Jeffrey Firkins

About

Jeffrey Firkins is a Distinguished Professor in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on animal sciences, with particular emphasis on food, agricultural, and environmental aspects. As a distinguished faculty member, he has contributed significantly to the department and the university's research initiatives.

Research topics

• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Food science
• Organic chemistry
• Genetics
• Chromatography
• Chemistry
• Ecology
• Animal science
• Agronomy

Selected publications

• The macronuclear genome of anaerobic ciliate Entodinium caudatum reveals its biological features adapted to the distinct rumen environment

  Genomics · 2021 · 70 citations

  DOI

• Metabolic influence of core ciliates within the rumen microbiome

  The ISME Journal · 2023-05-11 · 69 citations

  articleOpen access

  Protozoa comprise a major fraction of the microbial biomass in the rumen microbiome, of which the entodiniomorphs (order: Entodiniomorphida) and holotrichs (order: Vestibuliferida) are consistently observed to be dominant across a diverse genetic and geographical range of ruminant hosts. Despite the apparent core role that protozoal species exert, their major biological and metabolic contributions to rumen function remain largely undescribed in vivo. Here, we have leveraged (meta)genome-centric…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

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

  Frontiers in Microbiology · 2020 · 52 citations

  1st authorCorresponding

  Dr. Burk Dehority was an international expert on the classification and monoculture of ruminal ciliated protozoa. We have summarized many of the advancements in knowledge from his work but also in his scientific way of thinking about interactions of ruminal ciliates with the entire rumen microbial community and animal host. As a dedication to his legacy, an electronic library of high-resolution images and video footage catalogs numerous species and techniques involved in taxonomy, isolation, cul…

  DOI

• Conditions stimulating neutral detergent fiber degradation by dosing branched-chain volatile fatty acids. I: Comparison with branched-chain amino acids and forage source in ruminal batch cultures

  Journal of Dairy Science · 2021 · 45 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  C from labeled BCAA in the bacteria pellet but not in the FA fraction suggested direct assimilation into bacterial protein. The BCVFA and valerate were dosed in varying combinations that either summed to 4 mM (experiment 2) or had only 1 mM no matter what combination (experiment 3). In general, grass hay was more responsive to stimulation in NDF digestibility by BCVFA than was alfalfa hay, which was attributed to the higher degradable protein in the latter. The net production of the BCVFA (after…

  DOI

• Invited review: Rumen modifiers in today's dairy rations

  Journal of Dairy Science · 2023-03-18 · 43 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Our aim was to review feed additives that have a potential ruminal mechanism of action when fed to dairy cattle. We discuss how additives can influence ruminal fermentation stoichiometry through electron transfer mechanisms, particularly the production and usage of dihydrogen. Lactate accumulation should be avoided, especially when acidogenic conditions suppress ruminal neutral detergent fiber digestibility or lead to subclinical acidosis. Yeast products and other probiotics are purported to inf…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• J.H. Clark

  Urbana University

  99 shared

• R.M. Cleale

  66 shared

• D.L. Palmquist

  The Ohio State University

  56 shared

• M.D. Stern

  51 shared

• B.O. Brodie

  50 shared

• G.A. Varga

  50 shared

• M. L. Eastridge

  The Ohio State University

  49 shared

• John Huber

  Natural Resources Canada

  49 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Animal Sciences

  The Ohio State University

  1995

• M.S., Animal Sciences

  The Ohio State University

  1991

• B.S., Animal Sciences

  The Ohio State University

  1989

Awards & honors

• CFAES Distinguished Professor recipient, 2023-2024
• CFAES Distinguished Senior Faculty Research Award recipient,…
• Fellow of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), 202…
• American Feed Industry Association Dairy Nutrition Research…
• Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award of Merit, 2006

Similar researchers at Ohio State University

• Thaddeus Ezejih-41
• Renukaradhya Gourapurah-39