Pastured, organic milk higher in antioxidants

Cows that graze on fresh pasture produce milk with higher levels of antioxidants and beneficial fatty acids, such as conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3s, as shown by a recently published study from Newcastle University in the UK.

"Grazing dairy cows on grass or grass and clover swards produces milk with a healthier fatty acid profile and higher levels of fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants," said Gillian Butler, livestock project manager for the Nafferton Ecological Farming Group at Newcastle University, who led the study.

"This study joins a growing body of science indicating strong links between what we feed our farm animals and the nutritional quality of what they feed us," said Michael Pollan, author of the best sellers The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food.

The study is part of the ongoing Cross-European Quality Low Input Food project, which looks into animal health and welfare, milk quality, and working toward minimizing the use of antibiotics in dairy production. "This paper clearly shows that if you manage livestock naturally then it's a win-win situation for both us and them," says Professor Carlo Leifert, the project coordinator.

Butler, the lead author of the study, also noted that cows don't have to be certified organic, but that organic certification can give the assurance that grazing makes a major contribution to their diet. "If more herds made more use of grazing, butter and cream would have a healthier fatty acid profile," she says.

Source
Ontario Farmer Tuesday, August 5, 2008. OACC gratefully acknowledges Ontario Farmer for permission to post this article.

 

Abstract of scientific paper , "Fatty acid and fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations in milk from high-and low-input conventional and organic systems: seasonal variation"

 

Posted September 2008