Guernsey Breeders' Journal 2011: Vol 180 Supplement

2011·21.5 MB·English

World Guernsey President’s Opening Address
John Gordon
Welcome to Guelph, Ontario, Canada this trend. We have to develop a special
- the home of the 13th World Guernsey market for our unique cow. She pro-
Conference. It seems like only yesterday duces more beta carotene than any other
that I came back from Australia as breed which gives the distinct yellow
President of this fine organisation. milk a different flavour and the con-
sumer a “natural” health boost. At unis
When the first conference was held
conference we have brought together
in 1967 the late Harold Clapp from
some world renowned specialists, hop-
Canada was the driving force to promote
ing they will provide us with some ways
the Guernsey breed. The first World
of improving and promoting our
Conference was to approve the ideal
Guernsey cow and milk products.
type Guernsey cow so that all the world she can be accepted with pride around
could strive to achieve a common grade We are blessed to have two of the the world.
of excellence. speakers, Brian van Doormaal and I expect we will have a very success-
Flavio Schenkel, live and work in ful conference as we listen and discuss
Guelph and their insight of the dairy with our leaders these interesting and
industry through the Canadian Dairy vital topics. May we all return home
Network and the University of Guelph with new information and a renewal of
will be most helpful. We also extend a our wonderful Guernsey breed.
warm welcome to our speakers from
England, New Zealand, Sweden and the
United States and look forward to your
presentations.
In Australia, Genomics was a hot
topic. Now it is moving even quicker
3 5 Ye
As we move forward into the twenty and it hopefully will be another option
first century, the Guernsey breed seems to use when breeders are choosing their
to be lagging behind the rest of the dairy next Guernsey sire. Genomics should
breeds, so we must work harder to stop advance the Guernsey cow faster so that
interbreed
Champion
Nairobi
International
Trade Fair 2010
Eliza
bred and owned by
Agricultural
Development
Corporation Lanet
Feedlot.
Sire:
Mukumu Fantasy
Paternal Grandsire:
Rozelyn Patmar P
Goliath
CONTENTS
Cover Snapshots from the 13th
World Conference & Tours
Inside President’s Opening Address;
Kenya Nairobi Show Champion
Page 2 A\ Beta Casein
WORLD GUERNSEY CATTLE FEDERATION
Page 7 Rutter Bros Showtimes Candy-ET
Federation Secretariat: The Secretary, Guernsey Cattle Society of Australia Page 8 Future of the Guernsey Breed
World Guernsey Cattle Federation, The (Federal Body) Inc; Secretary: Mrs.
Page 11 Global Genetic Trends and
Hollyhocks, 10 Clos des Goddards, Rue Joyce Cleggett, Brookleigh, PO Box 54,
des Goddards, Castel, Guernsey GY5 Glencoe SA 5291 Tel /Fax: +61 (0)8 consideration of fertiity
7JD, Channel Islands. Tel: [phone]- 8739 4368 E-mail: Page 14 AGA Report
257376 Fax: [phone] guernseyaus@active8 .net.au Web:
E-mail: [email protected] www.freewebs.com/ guernseyaus & Page 15 GCSA Report
Web: www.worldguernseys.org www.I|bcentre.com.au/Guernsey.php
Page 16 CGA and EGCS Reports
President: Mr Ray Watts, Meadow Guernsey New Zealand; Secretary:
Court Farm, Route des Blicqs, St. Peter Marwood, Verwood Farms, 590 Page 17 EGCS 2010 Show Champions
Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8YB, UK Kakaramea Rd, RD6, Te Awamutu 2400, Page 18SRGA&HS Report
New Zealand. Tel: + 64 7 871 9859 Fax:
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
[phone]; E-mail: Page 19GNZ Report
E-mail: meadowcourtfarm @cwgsy.net
verwood @ xtra.co.nz Page 20SAGCB Report
Chairman: Neil Jensen, Idle Gold
Kenya Guernsey Cattle Society;
Guernsey Farm, 1938 25th St.,
Kiprono Sego, PO Box 57315, Nairobi, Page 22 Secretary’s Report
.aese~eeeeeEniNe ae Ccomstock , WI 54826, USA
Tel: [phone] Kenya. E-mail: mksego@ yahoo.com Page 25 Stockman Farms Reward Hailey
E-mail: [email protected] Royal Guernsey Agricultural and
Page 26 Genetic Diversity in Canadian
Horticultural Society; Secretary: Mrs
MEMBERSHIP
Liz Naftel, P.O. Box 59, Guelles Road, Dairy Cattle Breeds
American Guernsey Association;
St Peter Port, Guernsey GY! 1AA
Executive Secretary/ Treasurer: Seth Page 33 Monument View Loco Regan
Channel Islands Tel: + 44 07781 424 520
Johnson, 1224 Alton Darby Creek Rd,
Fax:[phone] e-mail: liznaftel@govgg Page 34 Workshop Reports
Suite G, Columbus, Ohio 43228 USA
Web: RGA&HSHomepage.htlm
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Page 36 Climate Change
South African Guernsey Cattle
