Raw Sheep Dairy

Milk contains two major types of protein: whey and casein. One of the primary casein proteins is beta-casein, which in cow's milk can be A1, A2, or a combination of both, depending on the genetics of the cow.

A2A2 milk comes from cows that have two copies of the A2 beta-casein gene, meaning their milk contains A2 beta-casein rather than the A1 variant commonly found in many modern dairy herds. A2 is considered the ancestral form of beta-casein, while the A1 variant arose later through a genetic mutation in cattle.

So what's the difference between A1 and A2?Surprisingly, just one amino acid along the protein chain. At position 67 of beta-casein, A1 contains histidine while A2 contains proline. But that tiny structural difference changes how the protein can be broken down during digestion.

A1 beta-casein is more susceptible to releasing a bioactive opioid peptide called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) during digestion, while A2 beta-casein behaves differently.

And there's actually quite a bit of research investigating why this matters. Human clinical studies have found that some people experience fewer gastrointestinal symptoms when consuming milk containing only A2 beta-casein compared with conventional milk containing A1 and A2 proteins. This may help explain why some people who believe they don't tolerate dairy well find that they do better with A2 dairy.

That's why we make sure our cow milk and dairy products come from cows genetically tested to be A2A2. Goats and sheep naturally produce A2-type beta-casein as well.

One important distinction: A2A2 does not mean lactose-free. A2 refers specifically to the type of beta-casein protein in the milk, while lactose is the naturally occurring sugar in milk.

The difference is the beta-casein protein. Regular cow dairy may contain A1 beta-casein, A2 beta-casein, or a combination of both, while A2 dairy contains the A2 form.

A1 and A2 differ by just one amino acid, but that small structural difference changes how the protein can be broken down during digestion. Research suggests this may help explain why some people experience fewer digestive symptoms with A2 dairy compared with conventional dairy containing A1 beta-casein.
And A2 doesn't just apply to milk. The type of beta-casein in a dairy product comes from the milk used to make it. So when A2A2 milk is made into yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sour cream, cheese, and other dairy foods, the beta-casein retained in those products is the A2 variant.

All of our cow dairy starts with milk from genetically tested A2A2 cows, while goats and sheep naturally produce A2-type beta-casein.

So whether you're buying our milk, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, cream, butter, or cheese, it all starts with the same A2 dairy standard.

Raw dairy is made from milk that has not been pasteurized, meaning it has not undergone the high-heat treatment commonly used to kill potential pathogens in conventional milk.

For most of human history, this was simply milk. Humans consumed raw dairy for thousands of years before pasteurization became widespread in the early 20th century. Pasteurization became a public-health tool as dairy production became increasingly centralized, urbanized and industrialized and milk-borne diseases such as tuberculosis and typhoid were major concerns. Would you expect anything differently when you removed cows from pasture and stuffed cows into small spaces in cities?

Today, most grocery-store dairy comes through the large factory-farm systems. Milk from many farms may be pooled together at centralized processing facilities, pasteurized, homogenized, packaged, and distributed across large regions. Pasteurization for this large factory farm model is important.

Our approach to raw dairy starts back at the farm. Our raw dairy comes from pasture-raised cows, goats, and sheep on small farms, with a focus on healthy animals, clean milking practices, careful handling, and keeping the milk cold from the beginning. The milk is single point origin and bottled at the farm where it is produced.

And raw dairy doesn't just mean raw milk. Raw milk can become cream, butter, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sour cream, cheese, and other cultured dairy products without first undergoing conventional pasteurization.

For us, raw dairy is about starting with exceptional milk and processing it as little as possible on its journey from pasture to you.

The biggest difference is heat treatment. Raw milk has not been pasteurized, while pasteurized milk is heated to specific temperatures for specific amounts of time to reduce potentially harmful microorganisms.

At first glance, raw and pasteurized milk can look fairly similar on a standard nutrition label. Both contain protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

While some tests show similar mineral composition, other studies show that high temperature pasteurization can lead to mineral deposits that accumulate on pasteurization equipment during processing. Where did those minerals come from? They leached from the milk itself.

In addition, many conventional dairy products are fortified with synthetic vitamins, and sometimes those 'vitamin packets' contain emulsifiers and seed oils to mix into the milk (which can cause digestive discomfort for some).

Beyond vitamins and minerals, milk is much more than the numbers on a nutrition label.

Milk is a complex biological food matrix containing naturally occurring microorganisms, enzymes, proteins, peptides, fats, immune components, and other bioactive compounds. Some of these components are sensitive to heat, which means pasteurization can change their structure, activity, or concentration.

For example, raw milk naturally contains:

• Lactoferrin, an iron-binding bioactive protein studied for its antimicrobial, immune-regulating, and anti-inflammatory functions
• Living enzymes that support digestion
• Immunoglobulins and other immune-related proteins
• Anti-inflammatory compounds including TGF-beta (supports immune regulation and strengthens the intestinal barrier), CD14 (helps neutralize endotoxins), Lactadherin (supports gut repair and barrier integrity)
• Heat-sensitive whey proteins
• Naturally occurring microorganisms, including lactic-acid bacteria
• Numerous other bioactive proteins, peptides, enzymes, and compounds that researchers continue to study

Some nutrients remain relatively stable during pasteurization, while others are destroyed, reduced or structurally altered. 

