Jeffrey L. Firkins

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Jeffrey L. Firkins

Professor

firkins.1@osu.edu

http://go.osu.edu/BurkDehority

614-688-3089

Office:

223 Animal Science Building

Columbus, OH 43210

Professional Information

Degrees & Credentials:

BS 1981 University of Illinois Animal Science

MS 1983 University of Illinois Ruminant Nutrition

PhD 1987 University of Illinois Ruminant Nutrition

Postdoctoral 1987 University of Illinois Dairy Nutrition

Research Area(s):

Dairy

Microbiology

Nutrition

Biography:

Burk Dehority Image Library

Extending Burk Dehority's Perspectives on the Role of Ciliate Protozoa in the Rumen

Jeffrey L. Firkins is a Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences of The Ohio State University. Firkins was raised on a grain and livestock farm in northern Illinois and developed his interest in dairy cattle by working on his uncle’s nearby dairy farm. Following postdoctoral research in dairy nutrition at Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, he was hired as an Assistant Professor of dairy cattle nutrition in the Department of Dairy Sciences (now the Department of Animal Sciences) in 1987 and has moved through the ranks to full Professor in 2000.

Dr. Firkins conducted applied research to answer immediate and long-term concerns of the dairy industry in three main areas: 1) studying the interface between nutrition and microbiology to enhance the conversion of dietary protein into microbial protein (and thereby milk protein) and reduce enteric methane production; 2) studying the interactions of physical, chemical, and microbiological processes related to fiber and starch degradation and passage and biohydrogenation in dairy cattle; and 3) improving the quantitative prediction of protein and carbohydrate digestion and microbial protein production in dairy cattle.

Dr. Firkins has served multiple terms as a journal editor, panelist or manager of USDA competitive grants, and on planning committees for international conferences in gut microbiology and ruminant physiology. He has been a principal investigator or co-PI on over $4 million in grants and has published more than 250 articles, including more than 100 refereed journal articles, reviews, and book chapters. He is serving on the committee for the 8^th Edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. Firkins has advised 15 Ph.D. and 13 M.S. students and served on committees of dozens more, including 7 international doctoral candidates. He teaches nutrition classes in Animal Sciences and the interdisciplinary nutrition program at OSU. In his spare time, he enjoys sports, history, gardening, camping, and family activities.

Honors and Awards Fellow of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), 2020

American Feed Industry Association Dairy Nutrition Research Award, ADSA, 2012

Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award of Merit, 2006

ADSA Applied Dairy Nutrition Award, 2003

OARDC Junior Faculty Research Award, 1999

Memberships/Professional Activities

American Dairy Science Association (ADSA)

Rumen Function Conference, renamed Congress on Gastrointestinal Function, Chicago; Ruminant Nutrition Chair, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017

International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology international scientific committee, 2008-current

ADSA 24th Discover Conference (Rumen Microbiology), 2012, co-chair

ADSA 34^th Discover Conference (Amino Acid and Energy Interactions), 2018, co-chair

Numerous departmental, college, and university committees

Works

Selected Book Chapters and Reviews

Hristov, A.N., J. Oh, C. Lee, R. Meinen, F. Montes, T. Ott, J. Firkins, A. Rotz, C. Dell, A. Adesogan, W. Yang, J. Tricarico, E. Kebreab, G. Waghorn, J. Dijkstra, and S. Oosting. 2013. Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in livestock production—A review of technical options for non-CO2 emissions. Gerber, P.J, B. Henderson, and H.P.S. Makkar, eds. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper No. 177. FAO, Rome, Italy.

Firkins, J.L., and Z. Yu. 2015. How to use data on the rumen microbiome to improve our understanding of ruminant nutrition. J. Anim. Sci. 93:1450-1470.

Hackmann, T.J., and J.L. Firkins. 2015. Maximizing efficiency of rumen microbial protein production. Frontiers in Microbiology 6:465. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00465.

Selected Journal Articles

Sylvester, J.T., S.K.R. Karnati, Z. Yu, M. Morrison, and J.L. Firkins. 2004. Development of an assay to quantify rumen ciliate protozoal biomass in cows using real-time PCR. J. Nutr. 134:3378-3384. (Editorial Commententary)

Hackmann, T.J., L.E. Diese, and J.L. Firkins. 2013. Quantifying the responses of mixed rumen microbes to excess carbohydrate. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 79:3786-3795. (Editor pick)

Diaz, H.L. K.N. Barr, K.R. Godden, J.E. Plank, I. Zapata, A.N. Schappacher, W.P. Wick, and J.L. Firkins. 2014. Eukaryotic inhibitors or activators elicit responses to chemosensory compounds by ruminal isotrichid and entodiniomorphid protozoa. J. Dairy Sci. 97:2254-2269.

Firkins, J.L., C.M. Fowler, E. Devillard, and B.J. Bequette. 2015. Kinetics of microbial methionine metabolism in continuous cultures administered different methionine sources. J. Dairy Sci. 98:1178-1194.

Hackmann, T.J., and J.L. Firkins. 2015. Electron transport phosphorylation in rumen butyrivibrios: Unprecedented ATP yield for glucose fermentation to butyrate. Front. Microbiol. 6:622. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00622.

Roman-Garcia, Y., R.R. White, and J.L. Firkins. 2016. Meta-analysis of postruminal microbial nitrogen flows in dairy cattle. I. Derivation of equations. J. Dairy Sci. 99:7918-7931.

White, R.R., Y. Roman-Garcia, J.L. Firkins. 2016. Meta-analysis of postruminal microbial nitrogen flows in dairy cattle. II. Approaches to and implications of more mechanistic prediction. J. Dairy Sci. 99:7932-7944.

White, R.R., Y. Roman-Garcia, J.L. Firkins, P. Kononoff, M.J. VandeHaar, H. Tran, T. McGill, R. Garnett, and M.D. Hanigan. 2017. Evaluation of the National Research Council (2001) dairy model and derivation of new prediction equations. 2. Rumen degradable and undegradable protein. J. Dairy Sci. 100:3611-3627.

Sok, M. D.R. Ouellet, J.L. Firkins, D. Pellerin, and H. Lapierre. 2017. Amino acid composition of rumen bacteria and protozoa in cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 100:5241-5249.

Wenner, B.A., J. de Souza, F. Batistel, T.J. Hackmann, Z. Yu, and J.L. Firkins. 2017. Association of aqueous hydrogen concentration with methane production in continuous cultures modulated to vary pH and solids passage rate. J. Dairy Sci. 100:5378-5387.

Editors Choice: Invited Review: Advances in Rumen Efficiency

Date published:

07/30/2021

Publication type:

Journal article

Our Author(s):

Jeffrey L. Firkins

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Jeffrey L. Firkins

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Professional Information

Honors and Awards Fellow of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), 2020

Memberships/Professional Activities

Selected Book Chapters and Reviews

Selected Journal Articles