Comparison of the Caseins of Buffalo's and Cow's Milk

Abstract

BY comparing the major non-casein proteins of the milk of the Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) with those of cow's milk, it has been found¹ that the single β-lactoglobulin component produced by the buffalo is very similar in properties to one (B) of the two genetically controlled variants (A and B)^2,3 produced by the cow. Likewise, the single α-lactalbumin of buffalo milk resembles one (A) of the two variants (A and B) of this protein which occur in the milk of African⁴ and Indian humped (zebu) cattle⁵. (Non-zebu cows have only one α-lactalbumin which is like the B-variant of zebu milk.) Thus there are striking similarities in the corresponding non-casein milk proteins of buffalo and cattle, two species incapable of cross-breeding.