5614 e-mail: [email protected] Breeders; Maritha de Wiet, Spitskop, Page 37 RGA&HS 2010 Champions
Web: http://www.usguernsey.com
PK Wydgelee, Bredasdorp 7280,
Page 42 Collection and Use of
Associacao Brasileira de Criadores de
Republic of South Africa Tel/Fax: +
Gado Guernsey; Dr. Jose Luiz M (0)28 5421426 Phenotypic Performance Data
Garcia, ABCG GUERNSEY, Alameda E-mail: guernseysa@ vodamail.co.za Page 45 Brookleigh Actions Brunch
Arara, 120 - Casa 5, Parque das Gargas,
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:
12.949-162 - Atibaia - SP, Brazil Tel: + Page 46 American Guernsey Association
World-Wide Sires, PO Box 149,
(11) 4418 3505 Fax + (11) 4411 0118 E-
Hanford, California 93232, USA Page 48 Use of Genomic Infoprmation
mail: zeeguernsey @ hotmail.com
States of Guernsey Commerce and Page 50 Sunny Valley Charles Karma
Canadian Guernsey Association; 5653 Employment Dept, Primary Industries
Hwy 6N, Ontario, Canada Tel: + 1 519 Unit,Raymond Falla House, Longue Page 51 Canadian National Show 2010
836 2141 E-mail: info@guernseycana- Rue, St. Martins, Guernsey GY1 6AF,
Page 52 Moderator’s Summary
da.ca Web: www.guernseycanada.ca Tel: [phone], Fax: +44
Four Winds Mentor Highlite
English Guernsey Cattle Society; Mrs (0)1481 235015 E-mail: info@com-
Caroline Cox, Meadwell Farm, Kelly, merce.gov.gg Page 53 14th World Conference
Lifton, Devon PL16 OHJ UK Tel: + 44 GUERNSEY WORLD
Back More snapshots from the 13th
(0)1822 870677 or Registrations: Guernsey World is the official news-
Melanie Stevenson, Tel: + 44 (0)1923 magazine of the WGCF. It is distributed
Published by Bisson & Sparrow,
695215 E-mail: [email protected] free to the individual members of all the Trevassack, Garras, Helston, Cornwall,
Web: www.guernseycattle.com federated societies. TR12 6LH UK [email protected]
1
Health Issues with A1 Beta-casein,
and Consequent Opportunities for A2 Milk
by Keith Woodford
Professor of Farm Management and Agribusiness, Lincoln University, New Zealand
[email protected]_ http://keithwoodford.wordpress.com
A paper prepared for the World Guernsey Cattle Conference, Guelph, Canada 14-16 July 2010
Introduction where it sells at a considerable premium close to 90% of animals will be what we
to ‘ordinary milk’ and is rapidly gaining call ‘double A2’, i.e. carrying double
This paper is written primarily for a
market share. A2 milk is also marketed copies of the A2 variant of the gene; and
specific group of dairy farmers who, by
in New Zealand but much less widely so it should be feasible to rapidly cull
chance, have been presented with an
than in Australia. A2 yoghurt first those animals that fail the test, most of
intriguing Opportunity. However, it has
became available in Australian super- which will be heterozygous (carrying
relevance for all dairy farmers who, in
markets in April 2010 under the premi- one copy of both the Al and the A2
the nature of their business, are making
um Jalna brand, and other A2 products variant of the gene), with the very occa-
breeding decisions about their herds. It
are likely to soon follow. The overall sional animal carrying two copies of the
also has relevance for anyone who con-
Australian A2 market is currently in Al variant. An animal that has one copy
sumes dairy products.
excess of 20 million litres per annum of each variant will produce Al and A2
I have chosen to write the paper in a
and growing rapidly. beta-casein in equal quantities, and a
style suitable for a lay audience.
So, the opportunity to convert to cow with two copies of the Al variant
Accordingly, references are not listed
milk that is free of Al beta-casein is not will produce beta-casein that is all Al.
throughout the paper. Much greater
unique to Guernsey farmers. However, In contrast, most dairy farmers of
detail, including references, can be
Guernsey farmers have the opportunity non Guernsey cattle will typically only
obtained from my book ‘Devil in the
of doing this much more quickly and have 25-35% of their cattle as double
Milk’, available from publisher Chelsez
easily than most dairy farmers because A2, with 40-50% carrying one copy of
Green in North America or from Craig
they are almost ‘there’ already. each variant, and the rest being double
Potton Publishers in New Zealand or
Al. For most of these farmers it would
Australia, or from online booksellers. Accordingly, the assessment of
take 5 to 10 years to convert their herds
An update through to May 2010 can be whether it might be appropriate for all
through a mix of using only A2 semen
downloaded from http://keithwood- Guernsey cattle to be bred so as to
combined with some culling.
