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In praise of old cows

New research shows that older dairy cows produce more CLA than younger cows. Specifically, a cow that has had gone through four lactations (cycles of milk production) produces more CLA than she did when she was younger. In confinement dairies, the typical cow is culled (i.e. slaughtered) after only two lactations, which is another reason that the milk you buy in the supermarket is relatively low in this cancer-fighting fat.

Grassfed cows can remain healthy and productive for as long as 13 lactations. In New Zealand, where virtually all the ruminants are raised on pasture, dairy cows live so long that they wear out their teeth. These hard-working cows are so highly prized, however, that they are fitted with dentures rather than being sent to the hamburger factory!

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