Sustainable Intensification? Increased Production Diminishes Omega-3 Content of Sheep Milk

Nikolaos Voutzourakis, Nikolaos Tzanidakis, Sokratis Stergiadis, Leonidas Rempelos, Mick Eyre, Ioanna Atsali, Enrica Franceschin, Carlo Leifert, Alexandros Stefanakis, Smaragda Sotiraki and Gillian Butler
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Nikolaos Voutzourakis: School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2SF, UK
Nikolaos Tzanidakis: Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation Demeter, Thermi 57001, Thessaloniki
Sokratis Stergiadis: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
Leonidas Rempelos: School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2SF, UK
Mick Eyre: School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2SF, UK
Ioanna Atsali: School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2SF, UK
Enrica Franceschin: Mérieux NutriSciences, Via Fratta, 25, 31023 Resana, Italy
Carlo Leifert: Centre for Organics Research, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
Alexandros Stefanakis: Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation Demeter, Thermi 57001, Thessaloniki
Smaragda Sotiraki: Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation Demeter, Thermi 57001, Thessaloniki
Gillian Butler: School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2SF, UK

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Intensifying agricultural production alters food composition, but this is often ignored when assessing system sustainability. However, this could compromise consumer health and influence the concept of “sustainable diets”. Here, we consider the milk composition of Mediterranean dairy sheep, finding inferior fatty acid (FA) profiles with respect to consumer health as a result of a more intensive system of production. Semi-intensive management produced 57% more milk per ewe, with a 20% lower fat content (but inferior fat composition). The milk had a nutritionally poorer fatty acid (FA) profile, with an 18% lower omega-3 FA concentration (n-3) (19% fewer long-chain n-3s) and a 7% lower monounsaturated FA concentration but a 3% higher saturated FA (9% higher in C14:0) concentration compared to ewes under traditional, extensive management. A redundancy analysis identified close associations between fat composition and animal diets—particularly concentrate supplementation and cultivated pasture grazing—and n-3 was associated with grazing in diverse, native mountain pastures. This paper questions if identifying such key elements in traditional systems could be deployed for “sustainable intensification” to maintain food quality while increasing output.

Keywords: intensification; dairy sheep; milk; fatty acid; omega-3 PUFA; feeding regimes; season (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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