A1 vs A2 and Highlanders

[Guest guest]

Perhaps I missed this, but was there information presented about wherejerseys and highlanders stand regarding this issue? Thanks,

[Guest guest]

A1 vs A2 and Highlanders

Perhaps I missed this, but was there information presented about wherejerseys and highlanders stand regarding this issue? Thanks,

The mainstream commercial dairy cattle are mostly Holstein/Friesian. They seem to have the highest percentage of A1 producers. The farther you go away from the mainstream dairy breeds, the more likely that your cow will produce A2 milk. A1 seems to be present in all European cattle breeds, though. The only way to know which type an individual cow produces is through a DNA test.

Jerseys are fairly close to being a mainstream dairy breed. Highlands are not. Probably because they don't produce enough milk to be called a dairy breed. If you find an exceptional producer, there's a chance that it got that way by being crossed with a high-production Holstein. That would increase it's chances of producing A1 milk.

A1 beta casein is the villain. It is not present in goat milk, so there's one way to have milk without A1 in it. A1 milk has not been found in Asian cattle, such as the Zebu. That doesn't mean it can't be there. Most of the DNA testing has been confined to testing commercial dairy herds. Few Zebu cattle are in those herds, so testing will have been minimal. I believe that the only Asian cattle to have been tested are those of the Pacific islands near New Zealand.

I'll be selling a few Dexter calves that have tested positive for producing pure A2 milk this year. I'm also selling straws from my homozygous tested A2 Dexter bull.

I'm sorry I can't help you find A2 milk from other breeds. I'm strictly a Dexter man.

Genebo

Paradise Farm

[Guest guest]

Hi Genebo,

How did you get your herd tested if there is only one company who does the testing?

Thanks,

Jen

A1 vs A2 and Highlanders

Perhaps I missed this, but was there information presented about wherejerseys and highlanders stand regarding this issue? Thanks,

The mainstream commercial dairy cattle are mostly Holstein/Friesian. They seem to have the highest percentage of A1 producers. The farther you go away from the mainstream dairy breeds, the more likely that your cow will produce A2 milk. A1 seems to be present in all European cattle breeds, though. The only way to know which type an individual cow produces is through a DNA test.

Jerseys are fairly close to being a mainstream dairy breed. Highlands are not. Probably because they don't produce enough milk to be called a dairy breed. If you find an exceptional producer, there's a chance that it got that way by being crossed with a high-production Holstein. That would increase it's chances of producing A1 milk.

A1 beta casein is the villain. It is not present in goat milk, so there's one way to have milk without A1 in it. A1 milk has not been found in Asian cattle, such as the Zebu. That doesn't mean it can't be there. Most of the DNA testing has been confined to testing commercial dairy herds. Few Zebu cattle are in those herds, so testing will have been minimal. I believe that the only Asian cattle to have been tested are those of the Pacific islands near New Zealand.

I'll be selling a few Dexter calves that have tested positive for producing pure A2 milk this year. I'm also selling straws from my homozygous tested A2 Dexter bull.

I'm sorry I can't help you find A2 milk from other breeds. I'm strictly a Dexter man.

Genebo

Paradise Farm

[Guest guest]

I spent a year finding an intermediary who could get it done. My guess is it was by including them with a dairy herd in New Zealand. I know it took over two months to get the results, and during that time, the company was only doing tests in New Zealand.

My seven were part of a herd of twenty three. The results were coded by sample numbers, and I was given the numbers for mine only. So I have no clue who owns the other sixteen.

It turned out I have a bull and four cows who are CC (homozygous for A2). I also have two cows who are AC (heterozygous for A2). During the time I was awaiting test results, a calf was born to Brenn, my CC bull, and Beth, a CC homozygous A2 cow. So I now have a CC for A2 heifer calf. I also have a bull calf out of an AC cow by Brenn. These calves, plus a heifer I bought, were included in the second batch of DNA samples sent to be tested last month. If the bull calf tests CC (homozygous for A2) then I will have him to sell also. He's a gorgeous little bull. I hope he tests out.

Please don't bombard me with more requests for testing. I'm already swamped. I'm keeping the size of the batches down so that the source won't dry up. I sent six samples in the second batch. Three of mine plus three from historically significant animals. These are animals that have been bred together to produce many offspring. If perchance all three test CC, then we will be able to classify a great many of their offspring. Who knows, if you own one of the descendents of these three Dexters, we may be able to tell you that your Dexter is A2 before long.

Genebo

Paradise Farm

Re: A1 vs A2 and Highlanders

Hi Genebo,

How did you get your herd tested if there is only one company who does the testing?

Thanks,

Jen

[Guest guest]

Mornin'Gene,

Any thoughts on Ruffles-n-Lacy? Is our tested Jersey bull homo or heterozygous A2?

Robie

--- Re: A1 vs A2 and Highlanders

Hi Genebo,

How did you get your herd tested if there is only one company who does the testing?

Thanks,

Jen