Dr Diogo Costa's background is on pasture agronomy and animal production with emphasis on ruminant nutrition. Diogo grew up in his family's property in Brazil, surrounded by livestock. His passion for cattle production led him to study agronomy at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) (1999-2003) and on his first year, Diogo joined the CPZ (Clube de Praticas Zootenicas), an internship focused on production of ruminant animals in which students are responsible to run the university's farm operations. His involvement with research and extension started there and continued developing over the years. Diogo's Master at USP (2005-2007) evaluated the use of supplement for growing beef cattle grazing on intensively managed tropical pastures, measuring animal performance across different grazing managements and supplementation strategies. Research undertaken during Diogo's PhD at the University of Queensland (UQ) (2008-2013) focused on the nutritional management of cattle within the context of the northern Australian beef cattle industry. Dr Costa completed a post-doctoral project at USP (2013-2015) again looking at grazing management and supplementation strategies for beef and dairy cattle, and one at UQ (2018-2020) where Dr Costa studied the N recycling mechanisms in tropically adapted beef cattle. The soil-plant-animal interface and its complexity has always fascinated Dr Costa. To be able to work with to technologies to assist livestock management practices represents the desirable feature in his research career. Dr Costa's main goal is to continue working directly with producers to identify their needs and deliver practical solutions to the livestock industries.

February 2008 – 2013. School of Agriculture and Food Sciences - The University of Queensland, Gatton-QLD, Australia. PhD Thesis: “Response of cattle to algae and fatty acids in the diet”.
August 2005 – July 2007. Department of Animal Science - University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. Master Thesis: “Beef cattle responses to energy concentrate supplement on Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandu palisadegrass, under rotational system and different grazing intensities”.
March 1999 - December 2004. University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. Bachelor of Science in Agronomy.
March 2000 - December 2004. University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. Credential in Teaching Agricultural Sciences (part of a dual degree offered by USP).

June 2018 – September 2020. Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation - The University of Queensland. Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of the Centre for Animal Science, responsible for the management and conduction of experiments on nitrogen recycling and efficiency of N utilisation by cattle under different nutritional scenario’s, milk delivery and risk factors associated with calf loss and strategies to neutralise plant toxins in the rumen of cattle in northern Australia.
June 2017 – April 2018. Department of Animal Sciences and Industry – Kansas State University. Manager of the Beef Cattle Research Center, a research facility with emphasis on beef cattle feedlot nutrition.

February 2017 – April 2017. Undergraduate program of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo (FMVZ/USP). Substitute Professor responsible for the Forage Science Course (Agrostologia).

January 2014 – December 2016. Octavio Bastos University Center (UNIFEOB). Program Coordinator. Responsible for leading a team of 25 lecturers and approximately 500 undergraduate students, with additional appointments as a Lecturer of Animal and Pastures Sciences, Animal Nutrition, Agricultural Chemistry and Zoology for undergraduate students of the Agronomic Engineering and Veterinary Sciences Programs.

February 2017 – April 2017. Undergraduate program of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo (FMVZ/USP). Substitute Professor responsible for the Forage Science Course (Agrostologia).

January 2014 – December 2016. Octavio Bastos University Center. Lecturer of Animal and Pastures Sciences, Animal Nutrition, Agricultural Chemistry and Zoology for undergraduate students of the Agronomic Engineering and Veterinary Sciences Programs.

June 2013 – October 2015. Post graduate program of Animal Science Department – University of Sao Paulo. Post-Doctoral Research Fellow. Responsible for the classes of Lipid metabolism and Rumen Kinetics and Intake Control Mechanisms at the Ruminant Nutrition course.

Active member of the Australian Association of Animal Sciences (AAAS) and the Brazilian Society of Animal Science (RBZ).

Jan 2020 - September 2020. The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia. Use of Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) for assessment of feed efficiency of cattle adapted to the tropics. UQ Early Career Researcher 2020.
Jan 2016 - Jun 2016. Octavio Bastos University Center (UNIFEOB), Sao Joao da Boa Vista, SP, Brazil. Chief investigator of a project on integration of crop-livestock production systems funded by Compass Minerals®.
August 2012 - October 2015. University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. Post Doctorate Scholarship under a thematic project in pasture management and use of supplements for beef and dairy cattle funded by Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP - Grant Protocol Number 2012-09535-1).
February 2008 - June 2012. The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia. International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) and living allowance provided by UQ Research Scholarship (UQRS) and PhD project funded by Meat and Livestock Australia.
August 2005 - June 2007. University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. Master Scholarship under a project in pasture management and use of supplements for growing beef cattle co-funded by CAPES Foundation (CAPES) and FAPESP.