Austrian hay milk, otherwise known as ‘‘Heumilch’’, is produced by grass-fed cows in the Austrian Alps. The cows are on a strictly no-silage diet, feeding instead on a variety of grasses and herbs during the summer and sun-dried hay in the winter.
This traditional manner of producing milk has been certified as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) this week on the EU’s list of food specialities with protected names. According to the EU, this quality seal “boosts farmers’ revenues and maintains the population in less favoured or remote areas by promoting the rural economy”.
It also increases the market value of products by guaranteeing that they are distinguishable from other similar products or foodstuffs.
High quality and nutritional value
With an ever-increasing demand of high nutritional value and quality dairy products, Austrian dairy producers are following the trends and have managed to make their country the main producer of hay milk in Europe. Some 8,000 milk farmers are now producing hay milk.
No other country in Europe has a greater variety in hay milk products to offer than Austria, from fresh milk and cheeses, to yoghurt and butter.
Irish products awaiting quality seal
Meanwhile, Louth-based company Oriel Sea Salt & Sea Minerals has applied for the quality seal Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The business extracts and harvests sea water at Port Oriel near Clogherhead to produce salt and deep sea minerals.
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