And researchers are increasingly interested in what those differences might mean for the gut and immune system.

One 12-week observational study found that increased consumption of raw milk and dairy was strongly associated with an improvement in gut function and digestion. The researchers noted an increase in Lactobacillus in participants' gut microbiomes (good gut bacteria), an increase in beneficial short-chain fatty acids, and an increase in the predicted functional richness of the microbiome.

There is also a surprisingly large body of observational research on raw milk and immune health. Large European studies involving thousands of children have repeatedly found associations between raw milk consumption and lower rates of asthma, allergies, and atopy. 

Does that mean pasteurized milk has no nutritional value? Of course not. And pasteurization is an effective food-safety tool for milk produced in feedlot style dairy farms where thousands of cows are concentrated in a small area, disconnected from nature, and fed grain-based diets.

But it does mean that raw milk and pasteurized milk are not biologically identical foods simply because their nutrition labels look similar.

That's one reason we choose to offer raw dairy from healthy, pasture-raised animals and focus so heavily on how that milk is produced and handled before it ever reaches you.

The difference between raw and pasteurized milk is not simply about macronutrients. It is about biological integrity that can support your body's gut microbiome and digestive function.

Pasteurization reduces pathogen risk by applying heat. But heat also alters enzymes, immune proteins, beneficial bacteria, and delicate bioactive compounds that contribute to gut, immune, and respiratory health.

There are several health benefits to drinking raw milk that is cleanly produced: 

- Intact immune proteins: Raw milk contains immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, lactadherin, and other immune-supportive compounds that are partially reduced during pasteurization.

- Higher bioactivity of lactoferrin: Lactoferrin (known as the ‘miracle molecule’ in the research) supports immune function, regulates iron metabolism, helps inhibit pathogenic bacteria, reduces inflammation, and supports gut and brain health. Pasteurization significantly reduces its biological activity.

- Living enzymes: Raw milk retains naturally occurring enzymes such as lipase and lactase-producing bacteria that may aid digestion for some individuals.

-       Natural probiotic potential – Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk retains beneficial bacteria. Some studies show raw dairy consumption can increase Lactobacillus species and short-chain fatty acid production in the gut.

- Improved microbiome diversity: Research suggests regular raw dairy consumption may increase functional richness of the gut microbiome, supporting metabolic and immune resilience.

- Lower allergy and asthma associations: Large observational studies (GABRIEL, PARSIFAL, PASTURE cohorts) involving thousands of children across multiple countries have found consistent associations between raw milk consumption and reduced rates of asthma, atopy, and respiratory infections.

- Better tolerance for some individuals: Surveys indicate a portion of people who experience digestive discomfort with pasteurized milk report improved tolerance when consuming raw milk.

- Preservation of the full food matrix: Raw milk maintains its natural structure of fats, proteins, enzymes, and bioactive compounds that may work synergistically in ways not fully replicated after heat treatment.

There are real biological differences between raw and pasteurized milk, and there are repeated observational associations between raw farm-milk consumption and certain immune outcomes. 

Modern science is still working to understand all of the mechanisms behind these findings. But humans consumed raw dairy for thousands of years before pasteurization existed, and I think our ancestors had a pretty good idea of what they were doing. Raw dairy wasn't a health trend. It was a traditional, nutrient-dense food that helped nourish human populations for generations.

Health officials warn against raw milk because, like many raw foods, it can carry pathogens that cause foodborne illness, including Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter. Pasteurization can be an effective way to reduce that microbial risk, which is why public-health agencies recommend pasteurized dairy.

But context matters. Milk from confinement-based, high-density systems is very different from milk produced by small dairies with healthy animals rotated on clean, well-managed pastures under strict hygiene protocols.

Much of the public conversation around raw milk focuses almost exclusively on whether milk is pasteurized, when that is only one part of a much larger food-safety system.

How the milk is produced matters. Animal health matters. Milking hygiene matters. Rapid cooling matters. The cold chain matters. Testing matters.

A 2020 peer-reviewed paper examining dedicated raw-milk production systems in North America and Europe concluded that raw milk can be produced with a high level of hygiene and safety when appropriate animal husbandry, biosecurity, hygienic milking, rapid cooling, cold-chain management, and microbiological testing are used. (That study found that it was cleaner than pasteurized milk!)

That doesn't make raw milk risk-free. No food is risk-free.

The government likes to fear monger and bring up a 2023–24 Salmonella outbreak linked to one California raw dairy that resulted in 171 identified illnesses, with 70% of cases occurring in people under 18. That's serious, and outbreaks like that deserve investigation so we can understand what went wrong and prevent it from happening again.

But foodborne outbreaks aren't unique to raw dairy. In 2024, a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers resulted in 551 reported illnesses and 155 hospitalizations.

