[renee]

The first calf to be born in the village for 20 years 

[Rosemary]

Oh my, that's beautiful. Love the finching. Love cows 

[lilfeeb]

gorgeous mum and baby, hope they are doing well.

[SallyintNorth]

Oh just beautiful

I hadn't realised what a very special event it was - you must be just bursting! 

[Brandi]

Very distinctive, hope he's the first of many. Do they both have names? Are they an endangered breed?

[waterbuffalofarmer]

He is lovely i hope all goes well

[Mammyshaz]

He is gorgeous  a cause for celebration 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I was just reading about them, they are a swedish breed of cow, acutely endangered and are an awesome breed, giving milk on a low fodder diet.

[renee]

I was just reading about them, they are a swedish breed of cow, acutely endangered and are an awesome breed, giving milk on a low fodder diet.

I will write more later but I got a late lamb this morning and I have to open the café now.
There are about 1300 of them. Most go up to the mountain pastures for the summer. These are called fäbod.
Traditionally the women moved up to tend them and make cheese, butter etc. for the long winter months.
The products have a fantastic rich flavour and it was thought that this was because of the varieties of herbs and floweres the cows ate. That must also be the case but there have been some recent studies done on milk in Denmark and they have discovered that the milk is actually unique.
  I don't know what it means but it seems that the milk has "B" kasein? which produces a much better qualiy cheese. Those from Lillehärjedal which were isolated for a100  year (There are no roads to that farm) even have double "B" One of my heifers come with that pedigree. Mine arenot as pretty most of them but I will be choosing bulls to give the skimmel that is characteristic. 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Maybe when I can get my own smallholding, maybe a few years yet, I would look into buying a small herd of them, however not yet but in the future. 

[jaykay]

Lovely! 

B casein is the 'ancient' or 'original' casein. Then there was a mutation, to A casein, which most dairy cattle now carry. Sheep, buffalo, goats, and some ancient breeds of dairy cattle carry B casein.

If, like me, you're allergic to cows' milk, and not to the others above, it's A casein you're allergic to, rather than lactose.

I solve the problem by keeping milking goats, but I'd be happy if I could keep a cow like this 

[SallyintNorth]

jaykay, is this the same as you told me was the case with the original Jersey cow?  That some still have the B casein?

We tried you with Hillie's milk and you were fine  .  We don't know about Plenty!

[trish.farm]

Facinating about allergies to milk.  I gave some of my Jersey milk to a friend who is allergic to milk and she was fine!! 

[jaykay]

Yes, Guernseys and some Jerseys too. Not in America, as they've been crossed with more modern breeds.

[sabrina]

So sweet