Milk with less lactose
Dairy UP’s P9a project is looking for ways to produce cows’ milk with high concentrations of solids and less water. Lactose is a focus of this work as it is responsible for incorporating water into milk. Results to date show significant variations across breeds, state of lactation, number of calvings and seasonal conditions.
The team has identified cows that consistently produce milk with less lactose content or yield while maintaining similar fat and protein levels. The findings indicate there could be opportunities to improve milk production efficiency by enhancing milk composition and reducing water content.
Potential benefits include animal performance, health and welfare, labour savings and reduced processing and transport costs.
About Dairy UP
Dairy UP is a collaborative research, development and extension program for the NSW dairy industry. It aims to unlock the potential of pastures, cows, water and milk to increase productivity and profitability, and de-risk the industry and develop new markets.