Then in 2026 we had a huge Cyclospora outbreak due to.... lettuce!

The point isn't that cucumbers or lettuce are dangerous or that an outbreak linked to another food somehow cancels out the risks of raw milk. It demonstrates that food safety is ultimately about identifying and managing risk across our entire food system.

Consumers interested in raw dairy often ask a slightly different question:

Can we build food systems that reduce risk through exceptional animal health, careful production, sanitation, testing, transparency, and a much closer relationship between the farm and the person eating the food?

We believe we can.

That's why we're so particular about the farms and farmers we work with and how our raw dairy is produced and handled. We have strict operating standards for livestock health, milking parlor cleaning, and we regularly test the milk using the Real Milk institute standards.

Raw milk isn't risk-free. Neither is any food. Our goal isn't to pretend risk doesn't exist. It's to take responsibility for managing it from pasture to bottle while allowing informed adults to decide what foods they want to consume.

One other important point is that raw milk production supports small regenerative farms and decentralizes the food system. In this type of situation, larger food companies and governmental agencies lose control and profits. So they spend a lot of money lobbying to convince legislators that raw dairy is bad for us.

Yes. Every yogurt we offer is made from raw, A2 milk and is never heated above 110°F during production. Our cow yogurts are made with milk from genetically tested A2A2 cows, while goat and sheep milk naturally contain A2-type beta-casein.

Our collection includes Raw Whole Milk Greek Yogurt, Raw Skim Milk Greek Yogurt, Raw Skyr Yogurt, Raw Goat Yogurt, and Raw Sheep Yogurt, giving you options across three different dairy animals while maintaining the same raw + A2 standard.

They're all traditionally cultured and made in small batches on small farms, so availability can change from week to week with limited inventory. We restock our farm-fresh food every Friday at 4:30 PM ET.

Our raw dairy comes from small farms raising cows, goats, and sheep on pasture, not anonymous dairy supply chains.

We don't simply source random finished dairy products. We know where the milk comes from, how the animals are raised, what they're fed, and who actually produces the milk, yogurt, kefir, butter, cream, cottage cheese, and other dairy products we offer.

Our dairy animals are rotationally grazed across diverse pasture and raised according to our farming standards. Our cow dairy comes from genetically tested A2A2 cows, while our goats and sheep naturally produce A2-type beta-casein.

We also have strict standards around animal health and management, including no vaccines, added hormones, antibiotics, or chemical dewormers in the animals producing dairy for Nourish.

Because better dairy doesn't begin with the finished product sitting in a container. It begins with the animal, the pasture, the milk, and the farmer caring for all three.

And for us, knowing exactly where our dairy comes from is non-negotiable.

The Government believes that raw (non-pasteurized) dairy products may contain pathogens that may cause illness, and that the consumption of raw dairy products by humans may significantly increase the risk of food-borne illness.

Accordingly, these raw dairy products are labeled and sold for external cosmetic purposes only and are not intended for human consumption. Our responsibility is to be transparent about what these products are, how they're produced, how they're tested, and how they're legally offered. Food Club members receive that information so they can make their own informed decisions.

That doesn't mean we lower our production standards. 

Quite the opposite.  

We produce the *highest* quality raw milk and raw dairy cosmetic line to exist. 

A healthy environment, healthy animals, cleanliness, sanitary milking and handling practices, raising animals aligned with nature on pasture, and careful temperature control are top priorities. Our raw dairy products are produced with the same rigorous standards we expect for human food. 

We also regularly test our raw milk using the internationally recognized Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) standards for low-risk raw milk production. These standards combine farm-specific risk management with ongoing microbial testing, including stringent standards for Standard Plate Count and coliforms, as well as pathogen testing protocols. 

We maintain our own testing system with an independent third party lab and pay for this testing ourselves because verifying the quality and cleanliness of our raw milk is non-negotiable. 

And we believe the products you put on your skin deserve the same attention to sourcing and quality as the foods you bring into your home. 

That's why we start with raw A2 dairy from pasture-raised animals on small farms and maintain strict standards from the animal and pasture all the way through the finished product. 

This restriction applies to the raw dairy products in this collection and does not apply to our separate raw cheese collection. The government deems raw aged cheese as 'safe'.

No. Pasture raised beef and 100% grass fed and finished beef are not necessarily the same thing.

Pasture raised describes where cattle live. Grass fed and finished describes what they eat.

Cattle can be raised on pasture for much of their lives and still receive supplemental grain or be moved to a feedlot and grain finished before harvest. So seeing “pasture raised beef” doesn't necessarily mean the cattle ate grass their entire lives.

At Nourish Food Club, we require both. Our cattle are pasture raised AND 100% grass fed and grass finished, grazing grasses and other pasture plants from beginning to end.

And we take it one step further. Our cattle are rotationally grazed using regenerative farming practices, so we're intentionally managing how they move across the pasture, too.

Where they live matters. What they eat matters. And how they're managed on the land matters.