Welsh dairy farmers hope to unlock the market potential of omega-3 in milk

Data gathered during a two-year trial involving multiple dairy farms in south west Wales could help grass-based producers harness a market advantage from higher levels of beneficial fatty acids in certain types of milk.

 

Seimon Thomas and Tom Harris are two of the 20 farmers whose feeding systems are being scrutinised during a European Innovation Programme (EIP) Wales project examining the complete fatty acid profile of milk produced.

 

The results could give them and other dairy farmers the opportunity to develop forage-based solutions to produce milk with enhanced levels of beneficial fatty acids such as omega-3.

 

“If we can substantiate where the omega-3 advantages exist, it will provide opportunities to incorporate this message into the branding and marketing of our milk,’’ said Mr Thomas, who runs a herd of 900 Dairy Shorthorns at Drysgolgoch, near Llanfyrnach, with his wife, Eleanor, and their children, Sion and Hanna.

 

Milk and forage samples from all 20 farms are submitted on a monthly basis to the Institute of Biological and Environmental Research (IBERS) at Aberystwyth together with a questionnaire on feeding practices at the time of sampling.

 

Hanna Thomas, who gathers these samples at Drysgolgoch, says milk producers must seize every opportunity to add value and EIP Wales had provided a platform for that.

 

The farmers involved in the project have diverse systems ranging from conventional herds that are housed in winter and graze in summer and herds housed all-year round to organic herds and spring block calving systems. Some fully housed herds are also practicing zero grazing where fresh grass is harvested daily for the cows.

 

The group supply their milk to different milk buyers and processors, including commodity liquid milk, premium organic liquid milk, cheese manufacturers and high value food ingredient manufacturers.

 

These outlets could all potentially take advantage of the project results, for example by marketing milk for its higher omega-3 content.

The Thomas family runs two herds on different systems – 350 autumn calvers housed from September to March and a similar sized spring block calving herd that grazes from February to the beginning of December; this provides a unique opportunity to compare and contrast the omega-3 content in their milk.

 

At Ffosyficer near Abercych, the project will focus on milk from Tom and Francisca Harris’ herd of autumn calving Holstein Friesians.

 

The couple have experience of adding value to milk – their family produces the Daioni range of organic flavoured and fresh milks.

 

The couple had previously contemplated funding their own study into omega-3 in milk but, as an individual business, it would have proved costly due to the large amount of scientific research required to provide substantiated evidence.

 

They therefore welcomed the EIP Wales collaborative approach.

 

“We are delighted to be participating in the trials and look forward to the results that will be published at the end of the two years,’’ said Mr Harris.

 

EIP projects aim to strengthen research and innovation within the agricultural sector in Wales, bridging the gap between research and roll-out on farm.

 

EIP Officer Owain Rowlands said there are currently 19 approved projects on a variety of topics including animal health, genetics and alternative crops.

 

“All these projects are farmer-led and will enable farmers to take the outcomes of research and apply them to their farms,’’ he explained.

 

There is good support available to farmers and foresters who want to make most of the scheme, through Innovation Brokers.

 

Emily Jones, of Landsker Business Solutions Ltd, who helps to administer the milk omega fatty acid project, said the role of the Innovation Broker was to guide applicants through the application process in the first instance.

 

“If the application is successful our job is to then facilitate the project throughout its lifetime,’’ she said.

Ffermwyr llaeth o Gymru yn gobeithio datgloi potensial omega-3 mewn llaeth

Gall data a gasglwyd yn ystod cynllun treialu dwy flynedd yn ymwneud â nifer o ffermydd llaeth yn Ne Orllewin Cymru helpu cynhyrchwyr ar systemau glaswellt i harneisio mantais yn y farchnad sy’n deillio o lefelau uwch o asid brasterog buddiol mewn rhai mathau o laeth.

 

Mae Seimon Thomas a Tom Harris yn ddau o’r 20 o ffermwyr y mae eu systemau porthi yn cael eu dadansoddi yn ystod prosiect Partneriaeth Arloesi Ewrop (EIP Wales) sy’n archwilio proffil asid brasterog llawn y llaeth a gynhyrchir.

 

Gallai’r canlyniadau gynnig cyfle iddyn nhw a ffermwyr llaeth eraill i ddatblygu dulliau ar sail porthiant i gynhyrchu llaeth gyda lefelau uwch o asidau brasterog buddiol fel omega-3.

