Guernsey Cattle - Milk

Milk

The milk has a golden colour due to an exceptionally high content of beta carotene. Beta-carotene is a source of Vitamin A, which has been touted to help reduce the risks of certain cancers. The milk also has a high butterfat content of 5% and a high protein content of 3.7%. Guernsey cows produce around 6000 litres per cow per annum. In the US Guernsey cows average 16,200 pounds of milk per year with 4.5% fat and 3.2% protein. Guernsey cattle are known to produce the highest percentage of A2 milk of all breeds of dairy cattle.

From the 1950s to the early 1970s, Golden Guernsey trademark milk was sold in the US and Canada as a premium product. The golden color produced by beta carotene bound to the fat in the milk was the main marketing point and the source of the brand name. Only milk from Guernsey cows could be marketed under the Golden Guernsey trademark. The advent of homogenisation and various changes to the way milk was priced and marketed spelled the end of Golden Guernsey branded milk. The trademark is still maintained today by the American Guernsey Association and is in use by various small-scale dairies around the country. GG Golden Guernsey Dairy of Milwaukee, WI, originally owned by Foremost Farms (and now Dean Foods), retained the Golden Guernsey name long after they discontinued selling 100% Guernsey milk. The milk they sell today is produced primarily by Holstein cattle.

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