A little history - Canadian Brown Swiss & Braunvieh Association

Brown Swiss milk stands out by itscomposition:... ExceptionalMake some cheese with Brown Swiss milk… itwill be a great success!• Substantial cheese yield• High protein content• Excellent coagulation• Favourable composition of milk caseinOver the years, we have noticed a considerable increase inthe use of milk produced in Canada for traditional cheesemaking. This is stating the obvious but it is essential tounderstand the exceptional assets of the Brown Swissbreed: a high quality cheese making milk, stillunrecognized. International scientific study resultsenforce this information. The cheese making qualityof the milk is not limited to its protein content. Evenif the Brown Swiss breed offers significantbenefits in this regard (33.6 g/kg) with anexcellent F/P ratio, its real asset lies in thenature of the proteins and more precisely incasein, the main milk protein (78 %).The University of Parma in Italy hasdemonstrated the significant differences inmilk composition among breeds. Brown Swissmilk is richer than standard milk inphosphorus and calcium, respectively 8 % and7 %, and less rich in chloride ions. Thedistribution of various milk caseins (∂ s1, ∂ s2,ß, and ∞) is different from one breed to theother. K-casein is the most important one inthe milk coagulation process. If it is in a largerproportion, curdling is quicker and firmer.There are also several genetic variants ofK-casein: mainly A and B. Therefore, theanimals can be either AA, AB or BB. The milkwith the K-casein BB variant has bettercurdling ability therefore better cheeseprocessing ability. The quantity and quality ofK-casein influence the cheese yield. The milkof the Brown Swiss breed is richer in K-caseinand, furthermore, with a very high BB variantfrequency.MILK COMPOSITIONBrown SwissStandardCASEIN (g/kg) 26.2 22.5CASEIN K (%) 12.67 11.25CASEIN K BB VARIANT (%) 42 2CASEIN K AB VARIANT (%) 44 29CASEIN K AA VARIANT (%) 14 65Source : University or Parma – ANARB – SBZV6