Composition
Donkey milk, along with mare’s milk, is the closest to breast milk, with notably low lipid ratios and high lactose ratios.
| Composition of donkey’s, mare’s, human and cow’s milk (g/100 g) | ||||
| composition | donkey | mare | human | cow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.0 – 7.2 | 7.18 | 7.0 – 7.5 | 6.6 – 6.8 |
| Protein g/100g | 1.5 – 1.8 | 1.5 – 2.8 | 0.9 – 1.7 | 3.1 – 3.8 |
| Fat g/100g | 0.3 – 1.8 | 0.5 – 2.0 | 3.5 – 4.0 | 3.5 – 3.9 |
| Lactose g/100g | 5.8 – 7.4 | 5.8 – 7.0 | 6.3 – 7.0 | 4.4 – 4.9 |
| Total Solids (TS) g/100 g | 8.8-11.7 | 9.3-11.6 | 11.7-12.9 | 12.5-13.0 |
| Casein Nitrogen (CN) g/100 g | 0.64-1.03 | 0.94-1.2 | 0.32-0.42 | 2.46-2.80 |
| Whey protein g/100 g | 0.49-0.80 | 0.74-0.91 | 0.68-0.83 | 0.55-0.70 |
| NPN g/100 g | 0.18-0.41 | 0.17-0.35 | 0.26-0.32 | 0.1-0.19 |
| Casein Nitrogen (CN) % | 47.28 | 50 | 26.06 | 77.23 |
| Whey protein % | 36.96 | 38.79 | 53.52 | 17.54 |
| NPN % | 15.76 | 11.21 | 20.42 | 5.23 |
Donkey milk is similar to mare milk and human breast milk in that it is relatively poor in protein and fat but rich in lactose. The casein to whey protein ratio is intermediate between human breast milk and cow milk. Gross composition of milk differs by the mother's lactation stage, with ash and protein content showing a declining trend, but pH, percentage of whey protein, and amino acid content remaining the same.
Read more about this topic: Asses' Milk (Donkey's Milk)
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