Benefits to people: Bio-economic modelling showed that the addition of
Australian forage shrubs could increase whole-farm profit or maintain
whole-farm profit with reduced risk (4). We propose a further advantage
to people beyond farm economics: bioactive plant compounds for health.
Plants growing in challenging environments, especially those that have not
been selected for use in agricultural monocultures, often use bioactive
phytochemicals as part of their defence or survival mechanisms. We have
shown bioactivity in some Australian shrub species in terms of effects on
microbial activity and gut parasite larvae, yet a relatively unexplored area
is the potential for beneficial levels of plant-derived compounds in the
meat of animals that consume these plants. Meat from sheep grazing
saltbush (Atriplex spp.) contains elevated concentrations of vitamin E5, and
we suggest there are likely to be other phytochemicals that may enhance
the nutritional value of meat from animals selecting a diverse diet that
includes bioactive plants. By altering the range of plants consumed by
animals, a broader assessment of meat traits, including ‘extra-nutritional’
factors, would seem warranted.
Funding source(s): Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre
and Meat and Livestock Australia.
Benefits to people: Bio-economic modelling showed that the addition ofAustralian forage shrubs could increase whole-farm profit or maintainwhole-farm profit with reduced risk (4). We propose a further advantageto people beyond farm economics: bioactive plant compounds for health.Plants growing in challenging environments, especially those that have notbeen selected for use in agricultural monocultures, often use bioactivephytochemicals as part of their defence or survival mechanisms. We haveshown bioactivity in some Australian shrub species in terms of effects onmicrobial activity and gut parasite larvae, yet a relatively unexplored areais the potential for beneficial levels of plant-derived compounds in themeat of animals that consume these plants. Meat from sheep grazingsaltbush (Atriplex spp.) contains elevated concentrations of vitamin E5, andwe suggest there are likely to be other phytochemicals that may enhancethe nutritional value of meat from animals selecting a diverse diet thatincludes bioactive plants. By altering the range of plants consumed byanimals, a broader assessment of meat traits, including ‘extra-nutritional’factors, would seem warranted.Funding source(s): Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centreand Meat and Livestock Australia.
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