How grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating

The report finds that pasture-raised beef and milk generally contain lower total fat and higher levels of beneficial fatty acids, such as omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), compared to conventional products. It argues that shifting toward pasture-based systems would improve human nutrition, animal welfare, and environmental quality while reducing antibiotic resistance.

• Beef and dairy products from pasture-raised cattle generally exhibit more favorable fat profiles than conventional products. Specifically, steak and ground beef from grass-fed cattle are almost always lower in total fat, while milk and ground beef from pasture-raised animals consistently show higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
• Pasture-raised steak typically contains higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and occasionally higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) compared to conventionally raised beef.
• The report identifies a significant difference in the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in beef; this ratio is consistently and significantly lower in steaks from grass-fed cattle than in those from conventionally raised cattle.
• Conventional U.S. livestock production relies heavily on grain, with more than 50 percent of domestic corn used for animal feed. This system is linked to environmental degradation, including water and air pollution from manure runoff and the risk of antibiotic resistance in humans due to non-therapeutic antibiotic use for growth promotion.
• Well-managed pasture-based systems offer multiple environmental and economic advantages, including decreased soil erosion, improved water quality, and higher profits per animal for producers. Some studies suggest these systems can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent and soil erosion by 50 to 80 percent.
• Current U.S. regulations limit the health claims pasture-raised producers can make. While grass-fed beef can be labeled as "lean" or "extra lean," no nutrient content claims for omega-3s or CLA are permitted today because the Food and Nutrition Board has not established specific dietary intake recommendations for them.
• The nutritional benefits of pasture-feeding are highly sensitive to diet changes; for example, CLA levels in milk can drop to nearly zero within six days after switching cows from fresh grass to a mixed grass/maize silage diet.

APA

Clancy, K. (2006). How grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/greener-pastures.pdf

Chicago

Clancy, Kate. How grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2006. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/greener-pastures.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Clancy |first1=Kate |title=How grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=March 2006 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/greener-pastures.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clancy2006how, author = {Clancy, Kate}, title = {{How grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2006}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/greener-pastures.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }