The rapidly growing milk ingredient industry exploits the vast nutritional and biological potential of milk. Thus, it is mandatory to explore the possibility of breeding to increase the content of economically important specific milk proteins, without compromising other essential traits. Hereby the value of milk is increased to the benefit of farmers, milk industry and the consumer. This project is the first step towards achieving this goal.

The earlier Milk Genomics Initiative has achieved a profound documentation of variation in milk components, and their linkage to genes, but with focus on major milk proteins, primarily in relation to cheese making properties. The overall aim of the present project is to provide knowledge on the ability to and consequences of tailoring the content of high value proteins in bovine milk through breeding, and hereby ensure the most optimal value proposition of milk at the global ingredient market of today and tomorrow.