A2 beef vs A2 dairy. What's the difference? One doesn't even exist in the US. LEARN MORE HERE.

Why is A2 milk better for you?

written by

Aaron Miller

posted on

August 3, 2017

In 2016, after reading the book Devil in the Milk by Keith Woodford, the farmer became interested in A2/A2 cow’s milk. This interest arose from two experiences: (1) The farmer noticed that the calves fed A2/A2 cow’s milk grew faster and did not get diarrhea; and (2) The farmer’s baby Hannah was quite unhappy and did not want her homemade formula until the family starting using A2/A2 cow’s milk. After switching to A2/A2 cow’s milk, she immediately took the bottle and was very content and happy!

Thousands of years ago, there was a genetic mutation in cows in Europe. This mutation made them produce a new type of beta-casein protein – A1. Before this point, cows (just like humans and most mammals) produced milk strictly with A2 beta-casein protein. Over time, those European cows have been selectively bred (and now, in some cases, genetically engineered) into the white and black spotted Holstein cow. They made their way to the US, Australia, and New Zealand and now dominate the dairy industry. Basically, all milk found in American grocery stores is A1/A2.

Modern research shows that humans cannot fully digest the A1 beta-casein protein and that it has an opiate effect on the body. In some cases, humans have developed chronic digestive problems from drinking A1/A2 milk, particularly those from countries like India, where cows were not affected by genetic mutation so long ago.

It’s pretty easy for us to tell what kind of milk a cow produces. First, we know that the Jersey and Guernsey varieties of cows produce milk with a higher concentration of A2 beta-casein protein (not 100% but higher). Our farm has 80% Jersey and 20% Jersey crosses. Second, we do a simple genetic test on every one of our cows using a hair sample. This test tells us exactly which proteins the cow produces.

Years ago, the farmer successfully converted his herd to 100% A2 cows. He sold some A1/A2 cows and bought some new A2/A2 cows. And now, 100% of our cow dairy products are 100% A2. We are so thrilled about this. We have heard so many success stories from our members. People who were suffering from chronic digestive issues are now able to drink milk again and eat their native diet.

Thank you so much for your business. And, thanks to many of you for spreading the word about our A2 milk. <3

Health and Nutrition

More from the blog

A2 beef vs A2 dairy. What's the difference? One doesn't even exist in the US.

Every once in a while, a customer sees that we offer A2/A2 dairy and asks, "Do you sell A2 beef?" When this happens, I let them know that A2 beef isn't a thing... at least not in the United States. But, A2/A2 dairy is. The dairy vs. beef classifications are based on two completely separate things. One has to do with marbling in meat, and the other has to do with the type of protein in milk. Here's the explanation of both.

What's in our natural egg feed? And why is it in there anyway?

Our egg farmers recently switched to a new, natural, and 100% honest feed supplier. We are thrilled that they'll work with us to create a corn & soy free feed that fits our natural requirements. Here are answers to common questions about the feed as well as the nitty gritty details about the feed ingredients.

Egg yolk changes. We were greenwashed and are furious! Here's the scoop.

If you've followed our blog for some time, then you know that I do a good amount of muckraking on the food industry - conventional, organic, or otherwise. But, this week, I need to rake the muck on us (more specifically on our corn & soy free eggs)! Here's the scoop and everything you need to know about us formulating a new feed with a trusted source.