The "Grass-Fed" Milk Story: Understanding the Impact of Pasture Feeding on the Composition and Quality of Bovine Milk

Milk is a highly nutritious food that contains an array of macro and micro components, scientifically proven to be beneficial to human health. While the composition of milk is influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetics, health, lactation stage etc., the animal's diet remains a key mec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Foods 2019-08, Vol.8 (8), p.350
Main Authors: Alothman, Mohammad, Hogan, Sean A, Hennessy, Deirdre, Dillon, Pat, Kilcawley, Kieran N, O'Donovan, Michael, Tobin, John, Fenelon, Mark A, O'Callaghan, Tom F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
conjugated linoleic acid
dairy farming
diet
farmers
genetics
grass-fed
human health
lactation stage
milk
milk composition
nutrient content
nutrients
nutrition
omega-3 fatty acids
omega-6 fatty acids
palmitic acid
pasture
pastures
Review
TMR
vaccenic acid
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Summary:Milk is a highly nutritious food that contains an array of macro and micro components, scientifically proven to be beneficial to human health. While the composition of milk is influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetics, health, lactation stage etc., the animal's diet remains a key mechanism by which its nutrition and processing characteristics can be altered. Pasture feeding has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on the nutrient profile of milk, increasing the content of some beneficial nutrients such as Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vaccenic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), while reducing the levels of Omega-6 fatty acids and palmitic acid. These resultant alterations to the nutritional profile of "Grass-Fed" milk resonate with consumers that desire healthy, "natural", and sustainable dairy products. This review provides a comprehensive comparison of the impact that pasture and non-pasture feeding systems have on bovine milk composition from a nutritional and functional (processability) perspective, highlighting factors that will be of interest to dairy farmers, processors, and consumers.
ISSN:2304-8158
2304-8158
DOI:10.3390/foods8080350