A2 milk ? Fleckvieh reveals another secret!

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.
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-
Beta casein
A2
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.
A1
A3
E
D
H
B
C
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
F
G
H
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011

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 % tested A2A2
30 % tested A1A2
3 % to the 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.
These results are consistent with
expectations and show a high percentage
of bulls carrying the A2 Beta
Casein gene, therefore giving
great scope for those wishing to
pursue A2A2 breeding within their
herd.
The scientific results obtained to
date are very promising for Fleckvieh.
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. The sire Waterberg is homocygous for the A2-type of Beta-Casein.
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011
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AUSTRALIA 23
Allelic frequencies of β-Casein genotypes of different breeds
Fleckvieh Holstein Brown Guernsey Milking Jersey
Swiss Shorthorn
A2 A1 and others
Fleckvieh Holstein Brown Guernsey Milking Jersey
Swiss Shorthorn
A2 71 % 55 % 66 % 96 % 49 % 50 %
A1 and others 29 % 45 % 34 % 4 % 51 % 50 %
Source: Milk Protein Polymorphisms in Califonia Dairy Cattle, Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 74, Issue 5, May 1991
and Comparison of Influence Markers CSN3 and CSN2 on Milk Performance Traits in Czech Spotted and Holstein
Cattle tested at first, fifth and higehr lactation, Nitra, Slovaca Universitas Agriculturae Nitriae, 2006.

24 AUSTRALIA
Letter to the editor:
Life Changing Fleckvieh’s.
By the autumn of 2007, Vikki and I had come to the end of the line with trying to get our 160 Registered Holstein herd to
a workable fertility level. We were at our lowest ebb. Our conception rates had slumped to a low of 10 % and A.I had been
abandoned. We were just running Holstein herd bulls, who could only achieve only slightly better rates of conception,
and broke down under the work load. We had also had abandoned all the herd improvement tools, including herd testing,
as there was very little point of continuing with it as a marketing tool for any surplus cattle, as we had none. We
needed every heifer as a replacement. This was very tedious, as it took 20 doses of semen to yield one heifer. We even
got to the point of buying in milking cows to keep up our herd numbers. This is the point at which anger and disillusionment
took hold of our souls. When we sought help, the fingers were always pointed at us, and our management. We weren’t
doing this or that right. I can assure you, if your conception rates are as low as 10 %, you leave no stone unturned,
you make sure your management is right!!
Defining Moment
When driving past Chris and Sharon Jordon’s Simmental stud, I got the idea to do something totally out of the square
for me, crossing my registered Holsteins to a Simmental. I knew that the resulting progeny would be very saleable, and
I had always known they had a reputation for high fertility. I had nothing to lose, and my sanity regained.
I by chance took a fancy to a young bull of the Fleckvieh strain. He was sired by S.V. Bavarian, and his mother was an
Austrian cow. He was old genetics, the result of a 20 year old stored embryo. As we chatted over the sale and his pedigree,
Chris mentioned that we could milk young Bavarian’s daughters and that in fact his mother was herd recorded with
some impressive production figures. Chris also gave me George Cassar’s number. By the time I had young Bavarian
transported home and some semen collected from him, George had some Regio and Hippo semen delivered to my tank.
Another Defining Moment
It was at this time that I did something that people in the industry and people who knew me and my links to the Holstein
breed, found incredible to believe; I tipped out my store of Holstein semen. For me it was an easy thing to do. I am an
all or nothing person. I do my research and then go for it. Three weeks after we started using the Fleckvieh semen, our
lifes changed. Around half of the cows I had inseminated held in calf. We took note, but we had been at this point with
the Holsteins, only to see the conception rates deteriorate at 6 weeks and beyond. As we passed 6 weeks and then 3
months, our conceptions were around 45 %. We knew we were back! The pressure release was enormous. We realized
the problem wasn’t with us, it was with the Holstein’s. Three years on and we are waiting for our first F1 Fleckvieh’s enter
the milking herd. We have been able to consistently get our conceptions above 50 %. Just this autumn, I became confident
enough to conduct a synchronized mating program on our maiden F1 Fleckvieh heifers. Early conception rates are
outstanding, a figure that we would have only once dreamed about and something George Casser said we would regain
quickly.
Defining Moment No. 3
When our first Fleckvieh calves were born, it was then that we realised we had stumbled on to something special. These
were the easiest calves to rear. No more nursing sickly calves. No more did I have the chore of administrating antibiotics,
only to have the calves die in my arms. These F1’s wanted to live, they have a vitality I haven’t seen in calves for 15
years. The next big thrill we got, was when we took our 5 day old bull calves to market. We were used to getting $ 45 for
our Holsteins, with only one or two butchers bidding for them. We were taken aback when a number of calf rearers wanted
to take our calves. The first year, our calves averaged $160 and that average has continued to rise due to the return
buyers keen to reinvest again after seeing first hand how well these calves did. Recently George Cassar sent me some
eartags with „Fleckvieh“ printed on them. I make sure that every calf that leaves the property has one of these tags. At
the market I have stood back and watched potential buyers turn the ears and read these tags. Everybody in the market
is now getting comfortable with the way „Fleckvieh“ rolls of the auctioneers tongue. At time of writing this article, our F1
Fleckvieh’s are 1 month away from calving and they are home, getting accustomed to the dairy/milking shed and to the
routine of their future milking lifes. It is a time when we start to get close to them and learn their personalities. We are
also able to observe their conformations and also to compare them with their mothers that are in the herd. We are amazed
that in one generation we are able to totally change the Holstein conformation to that of the Fleckvieh. A shape that
will be very suitable to our grass based enterprise. Fleckvieh has taken away the tall narrow shoulders and ungainly legs.
They have delivered an animal that will be able to walk distances and graze freely. Their rump set up is something that
we have been searching for for a long time. One area that the naysayers have been trying to knock our confidence on is
udder shape. But as we see them developing on their first calf, we are very confident that the udders will be very adequate
and sound. Vikki has recently remarked to George, how I have regained my confidence to breed good cattle again,
and that I have gotten back my swagger. This has come around because of the tremendous cattle I am seeing before me
on a daily basis, and the potential they are showing me gets me excited.
Go on change your life.
Fire up with Fleckvieh!!!!!
Greg Templeton, Australia
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011