Cows Fed Flaxseed Produce More Nutritious Dairy Products

Cows Fed Flaxseed Produce More Nutritious Dairy Products

Cows Fed Flaxseed Produce More Nutritious Dairy Products

I’m KayDee Gilkey with today’s Open Range.?
Diets high in saturated fat can increase cholesterol and cause heart disease, while those rich in omega-3 and other polyunsaturated fatty acids may reduce the risk of heart disease, studies have shown.
New Oregon State University study demonstrates dairy cows that are fed flaxseed produce more nutritious milk.
OSU Assistant Professor in Animal and Rangeland Science, Gerd Bobe shares that the study determined the amount of flaxseed that would maximize the amount of omega-3 in milk and dairy products without negatively affecting production.
Bobe: “What we wanted to make sure was not to give too much because if you overfeed these animals with flaxseed they are sometimes decreasing production. They don’t eat above a certain amount, so what we saw was that 6 pounds was the amount that they still ate and produced well. And that we found also had the highest concentration of the beneficial fatty acids.”
Their milk contained more omega-3 fatty acids and less saturated fat, the study found.
The next challenge is for producers to be able to differentiate increased omega-3 fatty acid milk and other dairy products on grocery store shelves and be paid for that enhanced nutritional value of those dairy products.
 

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