Changing the milk supply to increase cheese yield: The Kaikoura experience

Abstract

AbstractThis paper describes the steps that were taken to increase the productivity of a commercial cheese company by genetically altering the milk composition. These steps included validation of the effect of b–lactoglobulin polymorphism on casein production and cheese yield under typical New Zealand pastoral farming conditions, manufacture and ripening of cheese from single variant milks, selection of a suitable company to trial breeding for a single variant, development of a suitable payment scheme to reflect the additional value of the higher casein milk, development of a testing regime to support the payment system and getting buy–in from the company. These steps have all been taken, and the company has pursued the recommended breeding strategy for 3 years, purchased instrumentation and elected to move to the new testing and payment scheme for the current dairy season.