NEW MILK PROTEIN TESTS - Coming soon

[legendrockranch]

VGL will soon be offering 2 new tests for milk protein along with Beta Casein. Kappa Casein and Beta Lactoglobulin, no date as to when these tests will be starting.

Oh joy something else to spend our money on.

Barb

[zephyrhillsusan]

Tail hairs or milk test?

[legendrockranch]

Tail hairs, below is a link to VGL testing info.

www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/cattle.php

Barb

[midhilldexters]

Oh no, here we go again.
I'm with Sherri with what she said yesterday, some are putting too much emphasis on homo A2, and now there is more. Wonder where it will end? I'm just worried about losing genetics within the breed when all these great animals are not wanted as they are only A1/A2. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out.
This test will be great for those who make cheese in a big way, but for those that don't will you bother to test?

Carol K

[legendrockranch]

Some kind of new test will always be just around the corner. There's a limit to what we should test for.
I'm with you Carol, taking a wait and see approach.

Barb

[legendrockranch]

The link provided below is from a New Zealand website that tells briefly about the different milk proteins.

www.licnz.com/milk_proteins_caseins.cfm

Barb

[zephyrhillsusan]

Thanks, Barb, I knew one of them had to do with cheese, but wasn't sure what. Now we know!

[zephyrhillsusan]

Knowledge is a tool; hopefully people will use it wisely.

[midhilldexters]

I can't make out what it says, its all fuzzy when I make it bigger. Can anyone read and translate?

Carol K

[zephyrhillsusan]

Thanks, Gene, that's the first I heard higher yield associated with A2. Interesting!

[kansasdexters]

We have started testing our herd for Kappa Casein and Beta Lactoglobulin. So far, 14 animals tested, mostly the ones that have already tested as homozygous for A2 Beta Casein. Only 2 out of the 14, in the first group, have tested as homozygous A2 Beta Casein (A2/A2), homozygous for "B"variant (the preferred type) Kappa Casein (B/B), and homozygous for "B" variant (the preferred type) Beta Lactoglobulin (B/B). Those two are Wakarusa BRR Nina and Wakarusa ACB Falon. They become our prototype "cheese" cows. Fortunately, they also have very desirable conformation and superb dispositions. Now, the task is to find a suitable bull to mate with these outstanding females to produce more animals with these desired milk traits.


Patti

[outofthebox]

We have already asked UCD to perform these additional tests on three cow/heifers that have been earmarked for milking /cheese making homes.

We are considering testing the foundation herd first up and then take it from there on the calves.

Because our market appears to be growing significantly for dwarf house cows, preferable homo A2 and dwarf lawn ornaments, nice for homo A2 just-in-case scenario means we will be testing as further justification for our pricing of those that wont be our future breeders.

Your test results are interesting Patti. It will be interesting to see what happens with these additional tests with 20 homo A2 out of 28 tested in our herd.

[kansasdexters]

We really lucked out on our herd sire, Ace of Clove Brook. He has tested as homozygous A2 Beta Casein (A2/A2), heterozygous on Kappa Casein (A/B), and homozygous on "B" variant Beta Lactoglobulin (B/B). Our junior herd sire, Wakarusa RLA Rex, has tested as homozygous A2 Beta Casein (A2/A2), heterozygous on Kappa Casein (A/B), and heterozygous on Beta Lactoglobulin (A/B). So we have the ability to produce the desired type, but it will require testing the offspring.

I'd really like to find a good Dexter bull that is homozygous A2 Beta Casein (A2/A2), homozygous "B" variant Kappa Casein (B/B), and homozygous "B" variant Beta Lactoglobulin (B/B). If anyone has such a bull, please contact me.


Patti

[ssrdex]

Thanks for sharing your results Patti. When I got the email from UCD VGL that the test were now available, I have to say I was less than excited. My first thought was just as Barb put it at the beginning of this post, something else to spend money on. Is there any questioning what's "preferred" with these new tests? I know there's debate about A2, although the language used by the VGL in my email doesn't suggest that, but what about the new ones? It would seem to me that the properties in milk that are best for producing cheese would be provable, and not up for debate. Is that the case? It would make it easier for me to justify the expense knowing that.

[lakeportfarms]

Thanks for the results Patti, we have two Ace daughters who are homozygous A2 so perhaps I'll try the tests on them to see how they fare. But as Joel said, I'm not excited about additional tests after spending many thousands already on A2, genotype, PHA, chondro, etc... on the entire herd. I think I'll be very selective on these new tests.