**7. Future challenges**

Conclusively, the dairy sector is performing at some sustainable level to meet the food requirements of the growing population and helping save a handful of foreign exchange to be expended on the import of milk and milk products, yet some challenges facing the industry in the near future need to be addressed.

### **7.1 Replacements considerations of high genetic potential dairy animals**

 Dairy heifer replacement raises significant attention among the stakeholders, and this issue should be taken as challenge if we want to keep the pace of commercial dairy farming. To the present day, in the absence of specific breeding plans adopted, the corporate and mega farms established in various parts of the country are importing their seed stock from various technological advanced countries. The first seed

stock has completed their productive life or near to completion at many of these farms. To maintain the commercial activity and profitability, the older and spent seed stock needs to be replaced with the younger ones of same genetic potential for milk.

Import of dairy animals every time from the exporting countries requires high input costs and extensive paper work. It is also an indicator of poor sustainability of farm economics. Furthermore, many political situations around the globe may delay or cut off the supplies of these important dairy inputs. It is, therefore, required that the replacement stock should be raised locally. However, the production of high genetic potential heifers at low costs is challenging and requires huge resources to be spared for research and propagation of research outcomes.

## **7.2 Considerations for β-casein proteins**

Among the milk protein, the casein constitute 80% and the whey proteins constitute the rest. There are several types of casein in milk, and β-casein is the second most common. β-casein exists in at least 13 different forms [22]. Two major forms of β-casein protein exist in the form of A1 and A2. A2 is the original β-casein protein in all dairy animals. Breeds like the Holstein, Friesian, Ayrshire, and British Shorthorn that originated in northern Europe produce milk that is generally high in A1 β-casein. Other breeds that originated in the Channel Islands and Southern France, and the rest of the world (*Bos indicus*) produce milk that is high in A2 β-casein. This includes breeds like the Guernsey, Jersey, Charolais, and Limousin in Europe and Sahiwal, Red-Sindhi, etc. in subcontinent [23].

Several health hazards are associated with β-casein A1 type protein. During processing and digestion of milk, several peptides are released due to enzymatic cleavage and have various beneficial effects on the body. These peptides are called bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides vary due to the genetic polymorphism for β-casein protein. β-Casomorphin7 (BCM7), having opioid like properties, can be released easily from A1 type β-casein [24, 25]. BCM7 has potential negative effect on the opioid receptors of nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system of the human body. BCM7 is associated with diabetes type 1, coronary heart disease, Autism, schizophrenia, and sudden infant death syndrome [26–29]. However, Truswell [23] in his review on the A1 and A2 hypothesis, negated any association between the A1 type β-casein protein in milk and mentioned health issues.

A1 and A2 debate is still an open challenge to the dairy industry and for human health. Several techniques are available to quantify the A1 and A2 in individual milk, bulk milk, dairy products, and different breed milk. More precise and accurate research on the association of the A1 with different diseases and syndromes, and their tolerance levels adjustments is needed. The research should expand to include the milk from other species of the animals too. If the scientific studies rule out hazardous effects of A1 β-casein on the human health, a great shift in the current dairy farming practices is expected in the country and the world afterward.

### **7.3 Presence of antibiotics and aflatoxins**

### *7.3.1 Antibiotics*

 Presence of antibiotics in milk is a worldwide issue. In countries like Pakistan with poor hygienic conditions, prevalence of various diseases is common. Antibiotic residues are regarded as the unacceptable antibiotic levels or their active metabolites in tissues or products from the treated animals. Over the last few decades, antibiotics residues and antibiotic resistance are posing the biggest challenge to the public health. The potential hazards of antibiotic residues can be classified as: those who

### *Current Standing and Future Challenges of Dairying in Pakistan: A Status Update DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.83494*

 directly affect human health by consuming animal products (cause allergic reaction to the sensitive persons, ototoxicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive effects, and teratogenicity), those which are excreted in animal feces and urine and pollute water and other land resources, and those which hinder the process of culturing during the production of dairy products.

In order to minimize the residues of the antibiotics in the milk, multiple international agencies like FAO, WHO, CAC, and EEC are working and they have set the standard maximum residual levels (MRLS) for animals and their products. Products containing residues more than these levels are considered illegal. Several awareness programs should be addressed at the public level to minimize antibiotic residue. These may include: improved hygienic management practices at farm, minimum use of antibiotics after the laboratory procedures and sufficient withdrawal period, grading of milk according to the presence of antibiotic residues, and rejection of milk with unacceptable antibiotics levels.
