Scientists have bred cows that produce skimmed milk and hope to establish herds of the cattle to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers. The milk is also high in omega3 oils, claimed to improve brain power, and contains polyunsaturated fat. The saturated fats found in normal milk are linked to increased risk of heart disease. The cows, which have a particular genetic mutation, were bred from a single female discovered by researchers when they screened milk from millions of cattle in New Zealand. Butter from these cows has the extra advantage of being spreadable straight from the fridge, like margarine. Scientists at ViaLactia, the biotech firm behind the £55m research, have named the cow Marge. Russell Snell, ViaLactia’s chief scientist, said: “Marge looks like an ordinary Friesian cow but has three key differences. She produces a normal level of protein in her milk but substantially less fat, and the fat she does produce has much more unsaturated fat. She also produces milk with very high levels of omega3 oils.” Marge was discovered in 2001 when ViaLactia’s researchers bought her from her owner for £120 and moved her to a secret location.

The key issue was whether her calves would inherit her traits. “You have to generate daughters and then they have to carry a calf and deliver milk,” said Snell. “The eureka moment was when we found her daughters produced milk like their mother.” The Auckland-based company says the first commercial herds for spreadable butter could be expected by 2011. A brief description of ViaLactia’s research is due to be published this week in Chemistry & Industry, a journal of the Society of Chemical Industry. A formal research paper for a peer-reviewed journal will follow.

View: Full Article | Source: Times Online

Now if they can find a cow that makes chocolete milk life will be good.

Either that or ice cream! LOL! *Simpsons flashback*

Here's an idea, why not use milk made from plants like rice or soy and leave the poor cows alone? Screwing with nature and than eating the results is never a good idea.

i dont drink milk but...thats pretty cool how scientists can breed stuff like this...healthy veal for us LoL

I fully agree with messing with nature. If they can make a cow produce skim milk, why not other equally beneficial products. I guess they can, i'm sure many more projects are in the works. The more the better, as long as it doesn't drive prices through the roof.

I agree , but rice and soy milks have higher sugars while lower in fat and tend to cost more. if it was lower in sugar and cost the same as milk that's all I'd be using.

Here is what the modified cows look like.


You will also be able to tell which is skimmed and which is whole milk.

I hope you are joking, because that would not be healthy veal at all. Babies NEED the fats that are in milk, human, cow, goat, whatever so that they can deveop healthy bodies. This is a substance that has devloped over thousands of years and should not be messed with.

Dang! Good-for-you skim milk just when I became lactose intolerant. Just my luck.

Doh - we've had this story in the World News area for two days - any chance of merging the stories Saruman ? (post reported).

(original post here )

Meow semi-skimmed-Purr.

Well it was a natural mutation they had discovered and they are breeding that one animal to produce many with the same mutation. So, nobody messed with nature here, it was completley natural.


Messing with nature would be cloning animals over and over again so that there is no biodiversity. This can have untold consequences for a species.

Saruman probably posted it here because he saw the other thread. Every thread which is made in this area appears on the main page of the actual website, so people who don't use the forum can still see it.

Uh, yeah. In nature it goes something like this:
Boy cow-"So, you uh producing some 1/2% milk their baby? 'Cause' you're lookin' fiiiiiiine!"
Girl cow-"Sorry hun, this is all whole milk in these udders. You just gonna have to find your lovins some place else..."
Boy cow--"DAMN!"

Just hope the cow doesn't get mutilated anytime soon.

I was going to make a Chocolate milk joke but its already been done...although i think it is a very interesting break through...thats a big step to take with mucking around with a species like that.

I saw this discussion and just had to reply. I have a small farm with a dairy cow. This is not new news for the dairy industry. It has been a debate among dairy farmers long before I was born. I come down to what breed of cow you have and what they eat that will produce quality of milk. I can even tell if there is a patch of wild onions growing in my pasture. As a farmer if I have a cow that has the quality of milk that I like she will get bred to continue that quality.

Wow...someone read and then used their brain! Nice job

I think they should put a little whiskey in with their feed. The benefits would be extremely contented cows that produce Irish Cream. MMmmm!