U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Northeast Area Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center Food Components and Health Laboratory Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            KARSTEN, HEATHER - PENN STATE UNIVERSITYitem
                                            Baer, David
  Submitted to: Grasslands
                                    Publication Type: Book / Chapter
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2008
                                    Publication  Date: 1/1/2009
                                    Citation: Karsten, H.D., Baer, D.J. 2009. Grass and human nutrition. In: Wedin, W.,  Fales, S.L., editors. Grassland Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy. p. 189-204.Grasslands.Interpretive Summary: Food products from animals that graze grasslands and consume diets high in forages may be better for human health than livestock fed diets with forages and concentrates. Meat from livestock that graze pastures in the United States frequently has less fat and higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E than animals fed diets primarily based on grains. Similarly in various studies, dairy cattle that graze pastures and consume diets high in forages produce milk that has higher concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acids than when cows were fed concentrated and conserved forages. Chickens that forage on pasture produce eggs with almost 3 fold more omega-3 fatty aacids significantly more fat-soluble vitamins than poultry fed typical grain-based diets.  These differences appear to be due to the nutritional qualities of the livestock diets.
                                Technical Abstract: Food products from animals that graze grasslands and consume diets high in forages are often better for human health than livestock fed diets with forages and concentrates. Meat from livestock that graze pastures in the United States frequently has less fat and higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids (FA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and vitamin E than animals fed diets primarily based on grains. Similarly in various studies, dairy cattle that grazed pastures and consumed diets high in forages produced milk that had 1.3 to 3.8 higher concentrations of the omega-3 FA alpha-linolenic acid, and 2 to 3 times higher CLA concentrations than when cows were fed concentrated and conserved forages. Further, chickens that foraged on pasture produced eggs with almost 3 fold more omega-3 FA and significantly more fat-soluble vitamins than poultry fed typical grain-based diets.  These differences appear to be due to the nutritional qualities of the livestock diets. Grassland plant tissues are primarily photosynthetic tissues with chloroplasts that contain a high proportion the unsaturated fatty acids linoleic and alpha linolenic acid. Further, plants that are grazed, rather than dried for hay or ensiled, have higher concentrations of carotenoids and vitamin E than most conserved forages and grain crops that are fed to livestock.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov