J.L. Firkins

This researcher studies how the microbial community in the rumen (the fermentation chamber in cattle stomachs) breaks down protein, fiber, and nitrogen compounds, and how this affects nutrition and digestion in dairy cows. Much of the work involves building and testing mathematical and feed-evaluation models that predict nutrient flows from the rumen to the rest of the digestive tract, alongside more recent genomic studies of rumen microbes. The research is aimed at improving understanding of dairy cattle feed efficiency and nutrient utilization.

Publication output has fluctuated over the last decade, with peaks around 2017, 2019, and 2023, but has slowed in the most recent few years, averaging about 4-5 papers per year over the last five years.

Generated by claude-sonnet-5 from public bibliographic data · Jul 20, 2026