ford.wordpress.com. Additional com- achieve freedom from Ai beta-casein,
By chance, the New Zealand dairy
mentary on Al beta-casein and A2 milk and then for both the cattle and the milk
herd is drifting steadily towards A2. This
will continue to be made available at to be market-branded in this way, is a
is known to be the situation because all
that site as further events unfold. major strategic decision for the breeders
dairy breeding bulls in New Zealand are
By chance, the Guernsey breed of to make. It is certainly one that would
tested for their Al/A2 status, and the
cattle has the highest proportion of A2 differentiate Guernsey cattle from other
bulls that produce the best daughters
beta-casein, and the lowest proportion of European breeds. Even if the overall
under New Zealand testing conditions
Al beta-casein, of any of the European breed society is not able to make this
are predominantly A2. The rest of the
breeds. This creates an opportunity for decision, then it might still be made by
world is essentially unaware that this has
Guernsey dairy farmers to differentiate individual farmers, although that would
been happening.
their milk from the ‘ordinary milk’ that be less effective than collective action.
Of course none of this matters unless
is produced in developed countries. The However, even for those farmers who
there are sound health reasons why Al
qualifier ‘developed’ country is relevant rely on other people and companies to
beta-casein is something that we should
because Asian and African cattle of non- process and market their milk, there may
not be having in our milk. It is exactly
European origin also produce milk free still be opportunities. This is because A2
this question which is the focus of the
of Al beta-casein. Similarly, sheep, milk will soon be coming to Canada and
rest of this paper. It is a debate that has
goats, and camels produce milk that is elsewhere; it is just a matter of time.
been simmering away now for about 15
free of Al beta-casein. Also, it is impor- Licensed testing of the Al versus A2
years, initially in New Zealand, but now
tant to recognise that dairy farmers with status of cattle has just become available
elsewhere. Currently, Australia is the
breeds other than Guernseys can also in North America, and there are no
place where the battle is really raging. In
convert their herds away from A| beta- longer constraints to appropriate labora-
many other parts of the world, the
casein and towards A2 beta-casein, and tories elsewhere in the world being
debate has barely begun.
in some cases have already achieved licensed to offer the tests.
My Own involvement
pure A2 status. Indeed pure ‘A2 milk’ is To achieve a rapid conversion, all
now available from non-Guernsey herds females and bulls should be tested. With It may be helpful if I outline my own
in almost all Australian supermarkets, Guernsey cattle, the expectation is that role in the Al/A2 saga. As a professor of
2
farm management and agribusiness, I am was how would they, once it became In the case of Al beta-casein, diges-
regularly scanning the scientific litera- public knowledge that the herds were tion releases a peptide, or protein frag-
ture for research that will impact on the being converted away from A1, still be ment, called beta-casomorphin7. The
food and agribusiness industries. I able to sell milk containing some Al word ‘casomorphin’ means ‘caso’ for
became aware of the A2 issue in about beta-casein during the 10 year transition casein and ‘morphin’ for morphine. Yes,
2000, at which time the A2 Corporation period. At that time the health evidence that is correct! Beta-casomorphin7
had been formed. A2 Corporation was was less strong than is now the case, and (written hereafter as BCM7) is a string
promoting the notion that A2 milk was a so the directors decided to do nothing of seven amino acids that is unique to
healthier alternative than ordinary milk. and hope the issue would go away. casein and which has opioid (morphine-
However, our mainstream industry in What I try and do in my presenta- like) characteristics. It is regularly pro-
New Zealand was saying that it was just tions is present the evidence, both for duced from A1 beta-casein, but is either
a marketing gimmick, and | accepted and against, and let that evidence speak not released, or is released in only very
their word without spending time inves- for itself. When people try and make the small quantities, from A2 beta-casein.
tigating more deeply. With hindsight that counter attack personal, I take that as a For those who are not science mind-
was a mistake. sign that it is because they cannot win ed, the key ‘take-home’ message from
It was only in 2003 that I had cause the battle by sticking to the science. My this section is simple: Al beta-casein
to look more closely, when I noted that a own judgement is that the evidence is releases a fragment on digestion, called
scientific colleague of some repute had particularly strong. However, I do not BCM7, which is a narcotic.
become a director of the A2 expect the anti A2 people to disappear The above sentence is not controver-
Corporation, and | thought [ had better anytime soon. sial. It is well accepted in the scientific
have a closer look. In doing so, I was I have no financial interest in relation literature.
shocked. I quickly realised that there to A2. Although I undertake occasional What is also not controversial is that
was a lot of science supporting the agribusiness consulting on a range of originally all bovine milk produced beta-
hypothesis that Al beta-casein was a topics, I have purposely accepted no fees casein that was of the A2 type.
