We just sent off 25 more DNA samples to see how many A-2 cows we now have. We are excited about this but last time, out of 25 tested we only had 6 A-2, about 35% just like the book, Devil in the Milk, purports. All goats and sheep produce A-2 milk so technically we already offer A-2 milk in 2 forms but very expensive. Our goal is to eventually offer A-2 cow milk and we have been breeding A-2 into our herd for 8 years now. To read more about this subject we thought you might like to read the article we wrote on this almost a year ago: “Recently we have had several questions come to us Re: the type of breed we use for our milking cows. In fact one time a gal called and her only inquiry was, “do you milk Jersey cows?”. When Alicia responded that we do indeed milk Jerseys along with Devons and that we are actually moving toward a Devon herd she quickly became disinterested and hung up! It has seemed lately that more and more customers are interested in milk from purely Jersey cows and we think it may have to do with A1/A2 beta casein. A1 is the milk protein that is harder, overall for people to digest and has been linked to serious illnesses such as: heart disease, autism, type 1 diabetes, etc.. Milk that contains the A2 beta casein has no such ills attached to it and, according to research, is better assimilated by humans. As more and more people find out about this the more people want the A2 milk. We found on one very successful blog that is based out of Tampa, FL, a video Re: A1/A2 beta casein. The video purports that milk from Jersey cows is A2 but if you do your own research or read the book Devil in the Milk you will find that such a blanket statement is just not true. When we first started farming we definitely started with jerseys because they tend to have creamier milk and are not as “bred up” for milk production as the Holstein. Unfortunately, Jersey cows are next in line as far as genetically being bred for increased milk production and in the dairy industry, referred to as “the brown Holstein” by some. We have since learned that there are heirloom milking breeds that have not been tainted genetically and therefore do superior on grass and are able to maintain body weight while producing milk for their calves and once/day milking. These heirloom or heritage breeds tend to contain the double A2 milk protein that is easier for humans to digest. According to the former A2 Corporation, only about 35% of the Jersey cows are Double A-2 and this number has been proven somewhat accurate by farmers who have actually taken the steps to test their cows. In the book Devil in the Milk by Keith Woodford he states this number can vary greatly from Jersey herd to Jersey herd, depending on genetics. Of 25 Jersey cows we had genetically tested here at FCF, only 7 were double A-2, (28%). The biggest surprise for us here was that our mini or heritage old time Jerseys were not even A-2. So even “old fashioned,” heritage Jerseys are NOT necessarily A-2 unless tested.
We have been breeding our Jersey cows to a Double A-2 milking Devon bull for 7 years now and are gradually increasing to an A2 milking herd. The milking Devon is an old heritage breed that has slightly higher fat and protein than Jerseys. We feel that the hardiness and docility of these animals is highly superior to Jerseys. A comparison would be heirloom veggies vs hybrid or GMO ones.
When I was a kid growing up on a dairy farm a Holstein cow that gave 100 lbs (11-12 gal) of milk a day was big stuff but today that is nothing and many Jerseys are known for that kind of production now. The modern Jersey cow has been bred for high production which requires grain feeding. Monsanto loves this kind of breeding and promotes it strongly. This is something we do not support and found early on that we HAD to find a different breed to work with.
In summary, in order to know if you are drinking double A2 you need to ask your farmer if he/she has had them tested and what the test results showed.”
We are flush in frozen cream right now, so, while supplies last, our frozen cream will be half off which means $7.50/qt! It is time to stock up!
A customer shared this info in an e-mail and we thought we would share it with you!:
| "I just used the cream I bought from you to make "Never Fail Biscuits". They were very tasty. We had them with home cured bacon and some of your stone ground grits. I was impressed by how creamy and good the grits were. They tasted good without any additions. If you are interested in referring to the recipe for the biscuits, it is simple. Weigh out equal amounts of King Arthur Self Rising flour and heavy cream (for twelve biscuits use 6 oz of each). Mix it together. Scoop out 1 oz balls. Put them on a cookie sheet. Brush the tops with more cream or water or milk. Bake them in an oven preheated to 450F until they are golden brown." |
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