Dr. Jonathan Birnie Publications

Nuffield Scholarship Report

In 2014 Dr. Jonathan Birnie, Managing Director, Birnie Consultancy, completed his Nuffield Scolarship by producing a report entitled “Facilitating change within the red meat chain through knowledge transfer, feedback and technology uptake.”

During the course of the Nuffied Scholarship Programme, Dr Birnie visited New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada and China, taking in views from many different parts of the food supply chain along the way.

The main purpose of the report was to study current methods of knowledge transfer to the farming supply base, and to study the  factors  which  encourage  or  discourage  understanding  and implementation.

Dr Birnie has concluded that the key component to unlocking farm improvement is through effective on farm data gathering, local or remote interpretation and the provision of simple and direct ongoing advice from easily accessible experts.  Technology has a  major  part  to  play  in  increasing  data collection, interpretation and provision of advice. Maximising automation of this process will deliver fastest progress.  The technology must  be  both  simple  to  use  and  cost  effective.  Progress will  be accelerated when farmers can measure the effect of changes they make and relate this to a financial return.

Other Scientific Publications

  • The effect of diet and condition score on fasting heat production of non-producing dairy cows: 1999 (British Society of Animal Science)

  • The Influence of Body Condition on the Fasting Energy Metabolism of Nonpregnant, Nonlactating Dairy Cows: June 2000, Journal of Dairy Science

  • The effect of distiller s and brewer s grains on beef acceptability: 2008 International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (South Africa)

  • Comparison of different hanging methods of lamb carcasses: 2008 (British Society of Animal Science)

  • Influence of abattoir, carcass suspension method, ageing time and anatomical position of the measurement on visual and near infrared spectrum characteristics of the Longissimus Dorsi of lambs: 2009 (British Society of Animal Science)

  • Preference Mapping of Longissimus Dorsi Beef Steaks for Northern Irish Consumers: International Congress of Meat Science and Technology 2009 (Denmark)

  • Attributes important for the eating quality of beef and lamb loin: Jan 2010 (conference paper): Apr 2010 Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science and the Agricultural Research Forum

  • Challenges in meat industry - impact on animal science research: Apr 2010 Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science and the Agricultural Research Forum

  • Identification of sensory attributes, instrumental and chemical measurements important for consumer acceptability of grilled lamb Longissimus lumborum. Feb 2015, Meat Science

  • Preference mapping of Longissimus Dorsi beef steaks for Northern Irish consumers: Jan 2017