June 1, 2010

Cows fed on fresh grass produce milk with five times as much unsaturated fat as cows fed on grain, said Federated Farmers dairy chairman, Lachlan McKenzie.

Livestock farmers in New Zealand may be able to cash in on new research into the potential health benefits of meat and milk from grass-fed animals.

"Lab-based research suggests these unsaturated fats, known as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), protect the heart and actually aid weight loss. It's also great news for our beef farmers as grass-fed beef also contains higher concentrations of CLA's," McKenzie said.

Mr McKenzie was commenting on a new study from Harvard University's school of public health which found that milk from grass-fed cows may be healthier than milk from cows raised on feedlots – a common practice in affluent nations in the northern hemisphere.

Earlier studies in animals have suggested that CLAs can protect the heart, and help in weight loss, and two big dietary supplement companies have won regulatory approval in Europe and the US to sell CLA ingredients in foods for people wanting to lose weight.

Hannia Campos of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and her colleagues found, in a study of 4000 people, that people with the highest concentrations of CLAs – the top fifth among all participants - had a 36% lower risk of heart attack compared to those with the lowest concentrations.

"Because pasture grazing leads to higher CLA in milk, and it is the natural feed for cattle, it seems like more emphasis should be given to this type of feeding," she said.

The study was carried out in Costa Rica where dairy cows are grazed on pasture, similar to New Zealand and Australia.

"Whole-fat milk and dairy products have got such a bad reputation in recent years due to their saturated fat and cholesterol contents, and now we find that CLA may be incredibly health-promoting," said Michelle McGuire, spokeswoman for the journal's publisher.