significant health issue. I also became for consulting in relation to A2. I do However, many European cattle now
aware that information was being receive modest royalties from my book Carry a mutation that results in produc-
manipulated in the process of defending ‘Devil in the Milk’. tion of Al beta-casein. We do not
Al. I became aware that the Al/A2 issue The Basic Science know when this mutation occurred, but
was not only about science, but also it was probably some thousands of years
about both health politics and dairy In understanding the issues of Al ago. The frequency of the mutation
industry politics. | decided I had an obli- and A2 beta-casein, a little basic science varies between breeds. In general it
gation to bring forward the available is very helpful. But prior scientific tends to be higher in the black and white
evidence into the public arena so that knowledge is not necessary. breeds than the brown and yellow
people could make up their own minds Milk comprises fat, sugars, protein, breeds.
from an informed position. I recognised minerals and water. In relation to the For those who dislike big words such
that writing ‘Devil in the Milk’ was A1/A2 issue, it is the protein that we are as ‘beta-casomorphin7’, or even
going to be a controversial act, and interested in. This protein is of two acronyms like BCM7, I have another
indeed that has proved to be the case. I broad types, called casein and whey. If term: the ‘milk devil’. I have been criti-
also suspected that by writing the book we think back to the nursery rhyme cised for using that term as it is suppos-
my life would never again be quite the about Little Miss Muffet, who sat on her edly too emotive. People will have to
same. That too has been borne out. On tuffet, eating her curds and whey, the make up their own minds on that one
occasions, I receive criticism that, as a curds were the casein. About 80% of the when they have seen the evidence. But
professor of agribusiness, albeit with a protein in bovine milk is casein, whereas throughout this paper, I will use the
science-based education, I have gone in human milk the majority is whey. acronym BCM7.
beyond my expertise. However, it is Within the casein there are three
mainly dairy industry people rather than broad types, known as alpha, beta and What Happens when A‘
medical people who make those claims. gamma. And within beta-casein there is Beta-Casein is
I certainly get more invitations to speak still considerable variation, with about Consumed?
to health professionals and science 15 sub types that fit into two families
groups than I do to industry groups. known as Al and A2. What happens when A| beta-casein
Ironically, I discovered that New We can summarise this by saying is consumed depends on the person who
Zealand’s largest dairy co-operative very that all cows produce beta-casein; the drinks the milk. The Ai beta-casein will
nearly made the decision in the late only issue is whether this beta-casein release BCM7, but for many people, the
1990s to ask all of their farmers to con- belongs to the Al or A2 family. Both BCM7 is too big a molecule to go any-
vert their herds to A2, but then stepped the Al and A2 comprise a chain of 209 where but out the back end.
back from that position on the advice of amino acids, with the only difference Alternatively, it may be further broken
the marketers. being the one at position 67. This differ- down if it comes in contact with a par-
The problem that the marketers saw ence affects the way the protein digests. ticular enzyme called DPP4 (dipeptidy]
3
peptidase4) which lies on the lining of Masai people in Kenya drink large also published in a special publication of
the intestines. However, some people amounts of milk, yet childhood diabetes the International Dairy Federation.
have a ‘leaky’ lining which means that is extremely rare amongst those who There are two potential criticisms of
the BCM7 does not come in contact still live this traditional lifestyle. In these trials. The first is that the investi-
with DPP4, and that it can sneak through 1993, he therefore approached the NZ gators were not ‘blinded’ as to which
into the blood system. Then all sorts of Dairy Research Institute, asked to speak mice were receiving which treatment.
mayhem can occur. to a milk biochemist, and asked the key Blinding is a means of protecting against
So the critical question is: who is insightful question: Are there any pro- either fraud or accidental bias, although
likely to have a leaky gut lining? tein differences in the milk that the the measures used to determine Type |
To start with: all babies have leaky Masai people drink compared to the diabetes leave minimal scope for subjec-
intestines. If they did not, then the milk that is drunk in New Zealand? The tive bias. The second criticism is that
colostrum molecules could not get answer, from NZDRI scientist Dr the results were not published in an
through from the intestines into the Jeremy Hill, was that there is indeed a international peer reviewed medical
blood system. It seems that this leaki- difference in the beta-casein protein. The journal.
ness gradually declines over the first 12 milk the Masai people were drinking These initial results have on occa-
months of life. However, there are many contained beta-casein that was totally A2 sions been described as ‘preliminary’
other reasons why the stomach and whereas that drunk in NZ contained and they led to a much larger trial subse-
intestines might subsequently become major amounts of the Al beta-casein. It quently being set up. I will return to this
leaky. Stomach ulcers, Crohn’s disease, was that question and resnonse that first subsequent trial later in this paper, but
ulcerative colitis, and Coeliac disease led to the hypothesis that Al beta-casein first | want to address some of the epi-
are some of the causes. Antibiotics and might be implicated in insulin dependent demiology of Al beta-casein. Epidem-
general stress may also cause leakiness, (i.e. Type 1) diabetes, although at that iology deals with how the incidence of a
for either a short or long period. Also, stage the mechanisms by which it might disease varies between different groups
some people are genetically predisposed be occurring were totally unclear. of people living different lifestyles.
to have leakiness, and some of the Indeed Jeremy Hill has subsequently Population Evidence
genetic sequences that cause this have said that he always saw it as a ‘long
One of the startling characteristics of
been identified. It is not possible to say shot’.
