A2 milk to earn 2.5p more than regular variety
Robert Wiseman Dairies is recruiting milk suppliers for their new range of A2 fresh milk products, which will be suitable for consumers who currently avoid dairy because of the digestive discomfort it causes them.
The milk comes from cows specially selected to produce only A2 beta-casein protein, the original milk protein which all dairy cows produced prior to a natural genetic variation which occurred several thousands of years ago, which led to the appearance of A1 beta-casein protein in dairy herds.
Irish farmers are watching the progress of the British A2 milk industry with interest. A Co Cork-based consortium bids to have A2 milk on shop shelves within 12 months.
Former MEP Kathy Sinnott and Co Cork businessman Pat Shine are involved in the Irish A2 venture, and Nohoval, Co Cork dairy farmer Peter Kingston has a specially bred Holstein Friesian A2 herd of 200 milkers in place to supply the special milk.
In Britain, the biggest fresh milk company, Robert Wiseman Dairies has teamed up with A2 Corporation of New Zealand, to introduce a range of A2 milk products this year.
It is offering dairy farmers cow conversion incentives, and will pay the cost of DNA sampling to determine which cows have the A2 milk protein. Their results so far have suggested that most herds have around a third of their cows with the A2 beta casein protein, and they will work with farmers to help find the best solution to convert their herd to solely A2 cows, or segregate their A2 milk.
