Study proves grass-fed herds are healthier

A study conducted by teams of scientists in Cork has proven that milk and butter from pasture-fed cattle are superior in nutritional properties, appearance, flavour and colour.

The ‘Profiling Milk From Grass’ study, conducted by Teagasc Moorepark Research Centre and the APC Microbiome Institute, underpins the core claim in Bord Bia’s ‘Origin Green’ campaign that Ireland’s grass-fed dairy and meat herds have a natural advantage over the indoor-fed herds of the vast majority of cows in the world.

“Results so far are very exciting and indicate that milk and dairy produce from grass and clover-fed cows has significantly higher concentrations of fat, protein and casein,” said Tom O’Callaghan, a PhD student at Teagasc and first author on both papers.