Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse
Record Number: 48
Disclosure Date
Already in the 16th century the region “Kaiserwinkl” was known for using hay as feedingstuff for dairy cows and for the production of fat cheeses.
Photo: BM...
Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse
(Kaiserwinkl hay-milk cheese)
Abstract or claim
Traditional processing of various types of cheese with hay-milk in the region of Kaiserwinkl, Tyrol.
Hay-milk is the term used for milk which is obtained from cows that are fed green fodder in summer and hay in winter. Silage fodder is banned.
Hay-milk has taste components which are directly related to the local diversity of alpine plants and herbs.
Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse derives its characteristic taste both from the quality of hay-milk and the traditional knowledge of artisan cheese making.Due to the extensive dairy-cow keeping the regional production of Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse contributes to the sustainable preservation of the alpine and mountainous landscape and the floral biodiversity of its meadows and pastures.
Name of product, Product class
Cheese, milk products
Name of region
Kaiserwinkl, Tyrol, Austria
Field of search
Food and Agriculture
Name of information provider
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Name of applicant for title
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Holder of knowledge or associated resources
About 400 hay-milk dairy farmers and six alpine dairies in the region Kaiserwinkl.
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
Descriptors
- History:
It can be assumed that the production of hay-milk and its further processing is as old as the keeping of dairy cows (about 5th century B.C.).
Although, the production of cheese low in fat prevailed in other parts of Tyrol up to the 19th century, the region of Kaiserwinkl was already in the 16th century known for using hay as feedingstuff and for the production of fat cheeses. Since then, dairy farmers in the Kaiserwinkl have passed down the knowledge of hay making and hay feeding in winter for generations.
It was only in the second half of the 19th century that the production of fat cheese started to boom.
Cheese production in Tyrol has benefited above all from its geographical position within the north-south trade-route Munich (Germany)-Innsbruck (Austria)-Bolzano-Milan (Italy).
Up to the 19th century, the processing of cheese was largely restricted to farms. Cheese was predominately produced for farmers’ own consumption and as landlord dues.
The agricultural and climatic conditions have favoured the development of cheese varieties typical of specific regions. Also numerous monasteries enhanced the knowledge on cheese making and contributed to the development of a cheese culture.
In 1904 the first cooperative cheese dairy (Sennerei Walchsee) was founded by about 100 mountain farmers in the Kaisererwinkl. The cheese dairy obtained milk from alpine pastures during summer and from the farms during winter.
In the middle of the 20th century the usage of hay fodder was increasingly diminished in favour of feeding silage and, finally, the Kaiserwinkl area was declared a prohibited zone for silage fodder.
Since 1995, after Austria’s accession the European Community, the abandonment of silage fodder has been funded within the framework of the Austrian Agri-Environmental Programme (ÖPUL).
In 2004, delegates from Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, Upper Austria and Styria founded the “Österreichische ARGE Heumilch” (Austrian consortium for hay-milk) in Innsbruck, Tyrol. This consortium is the umbrella organisation of hay-milk associations in the Austrian Federal Provinces and a voluntary association of Austrian dairy farmers and cheese dairies processing hay-milk.
Up to 1994 Sennerei Walchsee mainly produced Emmentaler from the milk of numerous small mountain farmers.
Today, 6 cheese dairies produce traditional hay-milk cheese in the Kaiserwinkl.
In 1994, 48 farmers from the municipality Walchsee became organic farmers. Since then organic cheeses (Ja! Bio Emmentaler as well as “Bio” Mountain cheese, Sennkäse, Rässkäse and cream cheese) are being produced.
Hay-milk is a rare speciality. Only 3 % of the milk produced in Europe is hay-milk. In Austria, by contrary, the percentage is 20 %.
- Region:
The region Kaiserwinkl is situated in the political district Kufstein at the foot of the mountain ranges Wilder Kaiser and Zahmer Kaiser at 600 - 1900 m altitude, federal provinceTyrol.
The landscape is characterized by mountains, valleys, plains and lakes bordered by the mountain tops of the Kaisergebirge. The region encompasses the municipalities Kössen, Walchsee, Schwendt and Rettenschöss.
Climatic conditions:
The Kaiserwinkl area is characterized by alpine climatic conditions. Summers are mostly short, rather chilly and humid with an average temperature of about 16-17 o C. Winters are long-lasting, cold and high in snow, having an average temperature of -2/-3 °C. However,
strong foehn winds (up to 120 km/hour) with low humidity in the air mass can raise the temperature considerably within hours.
In spring weather may be capricious with heavy rainfalls and cold snaps. In autumn long-lasting periods of fair weather may occur.
The average precipitation (rain and snow) is about 1300 mm per year.
Flora:
The Kaiserwinkl alpine pastures are located on an altitude between 800 and 1900 m. The mountain flora is the result of soil and climatic conditions and is characterized by a rich diversity of alpine plants including blue alpine daisy (Aster alpinus), alpine toadflax (Linaria alpina), arnica, gentian, and globeflower (Trollius sp.).
The specific diversity of grasses and herbs in the green fodder and the hay produced therefrom provide the basis for the unique taste of Kaiserwinkl hay-milk cheese.
Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
Hay-milk is raw milk which is obtained from cows that are fed with green forage in summer and hay in winter. Silage fodder is banned.
The local diversity of alpine plants and herbs is directly related to the quality of hay-milk.
Hay-milk is characterized by but very few Clostridia spores. The presence of clostridial spores is undesirable in cheese processing as their outgrowth in raw milk may cause butyric acid fermentation and thus late-blowing defects in cheese. Moreover, clostridial spores are especially harmful to infants and toddlers. Clostridia can multiply in silage fodder but are unable to grow in dry hay.
Austrian hay-milk contains very few Clostridia spores (less than 200 /litre milk). Thus hay-milk can directly be used for cheese processing without preservatives and additives. For this reason, hay-milk has gained a peculiar reputation as special milk for the processing of hard cheeses.
In contrast, standard raw milk obtained from cows fed with silage fodder has to be treated in order to remove or suppress clostridia spores, as they are able to survive pasteurization. This is done by a special centrifugation or with preservatives (nitrate or lysozyme).
The use of hay-milk for cheese processing accommodates consumer demands for food products close to nature. Furthermore, the high calcium content (100 g hay-milk cheese cover the RDA recommended daily allowance for adults) and the high levels of the nutritionally and physiologically important conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids are to be highlighted.
Austrian Hay-milk Regulative:
The Austrian Hay-milk Regulative lays down the production requirements for hay-milk.
Banned are:
- production, storage of silage or silage balls on the dairy farm, feeding of silage fodder.
- production or feeding with moist hay or fermenting hay.
- feeding with residues from breweries, distilleries, cideries of the food industry
(e.g. draff or wet chips)
- soaked feedingstuffs.
- feedingstuffs of animal origin (milk, whey, meat-and-bone meal).
- feeding of kitchen, garden and fruit waste, potatoes and urea.
- feedingstuffs with added antibiotics, chemotherapeutic substances or hormones.
Feedingstuffs allowed for milk cows:
- Green rape, green rye and fodder beet as supplementary feed up to 25 % of the dry matter
portion required by dairy cattle.
- Wheat, barley, oats, triticale and maize as provender. Up to max. 25 % of the provender in
terms of weight can be field beans, field peas and extracted shreds.
- Up to 1 hectare of green maize as stock in cases of seasonal green-fodder shortage.
Exemption: Registered feedingstuffs in dry condition: non-molassed dry shreds.
Fertilization provisions:
The spreading of sewage sludge or its products and of compost from municipal solid waste is banned on all agriculturally used areas of the milk supplier.
Between fertilization and the use for fodder production a waiting period of three weeks is to be adhered.
Application of chemical substances:
The area-wide application of pesticides on the forage areas of the milk supplier is prohibited.
The application of registered sprays against flies (diptera) in dairy barns is allowed only when cows are not present.
Substances for udder disinfection have to be applied in a manner which excludes any contamination of the milk.
Milk delivering bans:
It is not permitted to deliver milk within the first ten days after calving and during the mandatory waiting period of medicinal products.
Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
In the region Kaiserwinkl, the cattle breeds Braunvieh and Simmentaler produce up to 17 million litres hay-milk per year. 60% of the milk is produced under the organic scheme.
About 400 dairy farms deliver hay-milk to six dairy cheeseries in the five municipalities Walchsee, Niederndorferberg, Rettenschöss, Kössen, and Schwendt.
The cheese dairies produce about 1,700 tonnes of hay-milk cheese annually. 40-60% of the milk comes from alpine pastures during the vegetation period; the rest of the milk comes from valleys.
Today a range of hay-milk cheese varieties are produced in the region. This includes hard cheese (Emmentaler, Mountain cheese, grated cheese), semi-hard cheeses and, on a small scale, soft cheeses. Depending on the cheese variety, Kaiserwinkel Heumilchkäse has a characteristic flavour, matrix and format.
Quality control:
The quality of hay-milk is controlled three times per month by the Federal Institute for Alpine Dairy Research Rotholz, Tyrol.
Quality labelling:
Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse is marketed under the quality label “Qualität Tirol”, held by Agrarmarketing Tirol. The quality label stands for sustainable agriculture on small-scale farms and high-quality products characterized by excellent taste and exquisite aroma. Additionally, the label ensures that the product originates and is processed in Tyrol.
Connection with the geographical area and Traditional Knowledge:
- Specific soil and climate conditions in the alpine region of Kaiserwinkl result in a richness of
native alpine flora which enables extensive management of milk cows on alpine pastures.
- Strong link with the area: Milk cows are grazed on alpine plants and herbs and/or are fed
with grass and hay produced on the holdings.
- The special, unique flavour and the spicy aroma of Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse are directly
related to the local alpine flora fed to the dairy cows.
- Traditional artisanal cheese production in small-scale cheese dairies.
- The production of Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse is the result of Traditional Knowledge passed
on from generation to generation: The Traditional Knowledge and expertise of dairy cow
farmers (adapting the management of herds to environmental constraints, methods of keeping
dairy cows in mountain areas, methods of hay making, methods of feeding with green fodder
and hay, avoiding silage fodder) and of alpine dairies (curdling, ripening and storage of cheese).
