Organic cows on grass produce healthier milk

Milk from organic cattle that eat a fresh grass diet is likely to be better for your health, according to a new study by the University of Newcastle in the UK. The study found that organic milk contained more good fatty acids such as omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid (known as CLA9) than milk produced on intensive commercial dairy farms. The difference was even more marked during the summer with levels of CLA9 about 60 per cent higher in milk from cattle that graze in fields.

Gillian Butler, livestock project manager for the university's Nafferton Ecological Farming Group, who led the research, said: "Our work has not looked at the impact on human health, but I would say organic milk should be better for health from what we know of the benefits of these good fatty acids. She added: "They are effective in combating cancer, coronary heart disease and type II diabetes." Full story: The Times