Foreign breeds' milk under study

Chennai: Even as the pro jallikattu protestors highlighting the health effects of consuming A1 type of milks produced by foreign breeds, researchers from National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), New Delhi scientists are studying the impact of the A1 and A2 type of milk on the people consuming it in the country.

Though international studies have revealed consumption of A1 type of milks leads to type 1 diabetes and coronary heart diseases, no such study was done in India to establish it, said a scientist from NBAGR who didn't want to be named.

"We have taken up a study on the A1 and A2 type of milk impact in the country last year. It is halfway through and detailed analysis of data is going on," the scientist said.

The pro-jallikattu protestors are very vocal the health impact of consuming the milk produced by the foreign breeds like Jersey cow and also declining native breeds in the state. "Our native cows they all give the A2 type of milk more or less. Until unless we contaminated them with cross breeding, they all give A2 type milk. As far as Jersey or Holstein is concerned, 30 to 35 per cent of them are A2 type. Where the milk is A2 type, irrespective of the breed, it is considered as good for health. We should not attach A1 type of milk to particular cattle breed like Jersey or Holstein alone," the researcher said.

"Actually, if you drink A1 type of milk there is a peptide called beta casomorphin that is ingested. So it is BCM7 (beta casomorphin 7) is the culprit, it binds to certain receptors. In layman language, it goes to the brain and binds over there and then trigger many of the reactions, which are not good for health. It leads ultimately to type 1 diabetes and coronary heart diseases. As far as A2 milk is concerned, it is BCM9 and it does not cause any problem," the researcher said.

Concerned over the impact, the semen samples are being labelled as A1 and A2 type under the national breeding programme, the scientist said, adding that in future, when breeding is done "we will know which type of semen is being used". However, the scientist warned that most of the native breeds, especially in places, where artificial insemination had been happening to increase the milk production, might also have A1 variant.