Milk is made up of lactose, (milk sugar) fat, minerals and protein. Casein is the main protein found in milk and there are two types: A1 and A2. As a Jersey cow, (you can tell that I'm a Jersey by my beautiful brown color) I was bred to not produce the A1 beta-casein protein, so I'm A2A2. Most grocery store cow milk contains a combination of these A1 and A2 beta-casein proteins. The difference between A1 protein and A2 protein is very small, but may make a big difference in the way it feels to your digestive system. Some people experience gastric discomfort after consuming milk-containing products like yogurt, ice cream, and cheese leading many to believe they have lactose intolerance. Discomfort often attributed to milk as a whole may be due to an inflammatory response created by the A1 protein. That said, A2 milk could be worth a try if you struggle to digest regular milk. If that's not clear, google it. Yeah, I know about google too.
Your Farmer here - I have to change the password again so that Bossy the cow can't keep adding her own pages. While she got most of the things right, there are a few things that she isn't aware of. As dairy became more modernized, the push came for a cow that produced more milk. Strategic breeding made the modern A1-A2 Holsteins, (black and white cows that we're all familiar with) more popular because they made the farmer more money, but sacrificing drink-ability and taste. Farmstead Acres Jersey cows are all tested and verified for the A2-A2 gene. And, good for Bossy, our cows on average live 2 to 3 times longer than the typical Holstein and enjoy a healthier life.
