From under-utilized co-product to key resource: permeate returning to the farm

Targeted research priorities

Dairy cattle feed and nutrition
This project aims to study the effect of integrating UF permeate into dairy cow nutrition on production performance.

Technological properties of dairy matrices
The aim of this research is to observe changes in cheese and butter processing due to the addition of UF permeate to cow rations.

Eco-efficient processing
The use of UF permeate would make it possible to integrate circular economy concepts into the operation of the dairy industry, and potentially reduce the economic and environmental costs associated with transporting dairy fluids.

Project summary

The dairy sector faces the challenge of valorizing ultrafiltration (UF) permeate, a source of lactose, to improve sustainability and profitability. This project explores the use of permeate as a partial substitute for starch in dairy cow rations, fostering the creation of a new circular economy model.

The aim is to understand the impact of this strategy on ruminal fermentation, energy metabolism and fat synthesis in cows, while assessing its effects on milk technological quality. Two experimental phases are planned to compare different regimes in Canada (Quebec and Manitoba).

The data collected will be used to assess the eco-efficiency of this approach and ensure its compatibility with dairy processing. By integrating multidisciplinary expertise, this research aims to transform a co-product of low economic value into a key resource, while meeting the demand for high-quality dairy products such as cheese and butter.

Expected results

While the partial replacement of dietary starch by lactose can increase milk fat content, the use of whey permeate could be a strategy for adjusting milk composition by reducing the ratio of milk solids non-fat to milk fat (SNF/MF), thus limiting surpluses at source.

Rapid, low-cost tools for assessing milk processing properties could be developed as a result of this project. These tools would offer an effective strategy for identifying feeding practices that produce a milk composition aligned with the requirements of the Canadian dairy sector. Infrared spectroscopy (MIR) could eventually enable the prediction of milk technological properties on individual samples without significant marginal cost, so as to better predict the parameters to be implemented to maximize dairy product quality.

Our studies will provide key information on the economic and environmental gains and losses associated with on-farm dairy production, enabling an assessment of eco-efficiency including production and processing.

Main achievements

• Training of one postdoctoral fellow, one doctoral student, two master’s students and several undergraduate trainees
• Presentation of results at the Forum Techno and Novalait annual meeting
• Lectures and poster presentations at national and international conferences
• Scientific articles written by team members
• Extension activities