Contact
Ásta Heiðrún E. Pétursdóttir
Project Manager
asta.h.petursdottir@matis.is
Main objectives 1) Increase the utilization of dairy cows, 2) Examine the quality and chemical content of cow's milk after seaweed feeding, 3) Possibility to use seaweed as a mineral source in organic feed. New product: Iodine-rich milk.
The study "Seaweed that improves feed for dairy cows - increased use and quality?" (18-039) funded by the Productivity Fund in 2018 examined the status of heavy metals, minerals and iodine in milk after seaweed administration. The experiment ran for 13 weeks at Stóra-Ármót and a large number of samples were collected. There was little difference in milk composition in terms of, for example, protein, fat and lactose. Trace elements and minerals were collected in pooled samples for three groups of cows for 12 weeks (36 samples).
The results, however, show unexpected changes in some trace elements, including a decrease in Selenium, Zinc etc. It is therefore necessary to measure samples from each cow, ie each individual, in order to statistically estimate this difference. This change / decrease could be due to very few individuals and therefore it is important to look at individual samples. Matís will measure trace elements and minerals in 333 samples from the experiment with ICP-MS measurements after degradation. Iodine and fatty acid composition will also be measured in the same 333 samples at a partner (University of Reading).
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