Asses' milk (Donkey's milk)
Encyclopedia
Asses’ milk or donkey’s milk is the milk
given by the female ass
or donkey
. It has been used since Egypt
ian antiquity
for both alimentary and cosmetic
reasons.
’s milk, is the closest to breast milk
, with notably low lipid
ratios and high lactose
ratios.
’s milk. It is very nourishing because it contains more lactose
and less fat than cow’s milk. It was used until the beginning of the twentieth century as a substitute to breast milk
. The 1928 testimony of Dr. Charles Porcher (1872-1933) of the Lyon National Veterinary Institution showed that the practice was still used, to a lesser extent, in the interwar years:
More recently, studies have shown that that asses’ milk could serve as an alternative to cow’s milk for children allergic to bovine proteins.
, took baths in asses’ milk to preserve the beauty and youth of her skin. Legend has it that no less than 700 asses were needed to provide the quantity of milk necessary for her daily bath.
This was also the case of Poppaea Sabina
(30 – 65), second wife of Roman Emperor
Nero
, who is referred to in Pliny
’s description of the asses’ milk virtues for the skin:
Pauline Bonaparte
(1780–1825), Napoleon’s sister, is also reported to have used asses’ milk for her skin’s health care.
Asses' milk is still used today in the manufacture of soap
s and moisturizer
s. The sales revenue complements what asses’ breeders earn from raising livestock
and renting
asses to hikers
.
. Its healing virtues have been known since Antiquity, when doctors would recommend it to cure diverse affections.
Hippocrates
(460 – 370 BC), the father of medicine, prescribed asses’ milk for numerous purposes, such as liver troubles, infectious diseases, fevers,
oedema, nose bleeds, poisonings, and wounds.
In his encyclopedic work Naturalis Historia
, volume 28, dealing with remedies derived from animals, Pliny the Elder
(23 – 79 AD) proposed it to fight poisonings, fever, fatigue, eye stains, weakened teeth, face wrinkles, ulcerations, asthma and certain gynecological troubles:
Similarly, Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
, (1707–1788) mentions the benefits of asses’ milk in his Histoire naturelle: "Asses’ milk, on the contrary, is a well-tried remedy specific to certain illnesses, and the use of this remedy has been retained from the Greeks until us."
In Tamil Nadu of South India, Donkey's Milk is given to New Born Human for better and sound voice. Usually it is given only once. Rare occasions it is given twice. The quantity of Milk given varies between 5 to 10 ml, but not more than that.
Lactation stage affected the gross composition of donkey milk but had no significant effect on pH, percentage of whey protein and CN, and AA content, except Asp and Thr. The work may be a promising basis for the study and exploitation of donkey milk. However, more systematic studies are needed.
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
given by the female ass
Asinus
The subgenus Asinus encompasses four species and several subspecies of Equidae characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, a scant tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance....
or donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
. It has been used since Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian antiquity
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
for both alimentary and cosmetic
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
reasons.
General points
A female ass gives between 0.2 to 0.3 litres of milk a day. The milk of a donkey was disapproved by the U.S.D.A until 2001. Unfortunately, it is frowned upon in the average American society. A donkey dairy farm may range from a few to over 600 animals.Composition
Donkey milk, along with mareMare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
’s milk, is the closest to breast milk
Breast milk
Breast milk, more specifically human milk, is the milk produced by the breasts of a human female for her infant offspring...