- Utilization:
Kaiserwinkl hay-milk is not only used for the production of cheese, but also for the production of butter and as fresh milk.
A culinary specialty is cheese dumplings (Kasknödl) made from hay-milk.
- Protection:
-
Key Words
Food and agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Tyrol, region, Kaiserwinkl, milk, hay-milk, hay-milk cheese, Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse, Kaiserwinkl hay-milk cheese
Bibliography / References
- EHRLICH, M. (2006): Untersuchung von Molkereimilchprodukten aus Deutschland auf gesundheitlich
bedeutsame Fettsäuren (Omega 3, Omega 6, CLA) unter Berücksichtigung des eingesetzten
Maisfutters; University of Kassel, Witzenhausen, June 2006.
- GINZINGER, W.; KUPFNER, B.; TSCHAGER, E.; ZANGERL, P. (1995): Trockenschnitte als
Futtermittel für hartkäsetaugliche Milch; Milchw. Berichte 125, 184 – 186.
- GINZINGER, W.; TSCHAGER, E. (1993): Einfluss der Fütterung auf die Qualität von Milch
und Milchprodukten; Österr.Braunvieh 23, 4 – 6.
- MOREL I., WYSS U., COLLOMB M. (2006): Grünfutter- oder Silagezusammensetzung und
Milchinhaltstoffe; Agrarforschung 13, 228-233.
- Österr. Lebensmittelbuch Codexkapitel B 32:Milch und Milchprodukte Proceedings ALFA
Jahrestagung 2001, 29.- 31.05.2001, Wolfpassing,163 – 165.
- SCHREIBER, M. (2002): Gehalt an konjugierten Linolsäuren (CLA) in österreichischer Trinkmilch
unterschiedlicher Provenienz; Diplomarbeit an der BAM Rotholz.
- TSCHAGER, E., GINZINGER, W., DILLINGER, K. (2001): Fettsäurespektrum des Milchfettes
in Abhängigkeit von Fütterung und Haltung.
- TSCHAGER, E.; ZANGERL, P.; SEBASTIANI, H.; KNEIFEL, W.; LANG, C.; LEGNER, H. (1994):
Organoleptische, technologische und ernährungsphysiologische Eigenschaften von Almmilch;
Milchwirtschaftliche Berichte 120, 152-157.
- Bergbauern: Käsesorten
http://www.bergbauer.at/bergbauer.htm
- Biokäserei Hatzenstädt: Herstellung, Produkte
http://www.hatzenstaedt.at/html/produktion.html
- Bio Sennerei Walchsee
http://www.biokaeserei-walchsee.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=53 - FJ LMTZ Wolfpassing
http://www.kaesesommelier.at/fileadmin/vksoe/downloads/Kaesegeschichte.pdf
- Genuss Region in neuem Outfit- Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse
professionalisiert Außenauftritt
http://www.tiroler-bauernbund.at/page.cfm?vpath=index/presse&genericpageid=943
- Genuss Region "Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse" mit kulinarischen
Spezialitäten ...
http://www.general-solutions.at/landeszeitung/site-files/607/php/detail.php?artnr=5967&ukatnr=10376&ukatname=kulinarium&PHPSESSID=6563095dfc8d883041f2e565d90bd262
- Heumilch – Das Original !
www.dasmondseeland.at/aktuell/documentdownload.php?id=87
- Kaiserwinkl
http://www.kaiserwinkl.com/
- Kaiserwinkl Heumilchkäse
http://www.genuss-region.at
- Regulativ für Heumilch
http://www.heumilch.at/die-arge/heumilchregulativ
- Sennerei Danzl: Herstellung, Produkte
http://www.sennerei-danzl.at/
- Sennerei Plangger: Herstellung, Produkte
http://www.kaeserei.at/Main.htm
- Silage oder Heu?- Überlegung zur Wirtschaftlichkeit
http://www.boku.ac.at/fileadmin/_/H73/H733/pub/Biolandbau/2006_Eder_HeuSilage.pdf
- Tiere und Pflanzen in Tirol
http://www.skiurlaub-oesterreich-tirol.de/tiere-und-pflanzen.php
- Tirol (Bundesland)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirol_(Bundesland)#Klima
- Tirol. Geografische Grundlagen
http://studienbibliothek.tsn.at/tirol_landeskunde.pdf
- Willkommen bei den Tiroler Käsespezialitäten
http://www.tirolkaese.at
- Willkommen bei der ARGE Heumilch Österreich
http://www.heumilch.at
- Willkommen in der Ferienregion Kaiserwinkl
http://www.tourismus-tirol.com/kaiserwinkl/index.shtml
All internet references last accessed on 21 July 2008.
Language Code
German
Product of www.genuss-region.at
yes
Regional contact
Tourism Association Kaiserwinkl
Thomas Schönwalder
Information Office Walchsee
Dorfplatz 10
6344 Walchsee
Phone: 05374/5223
Fax: 05374/5135
Authors: Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
01.04.2011, Lebensministerium III/4