A Test for Betsy

It's time to test Besty, our new Jersey calf, to see if she's A2/A2.  This is a genetic test that is done to determine if she'll produce milk with only the A2 beta-casein protein.  Lots of milk customers seek out milk that is A2/A2 - meaning it lacks the A1 protein as A2/A2 milk is more easily digestible.

Clarabelle was A2/A2.  Elsie is A2/A2, however, up to this point in time, we haven't been able to get Elsie pregnant.  LuLu, Besty's mom, is NOT A2/A2, but there is a chance that Nicky, the bull (Betsy's father)is and that would mean that there is a chance that Betsy is A2/A2 afterall.

It's a simple enough test to perform.  We caught Betsy.  She is wild as a March hare.  I'm going to start working on halter breaking her.  Once we caught her, we put a rope halter on her.  Stroking her neck, we were able to get her calmed down a bit.  She's a healthy, strong little thing.  We checked her head from when we de-horned her and no horn buds are growing.  It appears to be a good, clean job and she'll have no horns or scurs.

The test involves brushing out her tail hairs so that they are clean.

Then you pull out some hairs from her tail head, ensuring you get the root follicle with the hair.  Generally, you try to pull two or three at a time.  You must send in 20 hairs with the follicle.

Once you have a bundle of 20 hairs with the roots all facing the same direction, you twist the bundle and tape it down to the test paper and mail it off to the lab.

We should hear back from the American Jersey Cattle Association somewhere between 17 and 30 days.  Even if Betsy's A1/A2, she'll provide us with good Jersey milk, high in butterfat.  If she's A2/A2, that will be an added benefit.  We'll let you know if she "passes" her test.