I caved
“What happened to my grass!” Jane – November snow.
I was pretty firm I wasn’t going to test Jane for her A2/A2 status. My reasoning was I would never sell her so it didn’t really matter. Guernseys are supposed to be one of the breeds that produces A2 milk, which is supposed to be better for you. All this is quite controversial and hotly debated. And it still doesn’t matter to me, I have drank mostly Guernsey milk all my life, with Holstein, Jersey and Hereford in the mix through the years. But a friend tested her Jersey, Jersey/Galloway cross, and her new baby Guernsey, Kit. All came back A2/A2 – talk about peer pressure. Arrgh.
So I did it, I pulled some tail hairs and sent them off to the lab. Now I wait for the results. It still won’t matter what the results are, Jane is not going anywhere because of the type of milk she will or not produce. But I just wanted to know… .
Food Renegade
Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op
as a non-cow owner i think it sounds super neat.
Internetjen, yeah, just more information, I’m awful curious!
Curious as to where the lab was. Last info I had was via Dr. Detloff, an Organic Valley consulting vet. He said the only testing being done (because it was copy written or the equivalent) was in New Zealand.
If it can be done locally (in the U.S.), and not expensively, and I had a milk cow, I’d be curious also. I doubt it would change whether we kept the cow or not, either.
You will let us know the results, please?
Pam, UC Davis is doing it for $25 – it’s close and the results come back fairly fast. I like to have lots of data, so this is just one more thing to know. My friend will most likely will sell some of her cows and she can use it for a marketing tool. I’m not interested in breeding dairy except for my own use and I won’t sell any milk, this info will be for just my own file of miscellany pertaining to cows
Maybe I will find out this week!
P.S. That was a mighty cute picture of Jane in the snow.
Pam, she was a little nonplussed the first day, but now since she hasn’t seen much grass for a few days, she is resigned to the fact.
suspension!!!! how long do we have to wait?
Jaz, I might have the results this week. Depends on their holiday schedule I guess.
One more bit of information. I can see where you’d want to know, and also why you wouldn’t bother.
The farmer I get my raw milk from is planning to get his herd tested this next year. He’s been using an A2/A2 bull, so he thinks the news should be good, but…..
Used to cost $100/ea to get tested here, now that the price is down to $25 he’s able to commit to it.
I’ll be interested to see the results.
But my guess is that it’s like everything else. If raw milk is the only thing you’re doing right, it probably matters a LOT. If you’re eating well and from healthy land, it probably doesn’t matter nearly as much. And that’s assuming that the controversy eventually settles on the A2 side. I’ve heard it’s simply accepted in New Zealand, and even the commercial farmers are in transition.
Hayden, I with you on it not being the only factor in healthy eating. It’s like organic dairy vs. conventional. It depends on what the cows are eating, how they are handled, and how the milk is handled. Being certified organic or any other designation doesn’t mean much if the all the other factors aren’t there.
And of course, there is the Jane factor. I couldn’t part with her. I worry too about perfectly good cows being sent off just because they aren’t A2 producers. My first milk cow I owned outright was a Holstein cross, and I loved her and her milk. It wouldn’t have made a bit of difference to me then and doesn’t now.
For a minute I thought your post title was “I CALVED”! I’m going to research the A2/A2 thing – interesting!
Marcia, LOL it could have said that, I wrote that post late last night! When the test was hovering at $100 it seemed excessive, but at $25 it seemed like, why not?
Well, you know that I’ve got to do this too! Can you pm me the info? Or do I check with my local extension office or something? I think it’s a pretty good marketing tool and can make a heifer calf more valuable, esp to those who are up on this jazz.
Diane, see, you’re as bad as me!
Here is the site:
http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/index.php
LOL I think I’d have caved too!
Linda, I am weak!
I caved a while back…but it won’t change what I do either…just nice to know! I can’t believe you have snow before us! Have a happy Thanksgiving…hope you get your results soon!
Tami, I am such a weakling, I couldn’t wait on my amnio results either
It is still snowing and piling up! It’s been a while since we had a snowy Thanksgiving! I don’t like snow! It takes so much longer to get chores done
Me lazy!
Keep warm and have a great Thanksgiving!!
Hummmm! This will be interesting! Please let us know. Snow here also. I’m sure yours is heading our way.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Linda, I’ll post the results as soon as I get them.
This storm is wet and heavy and lots of trees still have their leaves, so there is debris everywhere. And more snow to come.
Hi again, I wanted to send you a private e-mail but can’t seem to find an email for you. I was curious to find out if you might consider adding me to your blogroll. I’m a regular reader of yours and I have linked to you a few times on my site. Feel free to contact me privately.
I can relate with the A2 stress you are going through. I don’t like to deal with someone telling me I must test for something or get tested for some innocuous thing….but when the choice is mine to make- I would test her: just so I knew!
on a side note… Did Coral get a facelift?
GH, I just got the confirmation that they received Jane’s papers, err, switch hairs. I do want to know, one way or the other. None of us have any milk problems, so it will be what it will be. All OK.
Coral has a new brother – Clifford the BRT! Well new to us, anyway. Coral has been ordered to not leave the farm anymore
So no more trips to the library etc, just cow and wood duty, and today snow and ice.