"Climate friendly"

Tyrolean hay milk on the rise

Hay milk is particularly beneficial for cheese production.(Bild: Weiss PR & Media/ Christian Forcher)

For a few days now, traditional hay milk has been an agricultural World Heritage Site. In the Tyrolean Zillertal, the largest private dairy in the province has been processing milk exclusively from farms without silage for decades. Managing Director Christian Kröll explains why. 

Erlebnissennerei Zillertal is the largest private dairy in Tyrol and has been processing exclusively hay milk since 1991, according to its own information. However, ever since the company was founded in 1954 as a "milk center", it has always promoted high-quality hay milk, it emphasizes. Accordingly, the Mayrhofen-based dairy is delighted with a press release from the weekend. As reported, on Saturday, hay milk was named a World Agricultural Heritage Site as a natural and traditional dairy product - the first product ever to be so designated in German-speaking countries.

Hay farming is climate-friendly and provides the most valuable milk

Christian Kröll, GF Erlebnissennerei Zillertal

Bild: Erlebnissennerei Zillertal

"Appreciation for farmers and added value for everyone"
Christian Kröll, Managing Director of Erlebnissennerei, sees this award as an appreciation for local farmers and added value for everyone: "Hay farming is climate-friendly and provides the most valuable milk, which is measurably of better quality." This is particularly important for cheese production. 

Even more space has now been created for cheese production. A robot helps.(Bild: sedlak)

25 million liters of hay milk are processed in Mayrhofen every year. "The use of exclusively fresh grass, cereal meal, herbs and hay in the feed, without fermented feed, characterizes the hay milk in the Zillertal and contributes to the success of our products," Kröll is convinced.

 More space for cheese and a robot as dairyman 
The Erlebnissennerei is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The new high-bay warehouse was completed just in time for the anniversary. The 80 meter long and ten meter high hall was docked onto the existing company building. The surface of the building was fitted with PV panels. According to Kröll, this covers around 50 percent of the electricity consumption. The maturing cellar for cheese was also extended. There is now space for up to 8400 wheels and blocks. A robot takes care of the cheese blocks (e.g. turning).