 

“Os gallwn gadarnhau ble mae’r manteision omega-3 yn bodoli, bydd yn rhoi cyfle i ymgorffori’r neges hwn yn y modd y byddwn yn brandio a marchnata ein llaeth,” dywedodd Mr Thomas, sy’n cadw buches o 900 o fuchod Byrgorn yn Drysgolgoch, ger Llanfyrnach, gyda’i wraig Eleanor, a’u plant Sion a Hanna.

 

Rhoddir samplau o laeth a phorthiant o’r 20 fferm i IBERS, Aberystwyth yn fisol, ynghyd â holiadur am arferion porthi ar adeg y samplo.

 

Dywed Hanna Thomas, sy’n casglu’r samplau hyn yn Drysgolgoch, y dylai cynhyrchwyr llaeth fanteisio ar bob cyfle i ychwanegu gwerth a bod EIP Wales wedi cynnig llwyfan i hynny.

 

Mae gan y ffermwyr sy’n rhan o’r prosiect systemau amrywiol yn ymestyn o fuchesi confensiynol sydd dan do yn y gaeaf ac yn pori yn yr haf a buches sydd dan do trwy’r flwyddyn i fuchesi organig a systemau sy’n lloea mewn bloc yn y gwanwyn. Mae rhai buchesi sydd dan do yn barhaus hefyd yn defnyddio system heb bori, lle mae glaswellt ffres yn cael ei gynaeafu i’r buchod yn ddyddiol.

 

Mae’r grŵp yn cyflenwi eu llaeth i wahanol brynwyr a phroseswyr llaeth, gan gynnwys llaeth hylifol, llaeth hylifol premiwm organig, cynhyrchwyr caws a chynhyrchwyr cynhwysion bwyd uchel eu gwerth.

 

Gallai’r gwerthwyr llaeth hyn o bosibl fanteisio ar ganlyniadau’r prosiect trwy farchnata llaeth ar sail ei gynnwys omega-3 uwch, er enghraifft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mae’r teulu Thomas yn cadw dwy fuches ar systemau gwahanol – 350 o fuchod sy’n lloea yn yr hydref sydd dan do o fis Medi i fis Mawrth a buches o faint tebyg sy’n lloea yn y gwanwyn sy’n pori o Chwefror i ddechrau Rhagfyr; mae hyn yn cynnig cyfle unigryw i gymharu a gwrthgyferbynu’r cynnwys omega-3 yn eu llaeth.

 

Yn Ffosyficer, ger Abercych, bydd y prosiect yn canolbwyntio ar laeth o fuches Tom a Francisca Harris o Friesians Holstein sy’n lloea yn yr hydref.

 

Mae gan y cwpl brofiad o ychwanegu gwerth at laeth – eu teulu sy’n cynhyrchu’r llaeth Daioni ffres ac organig gyda blasau gwahanol.

 

Roedd y cwpl wedi ystyried ariannu eu hastudiaeth eu hunain o omega-3 mewn llaeth yn y gorffennol ond, fel busnes unigol, byddai wedi bod yn gostus gyda’r gwaith ymchwil gwyddonol mawr angenrheidiol i roi tystiolaeth y gellid ei phrofi.

 

Roeddent felly yn croesawu dull cydweithredol EIP Wales.

 

“Rydym yn falch iawn o fod yn rhan o’r treialon ac yn edrych ymlaen at y canlyniadau fydd yn cael eu cyhoeddi ar ddiwedd y ddwy flynedd,” dywedodd Mr Harris.

 

Mae prosiectau EIP yn anelu at gryfhau ymchwil ac arloesedd yn y sector amaethyddol yng Nghymru, gan gau’r bwlch rhwng ymchwil a gweithredu ar ffermydd.

 

Dywedodd y Swyddog EIP Owain Rowlands bod 19 o brosiectau wedi eu cymeradwyo ar amrywiaeth o bynciau gan gynnwys iechyd anifeiliaid, geneteg a chnydau gwahanol.

 

“Mae’r holl brosiectau hyn yn cael eu harwain gan ffermwyr a byddant yn galluogi ffermwyr i gymryd canlyniadau’r ymchwil a’u gweithredu ar eu ffermydd,” esboniodd.

 

Mae digonedd o gefnogaeth ar gael i ffermwyr a choedwigwyr sydd am wneud y mwyaf o’r cynllun.

 

Dywedodd Emily Jones, o Landsker Business Solutions Ltd, sy’n helpu i weinyddu’r prosiect asid brasterog llaeth, mai rôl y Brocer Arloesedd oedd arwain yr ymgeiswyr trwy’r broses ymgeisio ar y dechrau.

 

“Os bydd y cais yn llwyddiannus ein gwaith ni wedyn yw hwyluso’r prosiect ar hyd ei oes,” dywedodd.