2-26 IAT Flaxseed

 Dairy cows that are fed flaxseed produce more nutritious milk, according to a new study. Ten pregnant cows at Oregon State University’s dairy were fed different amounts of flaxseed – up to seven percent of their daily diet. Researchers attempted to pinpoint the amount of flaxseed that would maximize the amount of omega-3 in milk and dairy products without negatively affecting their production and texture. Traditional cattle feed mixtures of corn, grains, alfalfa hay and grass silage result in dairy products with low concentrations of omega-3 and other polyunsaturated fats, according to Gerd Bobe, the lead scientist on the study.

Dr. Bobe told me that after feeding cows flaxseed: “Their milk contained more omega-3 fatty acids and less saturated fat.. 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.

Apparently, the cows produced the same amount of milk while eating flaxseed.One thing is for sure, he said: Dairy farmers will have no trouble convincing cows to eat flaxseed. "They loved it. They ate it like candy," he said.