Ruminant Fatty Acid Production with Pastured Livestock Session¶
Three papers were given at this session to show how pasture-fed cattle milk and meat products can have their fatty acid composition impacted by how long they are on pasture and the type of pasture that they are on. One of the most significant benefits is the reduction of the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Americans tend to eat a diet with this ratio well above the recommended level for cardiovascular healthfulness of 4.0 or less. In the feeding trials they cite, the ratio for pasture-fed/finished meat/milk products is below 4.0. This can be readily seen in Figure 1 of the first paper as affected by dairy cattle breed.
Improving Milk and Forage Fatty Acids in Pasture-Based Dairies
Ms. Melissa Bainbridge and Mr. Caleb P. Goossen*
Tradeoffs and Interactions between Pasture and Concentrate on Milk Fatty Acid Profile
Andre Brito*, Ph.D.
Factors which Impact the Fatty Acid Profile of Ruminant Meat
James P. S. Neel*, Ph.D.