Type | diabetes is the huge difference in
what the overall percentage of suscepti- One of the first steps in testing the
incidence between different countries.
ble people might be, but it is consider- hypothesis was to undertake trials with
Worldwide, the incidence varies by a
able, and probably over 20%. In most rodents, in this case specially bred mice
factor of at least 300, with high levels
cases, people will not know whether or that were susceptible to diabetes. The
being found in developed countries with
not they are susceptible until it is too trials were funded by the New Zealand
western lifestyles and diets. But even
late. Dairy Board and the National Children’s
between highly developed Western-type
Where it All Started Health Research Foundation (a Rotary
countries the incidence varies more than
Charity). The mice were fed a range of
The scientist who deserves great tenfold. More than 65,000 new cases are
diets, including Al beta-casein, A2 beta-
credit for the initial work and key recorded each year in children under the
casein, or a combination of the two. The
insights relating to Al beta-casein is age of 14, and probably a similar num-
results showed that 47% of those fed AI
Professor Bob Elliott, a specialist in ber among people from 15-30 years.
beta-casein developed Type | diabetes
childhood diseases from Auckland Analysing the relationship between
whereas none of those fed A2 beta-
University. Bob Elliott knew from his diabetes incidence at the country level
casein developed diabetes. In another
work in Samoa that the incidence of and intake of Al beta-casein depends on
group fed a milk formula containing
Type | diabetes (which is the form of accurate measurement of the level of
both Al and A2 casein, there was an
diabetes for which insulin injections are Type | diabetes in the population, plus
required) was more than tenfold in chil- intermediate 19% level of diabetes. The knowledge of the Al beta-casein level
dren of Samoan ethnicity living in New differences between the Al and A2 diets within that milk. Initially there were dif-
Zealand than it was in Samoan children were very highly significant (p<0.001). ficulties getting reliable data both of
living in Samoa. It was obvious that the This indicates that the chance of falsely these. But by 1999 Bob Elliott and col-
factor had to be environmental. Bob getting a result like this when there is no leagues had a paper published in the
Elliott also knew that Samoan children underlying cause is less than | in 1000. international journal Diabetologia show-
in Samoa drank very much less milk Supplying naloxone (an opioid antago- ing remarkable correlation between Type
than Samoan children in New Zealand, nist) in the drinking water of another | diabetes incidence and A1 beta-casein
and milk therefore stood out as an obvi- group of animals fed Al beta-casein pre- incidence for 10 developed countries.
ous candidate. In addition, Elliott knew vented development of diabetes. However, the most comprehensive paper
from his own previously published work These results were first reported in a came somewhat later when more infor-
that casein, or an unidentified compo- patent specification (International mation was available. Authored by Dr
nent thereof, could cause diabetes in Number PCT/NZ95/0014) by the two Murray Laugesen and Bob Elliott, it was
rodents. However, he also knew that the sponsoring organisations. They were published in the NZ Medical Journal in
4
2003. etre, Figure 1. Incidence of Type 1 diabetes and intake ofA lb eta-casein excluding _|
Laugesen and Elliott found extreme- cheese
ly strong relationships at the country Data from Laugesen and Elliott 2003
level for 19 developed countries -
between Al beta-casein and Type | dia- 40
betes incidence during the period 1990- 35 * Fniland
1994. They found that 84% of the varia- t E
tion between countries could be }oz 30 :
explained by A1 beta-casein intake. = & - < a eas
They also found that, in statistical terms, ve es a te = sult
the chances of getting such a result by = S 2 Sai?” “otk
chance were extremely remote (about | 4 = 15 eo 7 eT
one in 100,000) They also compared ét ; sermaye 7 a * Australia
Type | diabetes incidence with more > zt 10 Austting 21 Hungary
than 100 other dietary and lifestyle fac- z i—_
tors but could find nothing that gave *" Weseeediia”
comparable correlations. 0 a2 —
Counter claims have been made that 5 1 : 3 4
the effect could be due to latitude, with
; ey A? beata-casein per capita (excluding cheese) (g/day!
latitude influencing Vitamin D uptake
and this in turn increasing the risk of who have Type | diabetes will get heart direct link between heart disease and
Type | diabetes in high latitude coun- disease or vice versa. But at the popula- intake of Al beta-casein? The answer, at
tries. However, Laugesen and Elliott tion level the two diseases occur togeth- the population level is a very strong
found that latitude was a much weaker er. Nor can we dismiss this relationship ‘yes’ (Figure 3). McLachlan’s work was
explanatory factor than was A| beta- as simply being a collective of many subsequently confirmed by Laugesen
casein, and that sunlight had no associa-
tion at all. Some people have also asked Figure 2 Heart disease death rate for males aged 30-69 vs Type 1 diabetes
why were these particular 19 countries incidence for males aged less than 5
selected for analysis. The answer to that Reproduced from NZ Medical Journal 116 (1170)
is simple; they were the developed coun-
tries for which diabetes data, collected
on a consistent basis by medical scien- A“a,6 h4)3
tists, was available.
