Innovative dairy products produced from milk from cows with the A2A2 genotype

Undertaking a project related to A2 milk production and processing it into innovative dairy products is the result of a combination of market, scientific, social and technological factors that make up the contemporary challenges faced by farms and processors.

Market and consumer trends:

• Demand for innovative products - Dynamic consumer trends in the area of food and nutrition – particularly the health-oriented trend – are prompting exploration of innovative solutions. Dairy products based on A2 milk can be an innovative offering for consumers.
• Growing interest in healthy lifestyles - Continued growth in consumer interest in healthy lifestyles and nutritional awareness is spurring the launch of products made from A2 milk. Consumers increasingly care about food products that have health benefits when consumed.

Scientific research and health

•  Planned scientific research on the chemical composition and properties of A2 milk may provide new and interesting knowledge and conclusions.
• To date, scientific evidence of the health benefits of consuming A2 milk provides motivation for the production and processing of A2 milk.

Sustainable development

• Sustainable production - A2 milk projects often emphasize the environmental and ethical aspects of milk production, and thus can contribute to sustainable production.

Development of milk processing technology

• Technological and product innovation - The development of new milk processing technologies enables the development of innovative dairy products based on A2 milk.
•  Process improvement - Improving production processes to efficiently process and maintain the quality of A2 milk is key to creating high-quality products.
• Cooperation with agricultural and scientific sectors - The initiation of the project is the result of cooperation between the dairy processor and milk suppliers, i.e. farmers, as well as links with scientific units working on the topics of cow breeding, milk chemistry and dairy technology.

The operation entitled “Innovative dairy products produced from milk from cows with the A2A2 genotype” is related to dairy farming, milk production and dairy processing – key sectors for the Rural Development Program 2014-2020.

The operation will expose the innovative, functional characteristics of A2 milk; increase the added value of the products produced, as well as of the raw milk itself; enable farmers and the processor to make better use of their resources – inventory and infrastructure, thereby increasing the competitiveness of these entities (including through investment in fixed assets).

The planned activities are the determination of the genetic potential of the herds, which will lead to the selection of cows producing A2 milk; a service to help unify the herd; the segregation of A2 milk and the organization of its delivery to a processor introducing innovative dairy products made from A2 milk into its portfolio; and scientific research on the chemical composition and properties of A2 milk.

Project activities

The operation is planned to include:

• determination of milk protein genotype in cows and heifers (in two stages) – genetic marker testing (genotyping) using microarrays;
• determination of the genomic breeding value of cows and heifers (in two stages) – Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms; analyzed using the Illumina Bovine Genotyping BeadChip platform;
• conducting a service to support the unification of the herd – insemination of cows with A2A2 bull semen;
• investment in fixed assets to enable milk segregation – purchase of milk coolers and a tanker truck;
• investment in fixed assets to enable the implementation of an innovative product – the purchase of an innovative packaging machine;
• scientific research on the chemical composition and properties of A2 milk.
   

The main benefits of the project

• The results set to be achieved by the farms are to determine the genetic potential of the herds, which will lead to the selection of cows producing A2 milk, the segregation of this milk and its sale at a higher price to a processor with a portfolio of products made from A2 milk. In addition, knowing the genotype of individual cows and genomic breeding value, by mating cows to bulls with the A2A2 genotype, it will become possible to guide breeding in a way that increases production efficiency while achieving a genetically uniform herd in A2 milk production. These measures will help improve the competitiveness of dairy farms. 
• The results assumed to be achieved by the processor are the implementation of improved technology, the introduction of innovative, high-value-added products into the portfolio and the response to the specific needs of a wide range of consumers. The associated investment in fixed assets and increased sales revenue will increase the company's competitiveness and gross value added.
• The university's cooperation with farmers and processors will enable scientific research on A2 milk, which can contribute to a better understanding of its properties and health effects. The scientific results of the operation will be made available through publications in reputable national and international scientific journals. It is also possible to distribute them during the conference.
• Through the symbiotic nature of the planned operation, the result will be the creation of bridges between cutting-edge research expertise (the university) and farmers and processors. 

Practice summary

A wide part of the population struggles with problems on the gastrointestinal side after eating and with food allergies. With regard to dairy, these complaints are attributed to lactose intolerance and milk protein allergies. Consumers suffering from such ailments look for dairy products and alternatives that do not cause them, but they also often move away from dairy consumption. Numerous scientific reports, on the other hand, prove that milk that contains only the A2 variant form of beta-casein (so-called A2 milk) does not cause the aforementioned ailments and has many health-promoting properties. 

A2 milk is milk produced by cows with the A2A2 genotype. The remaining cows in the herd may have the A1A2 or A1A1 genotype. To find out the proportion of animals with particular genotypes for beta-casein, the herd should be genotyped. Knowledge of an animal's genotype, together with an additional estimated genomic breeding value, makes it possible to significantly accelerate breeding progress and improve the economic efficiency of breeding.
With the simultaneous implementation of new and innovative products by the milk processor, it will be possible to sell raw milk obtaining a higher price for it. Indeed, observations of markets in countries where A2 milk is available for sale show that products made from A2 milk fetch significantly higher prices than equivalent conventional products. Similarly, therefore, suppliers of A2 raw milk can expect a higher purchase price for such milk. 

Implementation of the above-mentioned measures will directly contribute to improving the competitiveness of dairy producers and increasing the added value of products made from the obtained milk. The specific nutritional needs of a segment of the population will also be met – as the launch of A2 milk products will respond to consumer demand for an alternative to conventional dairy products.

Additional comments

Aspects that facilitate the implementation of A2 milk projects are:

• numerous scientific reports on the health benefits of consuming A2 milk, which can help educate consumers and build a market;
• conscious management of cow breeding taking into account favorable CSN2 A2A2 gene as a result of initiated training of breeders and dairy producers;
• configuration of the processor's production lines to process a small amount of milk with segregation (no contamination with conventional milk) at each production stage;
• local area of operation – A2 milk suppliers and processor of such milk, located in close proximity significantly facilitate, and thus reduce the cost of (selective) milk procurement.

Obstacles to implementing A2 milk projects may be:

• the need for segregation of milk on farms and the associated increased costs of running milk production during the transition period, i.e. unifying the herd, including investment costs associated with, for example, the purchase of additional milk coolers and the addition/adaptation of premises for them;
• a long period of changing the herd structure so that segregation of milk on farms is not necessary;
• consumer unawareness about the differences between A2 milk and conventional milk increases the risk of low demand and makes it necessary to actively educate consumers about the health benefits and other aspects of A2 milk to increase its acceptance in the market;
• promotion and marketing costs for products made from A2 milk, especially if they are planned to be sold as premium products.
• lack of legal and statutory regulations (standards) with regard to A2 milk quality assurance and labeling (including health claims);
• costly analyses of adulteration of A2 milk with conventional milk (including in-process testing in milk processing).