellness Profit Index® Supports Measurable Productivity Gains for Dairy Producers
2025
The Cattle Site
Selecting for health, fertility and production traits helpslead to healthier, more productive cows.
Article
New Study: Genetic Selection with Dairy Wellness Profit Index® Supports Measurable Productivity Gains for Dairy Producers
2025
Oklahoma Farm Report
A newly published study from Zoetis and Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) provides compelling evidence that genetic selection using the Dairy...
Article
Dairy farm modeling tool boosts sustainability, decision-making
2025
Cornell Chronicle
The Ruminant Farm Systems modeling tool is available for open-source collaboration, and is available, free of charge, to all U.S. dairy...
Scientific Publication
Transdisciplinary model-based systems engineering in the development of the Ruminant Farm Systems model
2025
Hu, H., Whitcomb, C. A., Ploetz, T. E., & Reed, K. F.
This study adopts a transdisciplinary model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach to support the development of the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model, an advanced on …
Scientific Publication
Invited Review: The Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model is a platform to support future research and actions for sustainable dairy farming
2025
Reed, K. F., Tricarico, J. M., HekmatiAthar, S., Waddell, J. S., Andreen, D. A., Briggs, K. R., Liu, A., Tomlinson, N. D., Adamchick, J., Cabrera, V. E., Hu, H., Gong, Y., Graef, G. M., Villalobos-Barquero, M. R., Oliver, J. P., Nydam, D. V., Ayache, N., & McClintock, L.
Abstract The Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model is an open-source, modular, whole-farm simulation platform designed to support interdisciplinary research, innovation, and …
Scientific Publication
Advancing dairy farm simulations: A two-step approach for tailored lactation curve estimation and its systemic impacts
2025
Gong, Y., Hu, H., Reed, K. F., & Cabrera, V. E.
Lactation curve models are a foundational component of dairy farm simulation models because they support prediction of individual animal milk production over time. For farm …
Article
National Dairy FARM Program releases new versions
2024
Feedstuffs
New versions of the Animal Care and Workforce Development Programs update and improve agriculture-leading benchmarks for animal care and...
Article
Animal health is integral to secure food systems. Is the EU ready for the challenges ahead?
2024
Euractiv
The global population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. To meet this growing demand, animal protein production must increase...
Scientific Publication
Simulating diverse dairy management systems with the RuFaS model
2024
Reed, K. F., Adamchick, J. S., Briggs, K. R., & Nydam, D. V.
Dairy industry progress towards sustainable production practices requires methods for whole farm environmental footprinting to support both on-farm decisionmaking and inventory …
Scientific Publication
A stochastic animal life cycle simulation model for a whole dairy farm system model: Assessing the value of combined heifer and lactating dairy cow reproductive management programs
2023
Li, M., Reed, K. F., Lauber, M. R., Fricke, P. M., & Cabrera, V. E.
This analysis introduces a stochastic herd simulation model and evaluates the estimated reproductive and economic performance of combinations of reproductive management …
Scientific Publication
A time series analysis of milk productivity in US dairy states
2023
Li, M., Reed, K. F., & Cabrera, V. E.
As US dairy cow production evolves, it is important to characterize trends and seasonal patterns to project amounts and fluctuations in milk and milk components by states or …
Conference Proceedings
Comparison of predicted nutritional requirements of two feeding systems for dairy cattle implemented in a Monte-Carlo simulation model of herd dynamics
2023
Waddell, J. C., Cabezas-Garcia, E., & Reed, K. F.,
There is increased interest in precision-feeding systems that account for individual-animal variation and temporal dairy herd dynamics to increase feed-efficiency and reduce …
Scientific Publication
Investigating the effect of temporal, geographic, and management factors on US Holstein lactation curve parameters
2022
Li, M., Rosa, G. J. M., Reed, K. F., & Cabrera, V. E.
We fit the Wood's lactation model to an extensive database of test-day milk production records of US Holstein cows to obtain lactation-specific parameter estimates and …
Scientific Publication
The application of nonlinear programming on ration formulation for dairy cattle
2022
Li, J., Kebreab, E., You, F., Fadel, J. G., Hansen, T. L., VanKerkhove, C., & Reed, K. F.
The objective of this study was to compare the application of iterative linear programming (iteLP), sequential quadratic programming (SQP), and mixed-integer nonlinear …
Conference Proceedings
The Ruminant Farm Systems Model: A decision-support tool for whole farm efficiency and sustainability
2022
Reed, K. F.
Sustainable dairy production requires methods to quantify the environmental footprint of dairy farms that can inform management decisions. Impact inventories can provide some …
Scientific Publication
The ruminant farm systems animal module: A biophysical description of animal management
2021
Hansen, T. L., Li, M., Li, J., Vankerhove, C. J., Sotirova, M. A., Tricarico, J. M., Cabrera, V. E., Kebreab., E., & Reed, K. F.
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the sustainable production of food, leading producers and scientists to evaluate farming practices that preserve …
Conference Proceedings
Application of the Ruminant Farm Systems model (RuFaS) to assess the environmental impact of reproductive strategies in dairy farms: greenhouse gas
2021
Reed, K., F., Nydam, D. V., Li, M., & Cabrera, V.
Dairy producers are challenged to meet goals to produce milk in an economically viable and socially acceptable way that minimizes environmental footprints and maintains cow health …
Article
Next-generation whole-farm dairy sustainability analysis: The Ruminant Farm Systems Model
2020
Ag Proud
Understanding and awareness of how agricultural practices impact our environment, natural resource use, and climate is growing.
Scientific Publication
A new modeling environment for integrated dairy system management
2019
Kebreab, E., Reed, K. F., Cabrera, V. E., Vadas, P. A., Thoma, G., & Tricarico, J. M.
new modeling environment for integrated dairy system management | Animal Frontiers | Oxford Academic Skip to Main Content Advertisement Oxford Academic Journals Books Search Menu …
Conference Proceedings
RuFaS: A next generation tool to support environmentally integrated dairy farm management
2019
Motew, M., & Reed, K.F.
US dairy production provides vital food and nutrition to people, yet comes with significant environmental costs. Efficient use of nitrogen (N) on dairy farms remains a pressing concern …
Conference Proceedings
Modeling the nutrition-environment nexus: Completing the cycle
2018
Reed, K. F.
Dairy farms are complex, interconnected systems. Nutrient management planning requires consideration of how the impacts of management decisions percolate through the entire …