"Early" Europeans unable to disgest milk

We use to have a thread with a chart anyone rember that one?

with diffrent tolerances and how they spread geneticly

Originally posted by BRNRDSDJNG Hard to believe because all children received breast feeding.

The makeup of milk in domestic animals is different to that of humans.

Originally posted by elenos I have heard of modern Asians and Africans being lactose intolerant, for the dairy cow is not a tropical animal and not native to the equatorial belt. They need cooler weather to survive. Now days, in the Philippines for instance, what is called the "Phillipino steers"  have been successfully introduced into cooler mountainous areas. The Asian buffalo is a different species, but must check that out.

The zebu or humped cattle prevalent in Africa and on the subcontinent are well adapted to tropical conditions being very heat tolerant and parasite resistant.  When Afrikaner settlers first moved into the interior of Africa, they were puzzled to find their European breeds succumbing to illness and heat exhaustion whilst Bantu farmers seemed to have no trouble raising and herding cattle right next to them.   Many of these breeds have been imported into warm New World climates like Brazil and the southern US in recent times to introduce those traits into local cattle populations. 

The water buffalo, if anything is even better adapted to hot, humid conditions.  It produces more milk than the average cow and the milk has a higher fat content.  I've heard anecdotally that its milk is considered to be 'harder on the stomach' perhaps pointing to the higher lactose content as was suggested. 

Water buffallo has similar lactose content as cow milk AFAIK. Its what mozzarella cheese was traditionaly made from.