WI Dairy News: Upping the omega 3 ante - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

MADISON (WKOW) -- Despite the recommendation to increase intake of essential omega 3 fatty acid, American's consumption remains low.

So some Wisconsin cheese makers are doing what they can to up the omega-3 ante. Toby Hovde, a dairy nutritionist for Heartland Co-op, says it all starts on the farm with what the cows eat.

"We've been feeding them the rate of three to four pounds per head per day," Hovde said. "It seems to pull more omega-3s through the blood stream into the milk, and then into your dairy product or anything that milk is composed of."

Using feeding protocols, dairy nutritionists have developed a way to increase the amount of omega 3s. Farmers participating in the program have seen benefits that include better herd health, increased reproduction, and premium prices for their milk.