Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations

C. T. Minogue; T. M. Boland; I. Etxeberria; N. A. Walsh; A. Mirzapour-Kouhdasht; M. García-Vaquero; M. Dineen; Z. C. McKay

doi:10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328

Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations

C. T. Minogue
, T. M. Boland
, I. Etxeberria
, N. A. Walsh
, A. Mirzapour-Kouhdasht
, M. García-Vaquero
, M. Dineen
, Z. C. McKay

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study explored the effect of including plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PL) in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG)-white clover (Trifolium repens L.; WC) pasture on the milk composition and milk fatty acid (FA) and mineral concentrations of spring-calving dairy cows. The treatments were PRG-WC (GrC) and PRG-WC-PL (GCP) pastures. Milk samples were obtained from dairy cows (n = 13 per treatment) during early (61 ± 12 d in milking; EL) and late (214 ± 16 d in milking; LL) lactation. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with a lower fat concentration. Milk lactose concentration was greater from cows grazing GCP in LL. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with greater concentrations of polyunsaturated FA (g 100 g milk⁻¹) and α-linolenic acid (g 100 g milk fat⁻¹). Treatment did not affect milk mineral concentrations in EL. In LL, cows grazing GCP produced milk with lower concentrations of calcium (−10 %) and magnesium (−7 %) compared with GrC. Including PL in a PRG-WC pasture for dairy cows can beneficially alter milk FA composition.

Original language	English
Article number	106328
Journal	International Dairy Journal
Volume	169
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328
Publication status	Published - Oct 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Dairy cow
Fatty acids
Milk quality
Minerals
Plantain

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10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328

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Minogue, C. T., Boland, T. M., Etxeberria, I., Walsh, N. A., Mirzapour-Kouhdasht, A., García-Vaquero, M., Dineen, M., & McKay, Z. C. (2025). Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations. International Dairy Journal, 169, Article 106328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328

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title = "Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations",

abstract = "This study explored the effect of including plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PL) in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG)-white clover (Trifolium repens L.; WC) pasture on the milk composition and milk fatty acid (FA) and mineral concentrations of spring-calving dairy cows. The treatments were PRG-WC (GrC) and PRG-WC-PL (GCP) pastures. Milk samples were obtained from dairy cows (n = 13 per treatment) during early (61 ± 12 d in milking; EL) and late (214 ± 16 d in milking; LL) lactation. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with a lower fat concentration. Milk lactose concentration was greater from cows grazing GCP in LL. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with greater concentrations of polyunsaturated FA (g 100 g milk−1) and α-linolenic acid (g 100 g milk fat−1). Treatment did not affect milk mineral concentrations in EL. In LL, cows grazing GCP produced milk with lower concentrations of calcium (−10 \%) and magnesium (−7 \%) compared with GrC. Including PL in a PRG-WC pasture for dairy cows can beneficially alter milk FA composition.",

keywords = "Dairy cow, Fatty acids, Milk quality, Minerals, Plantain",

author = "Minogue, \{C. T.\} and Boland, \{T. M.\} and I. Etxeberria and Walsh, \{N. A.\} and A. Mirzapour-Kouhdasht and M. Garc{\'i}a-Vaquero and M. Dineen and McKay, \{Z. C.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328",

language = "English",

volume = "169",

journal = "International Dairy Journal",

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Minogue, CT, Boland, TM, Etxeberria, I, Walsh, NA, Mirzapour-Kouhdasht, A, García-Vaquero, M, Dineen, M & McKay, ZC 2025, 'Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations', International Dairy Journal, vol. 169, 106328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations

AU - Minogue, C. T.

AU - Boland, T. M.

AU - Etxeberria, I.

AU - Walsh, N. A.

AU - Mirzapour-Kouhdasht, A.

AU - García-Vaquero, M.

AU - Dineen, M.

AU - McKay, Z. C.

PY - 2025/10

Y1 - 2025/10

N2 - This study explored the effect of including plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PL) in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG)-white clover (Trifolium repens L.; WC) pasture on the milk composition and milk fatty acid (FA) and mineral concentrations of spring-calving dairy cows. The treatments were PRG-WC (GrC) and PRG-WC-PL (GCP) pastures. Milk samples were obtained from dairy cows (n = 13 per treatment) during early (61 ± 12 d in milking; EL) and late (214 ± 16 d in milking; LL) lactation. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with a lower fat concentration. Milk lactose concentration was greater from cows grazing GCP in LL. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with greater concentrations of polyunsaturated FA (g 100 g milk−1) and α-linolenic acid (g 100 g milk fat−1). Treatment did not affect milk mineral concentrations in EL. In LL, cows grazing GCP produced milk with lower concentrations of calcium (−10 %) and magnesium (−7 %) compared with GrC. Including PL in a PRG-WC pasture for dairy cows can beneficially alter milk FA composition.

AB - This study explored the effect of including plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PL) in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG)-white clover (Trifolium repens L.; WC) pasture on the milk composition and milk fatty acid (FA) and mineral concentrations of spring-calving dairy cows. The treatments were PRG-WC (GrC) and PRG-WC-PL (GCP) pastures. Milk samples were obtained from dairy cows (n = 13 per treatment) during early (61 ± 12 d in milking; EL) and late (214 ± 16 d in milking; LL) lactation. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with a lower fat concentration. Milk lactose concentration was greater from cows grazing GCP in LL. Cows grazing GCP produced milk with greater concentrations of polyunsaturated FA (g 100 g milk−1) and α-linolenic acid (g 100 g milk fat−1). Treatment did not affect milk mineral concentrations in EL. In LL, cows grazing GCP produced milk with lower concentrations of calcium (−10 %) and magnesium (−7 %) compared with GrC. Including PL in a PRG-WC pasture for dairy cows can beneficially alter milk FA composition.

KW - Dairy cow

KW - Fatty acids

KW - Milk quality

KW - Minerals

KW - Plantain

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007651781

U2 - 10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328

DO - 10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106328

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105007651781

SN - 0958-6946

VL - 169

JO - International Dairy Journal

JF - International Dairy Journal

M1 - 106328

ER -

Effect of including plantain in perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture offered to grazing dairy cows on milk composition and milk fatty acid and mineral concentrations

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Keywords

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