From sports undergraduate to MSc Ruminant Nutrition

Posted 18 October 2017

Jonathan Huxtable has graduated from Harper Adams University with a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition and is currently working as the ruminant country manager for the UK and Ireland for an international company, even though his undergraduate degree is in sport.

Jonathan, 30, from Gloucester, Gloucestershire, said: “I decided to take the course so that I could continue to progress in my animal nutrition career and to use the knowledge learned to have a positive impact on animal welfare and production.

“My undergraduate degree is in sport. I’m not from a farming background and had only been on a farm once before and that was to play in a hay barn.

“After I graduated from my undergraduate degree, there was an opportunity to go into ruminant nutrition. I spent a couple of weeks on farms milking cows and getting an idea of what it’s all about. I really enjoyed it and caught the farming bug.

“On coming into the industry, I realised my learning needed further development for me to be successful.

“I originally started coming to Harper to do the diploma in ruminant nutrition, which I’d been invited to do by the company I was working for. The course was a great stepping stone for me.

“After completing the diploma, I was approached by one of the lecturers and was offered the opportunity to study on the master’s programme.

“It wouldn’t have been feasible to do the master’s course without the continuing support from the staff at Harper and on that basis alone, I’d recommend others in my situation looking to study around work to seriously consider Harper. The staff understood the challenges of juggling a full-time job, family and studying part-time.

“I’m very passionate about this industry, especially dairy cows. I can imagine myself working in this area for years, unlike the field of sports which I wasn’t passionate about enough.”