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. 1972 Dec 1;13(4):539–553. doi: 10.1186/BF03547159

Kappa-Casein in Milk An Immunochemical Investigation of the ϰ-Casein Content in Milk From Danish Cattle Breeds

Kappa-kasein i mælk. En immunkemisk undersøgelse af ϰ-kaseinindholdet i mælk fra danske kvægracer

Mariann Thymann 1,✉
PMCID: PMC8561607  PMID: 4674524

Abstract

The ϰ-casein content in milk from the Danish cattle breeds SDM, RDM and Jersey was investigated by means of immunoquantitation in antibody containing agarose gels. The method, which determines the total ϰ-casein complex, is suitable for routine work. The reproducibility of the method was found to be ± 4.1 %.

The ϰ-casein concentration, expressed as percentage of the total protein content in milk, was significantly lower in milk from SDM (21.5%) and RDM (21.3%) than in Jersey (23.9%). The investigation showed that the ϰ-casein constitutes a greater part of the protein in milk than previously assumed.

The amount of ϰ-casein was positively correlated with the protein content in milk, but there was no relation between the relative ϰ-casein content and the percentage of fat, milk yield and the time after calving.

Keyword: kappa-casein, milk, cattle, immunoquantitation

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