@ birdanct
Population Studies of
New Zealand
Heart Disease 0m0a0l es ®
AAuusrtsrtaila na Di errrasoioe OQ ioaer eay
At an early stage of Bob Elliott’s Ausstkreilaagn d © _ Gera @iLSA eo SD
iwacl@
work, his proposals were forwarded to
@ Switzeriand
Dr Corran McLachlan for peer review.
nortality i @ France
McLachlan’s expertise was more in rela-
| @ Japer
tion to heart disease than diabetes. What H| D: fan norm pee enepmnenenpenenneneypseosuepetna ssnaeeepeeeantnpceeero stannea eese enya eenenneentnnteete nr enn
immediately struck McLachlan was that
10
the countries with high Type | diabetes
Annual IDDM «#
were also the countries that he knew
from his own work to be countries with modern-world environmental factors, and Elliott.
high levels of heart disease (Figure 2). because we can see from this figure that It is now time to move away from
This is a remarkable graph. It suggests it is only some developed countries that population studies because these make
from a public health perspective, and at have a high incidence of these diseases. up just one strand, albeit an important
a population level, that there are com- This graph was only published as al etter strand, of the relevant evidence. Some of
mon factors that influence the level of in the NZ Medical Journal and apart those who argue against the Al/A2
both Type | diabetes and heart disease. from in my book has received scant hypothesis claim that the evidence is
Of course medical scientists and doctors exposure in the medical community. It is essentially limited to epidemiology. Do
have all known for a long time that at a hugely important graph. not betieve it.
the level of individuals there are strong Subsequently, McLachlan explored
More on Diabetes
links between Type 2 diabetes and heart whether, given that heart disease and
disease, but this graph is telling us Type | diabetes occur in the same popu- I could talk and write a great deal
something quite different. It is not say- lations, and given that Type | diabetes is more on A| beta-casein and insulin-
ing at the individual level that people linked to Al beta-casein, there is also a dependent diabetes. I have done so in
; ; oom
my book, and I am currently preparing, | Figure 3. Death rates from ischaemic heart disease in males aged 30-69 in 1985|
with colleagues, a paper focusing on this Redrawn from McLachlan (2001) Medical Hypotheses 56(2):265
for a medical journal. But here I will be
45¢
brief. The ‘big message’ is that the evi-
dence is broad ranging. It includes that WOE
people with Type | diabetes have been
found to have increased levels of anti- | United Keragcaks «
|
bodies to Al relative to A2 beta-casein,
-
as compared to those people who are not len mer Mec usin
loelend-eg Au strata
diabetic. It also includes evidence from
. Nis A rae |
Finland that amongst people who are AE SP EIT A My
genetically susceptible to Type | dia-
betes, those who drink lots of milk are
five times more likely to get diabetes
than those who don’t. It also includes |
evidence as to how the body can get |
confused between attacking the BCM7
molecule and a similar but harmless
eta «de & a seeppetie ae biunchi roeg « Pereese pcb axy
molecule found in the pancreas where a ecorece osui ts Einotih :
the insulin is produced. It is well accept- link, including results that are statistical- risk. The oxidised LDL takes on addi-
ed in medicine and science that Type | ly significant. tional relevance when it is recognised
diabetes occurs when the body attacks I regard the issue of scientific that, although most people think very
itself in what can be called ‘friendly integrity involved in this saga as one much of cholesterol when thinking of
fire’; an understanding of BCM7 pro- which the diabetes research community heart disease, amongst health scientists
vides an answer as to how this can should have taken up. My own attempts there is a clear understanding that oxi-
occur. to get Diabetologia to investigate this dised LDL is a much more important
There is one paper that has’ been issue have been unsuccessful. The docu- marker associated with both heart dis-
widely used to discredit the link between mentation, both in regard to the contami- ease and Alzheimer’s disease. The logic
Al beta-casein and Type | diabetes. It is nation and the pre-publication knowl- in relation to oxidised LDL is that, if it
a multi-country trial using mice in NZ edge of the authors concerning the con- is forming in babies, then it will in all
and Britain, and rats in Canada, and it tamination, is irrefutable. It is a huge likelihood also form in adults who have
was the follow-up trial to the initial irony to me to find that this is the leaky linings to their stomach or intes-
rodent work by Bob Elliott. The diets research that gets most quoted back as to tines. This evidence ties in perfectly
were supplied by the NZ Dairy Research why the Al hypothesis is disproven. It with the population evidence presented
Institute (then part of the NZ Dairy says a lot about science, politics and earlier. Further, there is autopsy evi-
Board, subsequently part of Fonterra). ethics. dence going back to the 1950s that peo-
ple with stomach ulcers placed on a
The results were published in the journal Some Other Health
high milk diet have very high death rates
Diabetologia.
