Researchers from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, specializing in the analysis of #milk, in collaboration with NordGen #Farm #Animals, have established a network focusing on the characterization of #milk from the Nordic #cattle #breeds. More Nordic and Baltic countries are expected to join the network in the future.
At a recent meeting in Oslo, researchers from the Nordic countries together with NordGen established a network with a focus on working with milk from old cattle breeds. Researchers in the network will benefit from the shared expertise that exists in the Nordic countries in this field of research, and work together on common applications, collection, storage and analyses of samples, knowledge sharing and publishing.
The research groups involved are specialists in analyzing the chemical composition and characteristics of milk important for different types of dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt. Previous studies performed on milk from Holstein, Jersey and Swedish Red cows have shown clear effects of breed on the milk contents. Milk from the native Nordic cattle breeds has never been studied systematically. Therefore, there is a need to characterize and document whether milk from the native Nordic breeds differs from that of the modern breeds, and whether unique characteristics of importance for cheese making properties and human health are found in the milk from the Nordic breeds.
NordGen appreciates that the network assists Nordic countries to meet the international obligations on genetic resources. The Nordic countries have committed themselves to work for the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits that are provided through genetic resources. An important step towards accomplishing these obligations is documentation of the distinctive features of local breeds that can be exploited commercially. Unique and favorable milk properties would permit product development that could benefit consumers and create an economic base and incentive for farmers to keep animals of local breeds. This will in turn contribute to the conservation of these breeds and biodiversity in its entirety.
For the present, the network runs until 2015. Applications for funds that can finance the planned research are currently being written by all the groups involved.
