Different fats for different milk applications

Feeding cows different fatty acids alters the properties of the milk they produce. This not only impacts the fat content but also the physical properties for manufacturing into dairy products, making it possible to produce milk more-targeted for specific uses.

In this episode of our Why Feed Fats series, Dr. Kirkland, Global Technical Manager at Volac Wilmar, explores how rumen-protected fats influence the suitability of milk for different dairy applications. He explains how you can use different fatty acid formulations to alter the physical properties of milk fat based on processor requirements, for example, producing milk that’s better-suited for making softer butter or cheeses.

Watch the video to discover everything you need to know about:

• How rumen-protected fats influence the suitability of milk for different dairy product uses
• How to use different fatty acid formulations to alter the properties of milk fat, depending on your goal
• How rumen-protected fats can influence the ability of milk to form a ‘froth’ if the end use is for coffee shops

This is the third episode of a 5-part series covering the topic, ‘Why Feed Fats?’. The series explores the positive impact of feed fats on everything from herd productivity to reducing heat stress and lowering methane emissions. Check back soon for the next instalment!

Watch the video now, or scroll down to read the full transcript. Why Feed Fats, Episode 3 

Why Feed Fats, Episode 3 transcript:

In this episode, we'll explore how we can use different rumen-protected fats to influence the suitability of milk from the farm to manufacture different dairy products, such as cheese and butter.

The milk from the farm can be used for either liquid or manufacturing purposes, and what's really useful when we look at fat nutrition is that we can use different rumen-protected fats, or fatty acid blends to really alter the type or the properties of the milk fat that we deliver to the dairy processor, and that will allow the processor to manufacture dairy products with specific properties, such as a softer, more spreadable butter or a softer cheese or a harder cheese for example.

The milk from dairy farms will be used for either liquid, or manufacturing purposes, and when we look at manufacturing contracts, it's interesting that we can use rumen-protected fats to influence the properties of dairy products that are manufactured. For example, if we want to produce a softer butter or butter that's more spreadable straight from the fridge, we would use a product such as Megalac here, which is a calcium salt product with a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids with low melting points.

If we wanted a harder butter, a harder texture, that may be more suitable in hotter climates for example, then we would use a product with a higher palmitic acid content - so one of the high-C16 supplements. We see a similar effect when we look at cheese. If we wanted a harder cheese, we would look at a product with a higher proportion of palmitic acid, whereas if we wanted a softer cheese, we would look to use calcium salt type products which have more of the low melting point, softer milk fat, and fatty acids.

A lot of milk from dairy farms will also go to coffee shops, where one of the key attributes is the ability of milk to form a good froth. So we get a good froth when we buy a latte or a cappuccino etc. Different factors will influence the ability of milk to form a good froth, and one of those will be the type of milk fat that's actually in the milk supplied.

It is important to remember that we can influence the ability of milk to form a froth by using different types of rumen-protected fats. For those who are supplying [milk] for coffee contracts, we would advise the farmer of the particular types of rumen-protected fat to best meet the ability of the milk they supply to form a good froth on their coffee.

That's the end of episode three, but please follow us on our social channels where you can find more information and more data on fatty acid nutrition in dairy cows.