Dr. Cervantes earned his BS in agronomy from the National Technological Institute of Mexico and an MS in ruminant nutrition from the Autonomous University of Yucatan while doing an internship at the University of Florida. In the fall of 2014, Dr. Cervantes started a Ph.D. in Dairy Nutrition at the University of Florida, researching forage science, rumen microbiology, and dairy production. From 2019 to 2024, he served as an assistant professor at the Department of Animal Science at Fort Valley State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. His research and collaborative projects have been funded by agencies and private companies. He has published several peer-reviewed manuscripts and research abstracts. Dr. Cervantes is an active member in research societies and former chair of the small ruminant section of the American Dairy Science Association.

His research focuses on developing and implementing nutritional strategies to increase the sustainability of ruminant production systems. Dr. Cervantes’s research aims to understand the host-microbiome interactions in the rumen to improve feed efficiency and performance in small ruminants and cattle. His research uses a multi-omics technology to study the interrelationship between dietary strategies, rumen microbiome, and animal performance. Currently, he serves as director of the International Goat Research Center, and he coordinates research, teaching, and extension initiatives applied to improve goat production in the United States.