22
AUSTRALIA
A2 milk – Fleckvieh reveals another secret!
George Cassar, Karova Fleckvieh, Australia
Research done in several countries has suggested that there might be a link between the consumption
of A1 milk to heart disease, insulin-dependent diabetes and autism. However, these theories are based on
statistical correlations, animal research or anecdotal reports. The fact is that Fleckvieh has a high percentage of A2 milk, which is supposed to be the „good” type. Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics had several of its
bulls tested for their Beta Casein types. Read the results of that testing in the following article.
The composition of milk
Milk is made up of approximately
85 % water, 4.6 % lactose, 3.7 % fat,
3.3 % protein, 0.5 % minerals and
3 % miscellaneous.
The protein in milk is made up of
caseins, whey proteins and enzymes. The caseins in protein are made up of 36 % Alpha Casein, 27 %
Beta Casein, 9 % Kappa Casein and
27 % Peptides and amino acids.
B
C
Beta casein
A2
F
A3
G
E
H
D
Beta casein
In the milk of dairy cows there are
two forms or variants of the Beta
Casein protein.
They can be either A2, which is considered to be the original form of
Beta Casein or A1 Beta Casein
which is the modern variant and
believed to have resulted from mutations and the domestication of
cattle by man. There are also other
variants of both forms of Beta Casein but they are still divided into
the A2 and A1 categories. Milk Protein is made up of chains of many
amino acids and in Beta Casein the
chain is 209 Amino Acids long.
The difference between A2 and A1
Beta Casein protein is in a single
amino acid at position 67. This amino acid is called Proline in A2 milk
and Histidine in A1 milk. Other species of animals like Goat, Water
Buffalo and Yak, as well as human
breast milk all contain the A2-like
form of beta casein as they have a
Proline Amino Acid at position 67 in
their beta casein chain.
Histidine amino acid at position 67
makes that Cow's milk is unique
amongst all mammals. The Histidine link is important because betacasein also contains a chain of amino acids (peptides) called Beta-Ca-
A1
H
The above diagram depicts the modern variants of the original A2-type of Beta Casein.
somorphin-7 (BCM-7), which is a
powerful opioid and oxidant and
has been linked to negative health
effects. The Proline that exists in A2
cows has a strong bond to BCM-7.
The Histidine in A1 milk however,
has weak hold on BCM-7, which allows it to break away from the rest
of the chain and flow freely about in
the milk. It should be difficult for
BCM-7 to get through the gut wall
and into the bloodstream because
the molecule is too large. However,
some people suffer from a condition referred to as leaky gut syndrome which allows BCM-7 and other
peptides to pass easily through the
gut wall and into the bloodstream.
There is also very strong evidence
that people with stomach ulcers or
untreated coeliac disease can absorb BCM7 through the gut wall. It
is also possible that babies can absorb BCM-7 the same way as they
need to be able to pass large molecules through the gut wall to be able to absorb the colostrum in their
mother’s milk.
The proponents of A2 milk believe
that exposure to BCM-7 has been
linked to: neurological impairment,
including autism and schizophrenic
changes, type-1 diabetes, an impaired immune response, autoimmune disease and heart disease.
Whilst there has not been any conclusive scientific test done to date
to prove or disprove such evidence,
those using A2 milk are shouting
out it’s praises and there is a growing awareness amongst today’s
health conscious consumers of the
claimed benefits of drinking A2
milk.
How does Fleckvieh compare
regarding the incidence of
the A2 best casein?
Each animal has a pair of genes for
the beta casein protein and during
fertilization one of these genes is
contributed to the offspring. These
can be either A2A2 , A1A1 or a combination of both genes, A1A2. As it
is early days of testing for the A2
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011
AUSTRALIA
Beta Casein protein, the studies done to date in 10 countrys and across
7 dairy breeds between 1982 and
2006 show that Fleckvieh had the
2nd highest frequency of the A2 Beta Casein Protein. Six studies included Holsteins, three studies included Jerseys and one study each
one Ayrshire, Guernsey, Brown
Swiss, Milking Shorthorn and Fleckvieh.