Conditions Linked to A1 from heart disease. In fact, high milk
However, there is a huge problem
Beta-Casein diets used to be prescribed for people
with this trial that was never acknowl-
with stomach ulcers until it was recog-
edged in the published paper. It was The epidemiology of heart disease
nised that it was leading to high death
known both to the supplier of the diets was introduced earlier in this paper.
rates. At the time there was no clarity as
(NZDRI), and to at least four of the Other evidence relevant to heart disease
to why this might be so, because back in
authors, that half of the A2 diets were includes Australian evidence that rodents
those days no-one knew that beta-casein,
contaminated with large amounts of fed Al beta-casein are susceptible to the
either Al or A2, even existed.
BCM7. And this was known well over a development of arterial plaque whereas
Autism
year before the paper was submitted for this does not occur with A2 beta-casein.
publication. The detailed documentation Also, research from the Czech Republic For a long time there has been a
for the above statements is provided in has shown that BCM7 acts as a catalyst widespread belief that a gluten and
my book. What is also remarkable is the in the oxidation of LDL (low density casein free diet can be helpful for some
way that some of the authors of this lipoprotein), and that babies fed milk children with autism. Many have found
paper have subsequently argued in other formula have very high antibodies to that it seems to reduce the symptoms,
forums that, given the results of this BCM7 and oxidised LDL, whereas those although not necessarily attacking the
trial, a link between A1 beta-casein and who are fed breast milk do not. Whether fundamental cause. The logic is that
Type | diabetes is unlikely. In fact, the or not this has long term implications for gluten and casein both release protein
results of this trial, once the contaminat- the heart health of these babies is fragments that are opioids. In the case of
ed diets are removed, are supportive of a unknown, but it is surely a situation of casein, it is BCM7 and in the case of
6
gluten it is a similar fragment called glu- drink A2. In fact,
teomorphin, also known as gliadomor- many of the strong
phin. Work with rodents has shown that A2 believers are in
the BCM7 in particular, once into the that situation either
bloodstream, passes freely into the brain personally or in
where it causes bizarre behaviour. relation to family
One of the problems with the gluten members. To a
free casein free diet is that people find it large extent, this is
difficult to maintain. In addition, shifting also what gives A2
to a gluten-free casein-free diet does not milk its exception-
seem to work for every autistic person. ally strong con-
Also, it treats the symptoms but does not sumer loyalty in
solve the underlying condition. Australia. This in
Child Development turn has helped get
A2 milk into every
Work on the effects of BCM7 has major supermarket
been going on in Russia for more than across Australia;
Rutter Bros Showtimes Candy-ET VG-89
ten years. However, it is only recently quite simply, super-
that some of this work is appearing in | Reserve Grand Champion Guernsey
markets know if
English language journals. A particularly they don’t stock A2 | Of the All-American Dairy Show, Harrisburg PA
important paper published in late 2009, milk they will lose | Exhibited by Kelly J Johnson, York, Pennsylvania
authored by Natalya Kost and col- consumers to other supermarkets. higher death rate from heart disease than
leagues, found that amongst babies on The intolerance evidence suggests the lower milk drinkers, but these higher
formula there was a ‘tail’ of about 30% that many of these consumers are actual- milk drinkers also had less intake of fat,
who had delayed development. Also, all ly intolerant to Al beta-casein, leading smoked less, were slimmer, and led
of the formula-fed babies had evidence to nausea and in some cases diarrhoea. more active lifestyles. So this really
of BCM7 in the blood whereas those fed Other people report that on A2 milk they proved very little. Then in 2009 a report
on breast milk did not. However, even no longer suffer from the stuffy noses by the European Food Safety Authority
more important, is evidence provided by and throat phlegm that are so often asso- (EFSA), undertaken by five dairy scien-
Kost and colleagues that the slow devel- ciated with milk, and there is also logic tists, two veterinarians and one human
opment correlated strongly with an to this. Science has shown that BCM7 nutritionist found there was no proof of
inability to metabolise the BCM7 quick- cause and effect between Al beta-casein
stimulates production of the sticky pro-
ly between feeds. In other words, some teins, called mucins, which make mucus and human health. Well, perhaps that is
children were able to metabolise and sticky. Some doctors are also reporting true; but there is an awful lot of evi-
eliminate BCM7 rapidly and they had that changing from Al to A2 can clear dence out there. It would also have been
normal development, whereas others up persistent eczema problems, and also nice if all of those EFSA authors had
were slow eliminators and they had been health scientists and independent of
clear up mild but persistent asthma.
the dairy industry.
