Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
year, or pastures that have hay harvested); (2) don't overgraze, which forc-
es animals to graze close to the ground where the highest concentration of
parasite larvae reside; (3) utilize rotational grazing; (4) implement multi-
species grazing; (5) where possible, break up parasite cycles by making
hay at least once annually; and (6) healthy animals improves resistance
to parasites, so provide adequate nutrition, clean water, and a balanced
trace mineral mix [54,55]. In addition, genetic selection of animals for re-
sistance or resilience to internal parasites may play a more important role
in future animal production systems as decreased use of chemicals and
increased anthelmintic resistance become more prominent.
4.4 GRAZING IMPACTS ON THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF
MILK AND MEAT
Evidence of improved nutrient content in fruits and vegetables produced
under organic conditions is conflicting. Some studies have reported in-
creased nutritional quality in organically raised produce when compared
to non-organic produce [56,57], while others have found no differences
between production systems [58,59]. However, impacts on the nutritional
quality of ruminant products from cattle in pasture-based systems com-
pared with non-organic confinement systems have proven to be more
quantifiable.
4.4.1 QUALITY DIFFERENCES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
Milk and other dairy products are a substantial source of saturated fatty
acids (SFA) in the human diet and these fats significantly contribute to the
risk of cardiovascular disease [60,61]; however, the value of dairy prod-
ucts as an important source of protein, vitamins, and minerals cannot be
ignored. Therefore, improving the fat composition of dairy products by
decreasing SFA content and increasing fatty acids that have positive ef-
fects on human health would greatly benefit consumers. It is well accepted