The Fleckvieh study was published
in the Czech Journal of animal
Science in 2006 and was conducted
on 440 animals of the Czech Fleckvieh breed. Of the 440 Fleckvieh animals tested:
67 %
30 %
3%
tested
tested
to the
A2A2
A1A2
A1A1
The opposite graph shows results
on tests done to date to compare
between breeds and from it can be
seen the high incidence of the A2
Beta Casein gene in Fleckvieh.
23
Allelic frequencies of β-Casein genotypes of different breeds
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Fleckvieh
䡵 A2
Holstein
Brown
Swiss
Guernsey
Milking
Shorthorn
Jersey
䡵 A1 and others
Fleckvieh
Holstein
Brown
Guernsey
Milking
Jersey
These results are consistent with
Swiss
Shorthorn
expectations and show a high percentage of bulls carrying the A2 BeA2
71 %
55 %
66 %
96 %
49 %
50 %
ta Casein gene, therefore giving
A1
and
others
29
%
45
%
34
%
4
%
51
%
50 %
great scope for those wishing to
pursue A2A2 breeding within their
herd.
Source: Milk Protein Polymorphisms in Califonia Dairy Cattle, Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 74, Issue 5, May 1991
The scientific results obtained to and Comparison of Influence Markers CSN3 and CSN2 on Milk Performance Traits in Czech Spotted and Holstein
date are very promising for Fleck- Cattle tested at first, fifth and higehr lactation, Nitra, Slovaca Universitas Agriculturae Nitriae, 2006.
vieh. Should the additional health
benefits of A2 milk prove true this
would be another big advantage
for Fleckvieh.
A2-tests on 9 bulls from
Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics
Engadin
A2A2
Rustico
A2A2
Waterberg
A2A2
Seebär
A2A2
Mandela
A1A2
Don Juan
A1A2
Hippo
A1A2
Round Up
A1A2
Manitoba
A1A1
Whilst the author has sourced the above
information from articles and research that
is currently available, the author, nor Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics endorse any
claims made regarding the benefits or consequence of drinking A1 or A2 milk.
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011
The sire Waterberg is homocygous for the A2-type of Beta-Casein.
24
AUSTRALIA
Letter to the editor:
Life Changing Fleckvieh’s.
160 Registered Holstein herd to
to the end of the line with trying to get our
By the autumn of 2007, Vikki and I had come
a low of 10 % and A.I had been
to
ped
slum
had
st ebb. Our conception rates
a workable fertility level. We were at our lowe
tly better rates of conception,
herd bulls, who could only achieve only sligh
abandoned. We were just running Holstein
ent tools, including herd teovem
impr
had also had abandoned all the herd
We
load.
work
the
r
unde
down
broke
and
us cattle, as we had none. We
nuing with it as a marketing tool for any surpl
sting, as there was very little point of conti
n to yield one heifer. We even
was very tedious, as it took 20 doses of seme
needed every heifer as a replacement. This
which anger and disillusionat
point
the
is
keep up our herd numbers. This
got to the point of buying in milking cows to
us, and our management. We weht help, the fingers were always pointed at
ment took hold of our souls. When we soug
%, you leave no stone unturned,
10
if your conception rates are as low as
ren’t doing this or that right. I can assure you,
you make sure your management is right!!
Defining Moment
thing totally out of the square
n’s Simmental stud, I got the idea to do some
When driving past Chris and Sharon Jordo
eny would be very saleable, and
a Simmental. I knew that the resulting prog
for me, crossing my registered Holsteins to
sanity regained.
my
for high fertility. I had nothing to lose, and
I had always known they had a reputation
rian, and his mother was an
Bava
S.V.
by
sired
was
the Fleckvieh strain. He
I by chance took a fancy to a young bull of
ed over the sale and his pedit of a 20 year old stored embryo. As we chatt
Austrian cow. He was old genetics, the resul
er was herd recorded with
moth
his
fact
in
g Bavarian’s daughters and that
youn
milk
could
we
that
ioned
ment
Chris
gree,
the time I had young Bavarian
also gave me George Cassar’s number. By
some impressive production figures. Chris
o semen delivered to my tank.