delayed development. Kost also believes
The Counter Attack Conclusions
that these findings are relevant to autism
Support for the alternative perspec-
as well as general child development As with all issues at the intersection
tive that Al beta-casein is not a health
of health and industry politics, the issue
Milk Intolerances issue is really quite limited. There have
of Al beta-casein will remain controver-
and Mild Allergies been two short term studies of Al versus
sial for some time. However, the vast
A2 milk consumption and its impact on
The widely accepted view for many majority of the evidence is pointing in
cholesterol levels. Both of the trials
years has been that milk intolerance is only one direction. It is like a jigsaw, in
reported Al beta-casein contamination
caused by inability to metabolise lactose which the big picture is increasingly
in the diets. There was no difference
due to lack of the enzyme lactase. Many clear, although no doubt there will be
found, but that is not surprising as there
people consider themselves lactose intol- some small pieces of the jigsaw that
is no known logical reason why BCM7
erant, but most are self diagnosed. When have been misplaced. Dairy farmers
should affect cholesterol. There is also
A2 milk was first marketed, consumers have to decide on which side of the
the widely quoted multi-country diabetes
kept reporting that they could drink this rodent that was mentioned earlier. The fence they wish to be on. In making that
milk but not ordinary milk. At one level other evidence often put forward is of a decision, they might want to reflect on
this could be considered surprising, group of men in Wales known as the the relative ease of shifting to A2 com-
given that A2 milk also contains lactose. Caerphilly cohort who, more than 30 pared to the potential benefits. They
But at another level this was no great years ago, filled in a questionnaire as to might also want to give thought as to
surprise, because several people associ- their milk intakes. Those with high milk whether they might be more proud of
ated with A2 milk were themselves intakes (based on that questionnaire their farming business if they were pro-
intolerant to ordinary milk but could from 30 years ago) have suffered no ducing milk free of Al beta-casein.
The Future of the Guernsey Breed
by Dr Maurice Bichard
We represent the worldwide come a long way in the past 50 years in grammes with significantly different
guardians of our breed. Our role is sure- our ability to predict these in young ani- directions of selection — think of Jerseys
ly to strive to ensure that it remains a mals. National organisations routinely in USA, New Zealand, and Denmark.
valid choice for commercial dairy farm- calculate predicted merit, helped by the This puts the milk producer in a very
ers. | define these as people who sell international pooling of data via favourable position. He can opt out of
milk (or other dairy products) for a liv- Interbull. any activity related to running the pro-
ing, whether or not they choose to regis- Many traits affect profit, and almost grammes. He just has to look through
ter their animals in our herdbooks. It every one will respond to appropriate the offerings of various suppliers and
should enable them to make a satisfacto- selection with annual rates of progress purchase competitively priced semen
ry living relative to other farmers keep- around one to two percent of the mean. from high-reliability proven bulls. The
ing different breeds. genetic merit of his replacement heifers
How is genetic
What are the facts? rises automatically, year by year, in the
improvement organised
traits he has emphasised.
Always numerically small, our breed in the main competing Of course a proportion of the pedi-
continues to lose numbers, and certainly
breeds? gree herds in each breed pursue more
in terms of recorded pedigree cows. We
active policies, attempting to contribute
can now only rely on having annual The Holstein and Jersey breeds,
to the breed’s progress (in production or
records from fewer than 20,000 cows existing in greater numbers, generate
show traits). They do this for a variety
worldwide. much larger semen sales sufficient to be
of reasons (fascination with breeding,
Its performance lags behind the of commercial interest. As a result there
pride in winning show competitions,
major competitors. are several AI organisations (cooper-
desire to increase income from breeding
We know we can improve the per- atives, shareholder or privately owned)
stock sales). Nevertheless, their activi-
formance of our cattle by genetic selec- which have grown large enough to run
ties are not strictly relevant to the com-
tion (as well as by nutrition, manage- efficient genetic improvement pro-
mercial dairy farmer. His progress
ment, and health). The key is to ensure grammes on behalf of dairy farmers.
comes from efficient testing and intelli-
that the bulls and cows which contribute These are based on the progeny testing
gent selection by the Al organisations.
to the next generation are those with of young bulls through test crops of
Notice that the breed society is not in
above average breeding values. We have daughters. Furthermore, there are pro-
control. It maintains a herdbook, is
involved in show judging and may
Table 1. Numbers of lactations (thousands) frye a purebred cows in
organise type classification, or even
devise a merit index and other activities.
But it allows the Al organisations and
their customers to choose the bulls
which control the breed’s direction. This
has always been so. The breed society,
acting on behalf of all members, never
did control its genetic destiny. That was
historically left to a few forceful breed-
ers who pursued their own ideas and
gained a following so that their stock
became influential. In more recent times,
the AI organisations quietly took over
this role though without boasting about
(In some countries Al cooperatives
are in fact owned or controlled by the
safes fas
breed society.)
How is this different in
the Guernsey breed?
If we are honest, sales of Guernsey
semen were probably always too low for
ae ; Be a profit-motivated AI organisation to
justify running an efficient improvement
programme; certainly if it were based