The potential of quality milk from native endangered dairy cattle breeds - genetic and phenotypic characterization

This project has been based on genotypic and phenotypic mapping of individual animals from 6 native, endangered Norwegian breeds to investigate the genetic relationship between the main components of milk and milk's technological properties. The main purpose has been to investigate the quality of milk from the 6 different breeds as potential for maintaining / preserving a genetic diversity, as well as identifying suitable properties for specific local products that may affect both the farmer, the consumer and the community. Blood and milk from individual animals from 6 old fairies have been collected from various farms in southern Norway and analyzed. The animal breeds that have participated in the survey have been the following; Dølafe, Vestland fjord, Telemarksfe, Vestlandsk raudkolle, Østlands rødkolle and Sidet Trønder and Nordlandsfe, in addition, Norwegian Red breeds has been included as a control group, if the farmers have had them in their herd. The milks quality and composition of protein, fat, lactose, minerals (specifically calcium), and chees making properties have been investigated in connection with the genetic profile (genotype) of each animal. Blood and milk have been sampled in addition to the feeding regime of 40 individual animals twice a year from each of the 6 breed, and a total of approx. 200 individual animals were included in the survey. In total, approx. 30 volunteer farmers from all over southern Norway participated and they have sent blood, milk samples from the individual animals at the farm. These farmers have different breeds in their herds, thus representing natural variations within different nationwide areas, which also include farming and environment. The relationship between genetic variation, milk and milk components from the old Norwegian breeds have not previously been documented for properties that are suitable for different products in the Norwegian market, as well as possible health aspects. This project has applied the most advanced analytical methods to mapping genotypes and key quality parameters in milk for nutritional purposes to produce high-quality products that may affect consumers, farmers and society. Favorable variations of genotypes have been found from some of the old breeds that encode important proteins in milk; casein and whey proteins. The various components of milk are analyzed to obtain the best possible basis for comparing these native, old breeds and the most common Norwegian breed, Norwegian Red cattle for protein type and quantity, amino acids, lipids and fatty acid profiles, mineral content (specifically calcium), as well as the coagulation properties of milk. The old breeds all have a lower milk yield than the most common Norwegian Red breed, and several of the old breeds have a more favorable protein composition for the cheese making of different types of local cheeses (rennet and acid coagulating cheeses). Insights into the mapping of genetic protein variants have also provided more information on beneficial protein profiles of both health and nutrition and the fitness for different products. Overall, results from protein and fatty acid profiles in milk and from other important parameters such as calcium content will be compiled for publication in high international ranking journals. Communication to the farmers and their breeding associations are also important information channels. The project has also been participants in a Nordic-Baltic Network: Milk Composition-Functional Genomics and Health aspects (2015-2017).

Molecular characterizations of the native endangered cattle breeds suggest that they are genetically different to NRF breeds (Lien et al 1999). This could be reflected in distinct milk composition among the breeds. Documentation of differences in milk com position and properties between the endangered native breeds in Norway is an important step towards development of possibly new niche milk products from these breeds. Production and marketing of such products are important for increasing the economic inci tement for keeping these breeds and is therefore one initiative that can help conserving them. For the dairy farmers and small scale dairy industry the knowledge based on milk characteristics are very important for producing fermented products and cheese varieties, where improved coagulation properties are of main interest, as rennet-induced coagulation is the first step in the cheese-making process and highly associated with cheese yield and quality. Thus, coagulation properties are important traits in relation to the suitability of raw milk for further processing. No such documentation of quality milk for dairy products from the native milk cattle breeds exist today. The other Nordic countries also have native endangered cattle breeds with app. three b reeds pr. country (Fi, S, Dk). The milk and milk products have hardly been characterized in either of these countries either. There is therefore a Nordic initiative for a comparison in characterizing the milk in each country within a Nordic network coordi nated by NordGen.