Rapeseed supplementation effect on antioxidant and trace element content of winter organic and conventional milk in North East England

Davies, H., Stergiadis, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7293-182X, Chatzidimitriou, E., Steinshamn, H., Leifert, C. and Butler, G. (2017) Rapeseed supplementation effect on antioxidant and trace element content of winter organic and conventional milk in North East England. Aspects of Applied Biology, 136. pp. 279-286. ISSN 0265-1491 (Sustainable Intensification)

Abstract/Summary

A rapeseed supplement trial at Nafferton Farm (Newcastle University) with organic and conventional dairy cows, allowed us to assess the impact of feeding rapeseeds on the fat soluble antioxidant (AO) and trace element (TE) content of the milk during winter, undertaken as part of the study farm research within the Sustainable Intensification research Platform (SIP) project. Significant differences in AO and TE status between the organic and conventional milk were identified, with conventional having a higher content in most cases. Rapeseed intervention increased milk yield but suppressed most TEs and AOs, and replacing wheat with naked oats significantly increased iodine content in milk.