July 2024
O&T Farms, in collaboration with Agropur Cooperative, is excited to announce their selection as one of 13 semi-finalists from among 86 applications received in the Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge (Challenge | Impact Canada). The project, titled “Implementing a dry-extruded linseed-based feed ingredient to Reduce Enteric Methane Emissions on Canadian Dairy Farms”, uses O&T’s feed ingredient linPRO®-R. This federal competition challenged candidates to devise an economically viable and scalable methane-reduction practice for Canadian beef and dairy cattle.
O&T Farms is a pioneer and leader in the animal nutrition field, offering the most effective and efficient land-based feed ingredient for Omega-3s in the world. The company takes a collaborative approach to help its clients enhance animal health and Omega-3 enriched human products. Agropur is a dairy manufacturer that works with some of the most prominent food, beverage and nutrition brands in the world.
Using O&T Farms patented, dry-extruded flaxseed product (linPRO-R) as a feed ingredient, this project proposes the development of an innovative, scalable feeding strategy for reducing enteric methane emissions on Canadian dairy farms. Polyunsaturated fats, when consumed by dairy cows, may reduce enteric methane; however, there can be adverse effects, such as butter fat depression, when incorporating these fats into the diet due to biohydrogenation in the rumen. linPRO-R is a unique product, due to the creation of a protein/fat matrix, which is a result of a proprietary and patented ingredient and manufacturing process. Ultimately, the Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats in linPRO-R are rumen-protected and result in the utilization of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats by the dairy cow without butter fat depression. The novel results of using linPRO-R include component corrected milk, positive health effects for the dairy cow, the ability to enrich the milk fat with Omega-3s and the potential to reduce enteric methane.
O&T Farms manufactures linPRO-R at their facilities in Saskatchewan, and they are pleased to partner with Agropur in developing and testing this solution for Canadian dairy farmers. For more than 50 years, O&T Farms has provided all-natural, land-based feed solutions to livestock producers, feed suppliers, and vertically integrated livestock processors. O&T Farms looks forward to supporting Agropur on this exciting undertaking, and for the new opportunities that this proposed feeding strategy may provide to sustainable farming initiatives in Canada.
