Reaching dairy climate goals using palm-free fat supplements

Danish and international audiences are to be given insights on how dairy producers can help reach their own climate goals, and meet contract requirements, with the use of a palm-free fat supplement in dairy rations, during a dedicated seminar presentation at NutriFair 2026.

Internationally recognised Emeritus Professor of Dairy Science Phil Garnsworthy, of the University of Nottingham, will be joining UK nutritional supplement manufacturer UFAC-UK, alongside Danish farmer purchasing group 3S A/S group, at Denmark’s premier livestock industry event, to explore the latest research and developments in sustainably meeting nutritional goals for dairy cows.

Held in Frederica in Denmark, Nutrifair is the key event in the Danish industry diary, with the focus on nutrition across all species. Alongside a full trade stand presence from Danish andinternational industry representatives, the event plays host to a dedicated, invite only seminar programme, featuring industry experts from across the globe.

Emeritus Professor Garnsworthy will be speaking on the mornings of Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 Jan (11am), bringing updates on the latest developments and highlighting his own research work into meeting the nutritional goals for dairy cows, undertaken from the Centre for Dairy Science Innovation at the University of Nottingham.

With reference to his scientific paper published in 2024 in the journal Animal Feed Science and Technology, he will outline how dairy farmers switching from palm-derived calcium soap-based fats to a palm-free and chemical-free alternative, can reduce their feed carbon footprint, by saving up to 55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, over the course of a whole lactation.

Revisiting figures from his initial trial work at the Centre for Dairy Science Innovation (CDSI) at the University of Nottingham in 2021, Emeritus Professor Garnsworthy has calculated that the 64% lower carbon footprint of the palm-free supplement Envirolac, compared to a control palm-oil based fat, equates to a saving of 15 tonnes CO₂ equivalent during early lactation, and up to 55 tonnes for the whole lactation.

These figures are based on a 200-strong herd being fed Envirolac at 0.5kg/day, replacing the control fat supplement on a fresh weight for fresh weight basis.

The trial also revealed that Envirolac, a palm-free and chemical-free fat supplement manufactured by UFAC-UK from locally sourced vegetable oils, together with marine oils, also returned performance benefits against the control, with a significant increase in milk yield and butterfat production, with no impact on dry matter intake.

The university trial results are now being mirrored in commercial studies, with encouraging early results across the study farms in the UK. The fat supplement is also now being embraced by dairy producers across Europe, with significant interest in Denmark, as well as Poland amongst others, helping to drive further export potential.

Robert Jones, UFAC-UK managing director explains, “As UK milk contracts are increasingly rewarding producers for meeting sustainability and efficiency targets, Emeritus Professor Garnsworthy will demonstrate to the international audience how producers, in Denmark and beyond, can meet their own climate goals, while supporting performance and ROI, with the use of our palm-free fat supplement, developed and manufactured in the UK.”

NutriFair 2026 takes place on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 16 January, with more details at www.nutrifair.dk/en/ . More information on Emeritus Professor Phil Garnsworthy’s research can be found on the UFAC website and through the research paper.