from him, George had some Regio and Hipp
transported home and some semen collected
Another Defining Moment
me and my links to the Holstein
people in the industry and people who knew
It was at this time that I did something that
an easy thing to do. I am an
was
it
me
out my store of Holstein semen. For
d
tippe
I
ve;
belie
to
dible
incre
found
,
breed
using the Fleckvieh semen, our
then go for it. Three weeks after we started
all or nothing person. I do my research and
we had been at this point with
inseminated held in calf. We took note, but
lifes changed. Around half of the cows I had
passed 6 weeks and then 3
we
As
nd.
beyo
rates deteriorate at 6 weeks and
the Holsteins, only to see the conception
se was enormous. We realized
%. We knew we were back! The pressure relea
months, our conceptions were around 45
for our first F1 Fleckvieh’s enng
waiti
Holstein’s. Three years on and we are
the problem wasn’t with us, it was with the
this autumn, I became conJust
%.
50
e
abov
ns
consistently get our conceptio
ter the milking herd. We have been able to
Early conception rates are
rs.
g program on our maiden F1 Fleckvieh heife
fident enough to conduct a synchronized matin
er said we would regain
Cass
ge
Geor
thing
once dreamed about and some
only
have
d
woul
we
that
e
figur
a
g,
andin
outst
quickly.
Defining Moment No. 3
on to something special. These
it was then that we realised we had stumbled
When our first Fleckvieh calves were born,
of administrating antibiong sickly calves. No more did I have the chore
were the easiest calves to rear. No more nursi
n’t seen in calves for 15
have
I
ty
vitali
a
. These F1’s wanted to live, they have
arms
my
in
die
s
calve
the
have
to
only
tics,
We were used to getting $ 45 for
we took our 5 day old bull calves to market.
years. The next big thrill we got, was when
a number of calf rearers wanbidding for them. We were taken aback when
our Holsteins, with only one or two butchers
to rise due to the return
nued
conti
has
ge
avera
s averaged $160 and that
ted to take our calves. The first year, our calve
ge
ntly Geor Cassar sent me some
first hand how well these calves did. Rece
buyers keen to reinvest again after seeing
property has one of these tags. At
the
I make sure that every calf that leaves
eartags with „Fleckvieh“ printed on them.
tags. Everybody in the market
these
read
and
ears
potential buyers turn the
the market I have stood back and watched
of writing this article, our F1
kvieh“ rolls of the auctioneers tongue. At time
is now getting comfortable with the way „Flec
/milking shed and to the
dairy
the
to
d
tome
and they are home, getting accus
g
calvin
from
away
h
mont
1
are
vieh’s
Fleck
their personalities. We are
when we start to get close to them and learn
routine of their future milking lifes. It is a time
in the herd. We are amaare
that
also to compare them with their mothers
also able to observe their conformations and
Fleckvieh. A shape that
the
of
that
to
ion
rmat
y change the Holstein confo
and ungainly legs.
zed that in one generation we are able to totall
lders
w shou
prise. Fleckvieh has taken away the tall narro
is something that
up
will be very suitable to our grass based enter
set
rump
Their
.
able to walk distances and graze freely
confidence on is
our
They have delivered an animal that will be
knock
to
trying
been
have
ayers
One area that the nays
be very adewill
rs
we have been searching for for a long time.
udde
the
that
g on their first calf, we are very confident
cattle again,
good
udder shape. But as we see them developin
breed
to
e
denc
confi
my
to George, how I have regained
rked
rema
tly
recen
has
Vikki
d.
before me
g
soun
and
seein
quate
us cattle I am
has come around because of the tremendo
and that I have gotten back my swagger. This
showing me gets me excited.
on a daily basis, and the potential they are
Go on change your life.
Fire up with Fleckvieh!!!!!
Greg Templeton, Australia
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011