Olive Paste

Dairy cows

Higher cheese yield and a more favourable milk fatty acid profile

In controlled dairy trials, dried olive cake at up to 15% of dry matter gave higher cheese yield and more monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and conjugated linoleic fatty acids, with milk yield maintained. A low inclusion around calving was linked to earlier first oestrus in one herd.

What the research shows

  • Higher cheese yield, with more MUFA, PUFA and CLA in the cheese84 Friesian cows, 15% of dry matter, 5 months (Chiofalo et al. 2020)
  • Milk yield maintainedChiofalo et al. 2020; Nanas et al. 2025
  • Milk fatty acids shift toward oleic and linoleic acid20 Holstein cows, 7% of the concentrate, 30 days (Amato et al. 2024)
  • First oestrus about 6 days earlier148 Holstein cows, 3.7% of the ration (1 kg per cow) from 60 days before to 150 days after calving (Nanas et al. 2025)

Recommended inclusion

Far-off dry period (60–21 days before calving)
3.7–5%
Close-up dry period (21–0 days)
3–5%
Fresh cows (days 1–60)
3.7–5%
Peak to late lactation
7–15%
Cheese-production herds
up to 15%
0%15%

Solid bar: tested in a published trial. Hatched bar: practical programme.

In practice

  • Ask for the certificate of analysis for each lot and formulate with its values.
  • Introduce gradually over 7–14 days.
  • Store dry, covered and cool; use the oldest stock first.
  • Compare with a group on your usual diet to document your own results.

References

  1. Chiofalo B. et al. (2020). Effect of supplementation of herd diet with olive cake on the composition profile of milk and cheeses. Animals 10(6):977. doi.org/10.3390/ani10060977
  2. Nanas I. et al. (2025). Impact of low inclusion rate of olive cake in dairy cow rations on uterine health and fertility indices during early lactation. Animals 15(2):269. www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/269
  3. Amato A. et al. (2024). Effects of feeding enriched-olive cake on milk quality, metabolic response and rumen fermentation in mid-lactating Holstein cows. Italian Journal of Animal Science. doi.org/10.1080/1828051x.2024.2381736