, with notably low lipid
Lipid
Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...
ratios and high lactose
Lactose
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,...
ratios.
| Composition of donkey’s, mare’s, human and cow’s milk (g/100 g) | ||||
| composition | donkey Donkey The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E... |
mare Mare Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer... |
human Breast milk Breast milk, more specifically human milk, is the milk produced by the breasts of a human female for her infant offspring... |
cow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pH PH In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline... |
7.0 – 7.2 | 7.18 | 7.0 – 7.5 | 6.6 – 6.8 |
| Protein Protein Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of... g/100g |
1.5 – 1.8 | 1.5 – 2.8 | 0.9 – 1.7 | 3.1 – 3.8 |
| Fat Fat Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure... g/100g |
0.3 – 1.8 | 0.5 – 2.0 | 3.5 – 4.0 | 3.5 – 3.9 |
| Lactose Lactose Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,... 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 Casein Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk.... Nitrogen (CN) g/100 g |
0.64-1.03 | 0.94-1.2 | 0.32-0.42 | 2.46-2.80 |
| Whey protein Whey protein Whey protein is a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production. Some preclinical studies in rodents have suggested that whey protein may possess anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer properties; however, human data is lacking... g/100 g |
0.49-0.80 | 0.74-0.91 | 0.68-0.83 | 0.55-0.70 |
| NPN Non-protein nitrogen Non-protein nitrogen is a term used in animal nutrition to refer collectively to components such as urea, biuret, and ammonia, which are not proteins but can be converted into proteins by microbes in the ruminant stomach... g/100 g |
0.18-0.41 | 0.17-0.35 | 0.26-0.32 | 0.1-0.19 |
| Casein Casein Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk.... Nitrogen (CN) % |
47.28 | 50 | 26.06 | 77.23 |
| Whey protein Whey protein Whey protein is a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production. Some preclinical studies in rodents have suggested that whey protein may possess anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer properties; however, human data is lacking... % |
36.96 | 38.79 | 53.52 | 17.54 |
| NPN Non-protein nitrogen Non-protein nitrogen is a term used in animal nutrition to refer collectively to components such as urea, biuret, and ammonia, which are not proteins but can be converted into proteins by microbes in the ruminant stomach... % |
15.76 | 11.21 | 20.42 | 5.23 |
Alimentary use
Donkey milk is considered to be the closest to womanWoman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
’s milk. It is very nourishing because it contains more lactose
Lactose
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,...
and less fat than cow’s milk. It was used until the beginning of the twentieth century as a substitute to breast milk
Breast milk
Breast milk, more specifically human milk, is the milk produced by the breasts of a human female for her infant offspring...
. The 1928 testimony of Dr. Charles Porcher (1872-1933) of the Lyon National Veterinary Institution showed that the practice was still used, to a lesser extent, in the interwar years:
More recently, studies have shown that that asses’ milk could serve as an alternative to cow’s milk for children allergic to bovine proteins.
Cosmetic use
It is said that Cleopatra, Queen of Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, took baths in asses’ milk to preserve the beauty and youth of her skin. Legend has it that no less than 700 asses were needed to provide the quantity of milk necessary for her daily bath.
This was also the case of Poppaea Sabina
Poppaea Sabina
Poppaea Sabina and sometimes referred to as Poppaea Sabina the Younger to differentiate her from her mother of the same name, was a Roman Empress as the second wife of the Emperor Nero. Prior to this she was the wife of the future Emperor Otho...
(30 – 65), second wife of Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
, who is referred to in Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
’s description of the asses’ milk virtues for the skin:
Pauline Bonaparte
Pauline Bonaparte
Pauline Bonaparte was the first sovereign Duchess of Guastalla, an imperial French Princess and the Princess consort of Sulmona and Rossano. She was the sixth child of Letizia Ramolino and Carlo Buonaparte, Corsica's representative to the court of King Louis XVI of France. Her elder brother,...
(1780–1825), Napoleon’s sister, is also reported to have used asses’ milk for her skin’s health care.
Asses' milk is still used today in the manufacture of soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
s and moisturizer
Moisturizer
Moisturizers or emollients are complex mixtures of chemical agents specially designed to make the external layers of the skin softer and more pliable, by increasing its hydration by reducing evaporation. Naturally occurring skin lipids and sterols as well as artificial or natural oils,...
s. The sales revenue complements what asses’ breeders earn from raising livestock
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
and renting
Renting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
asses to hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
.
Medical use
Asses’ milk was also formerly used in medicineMedicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Its healing virtues have been known since Antiquity, when doctors would recommend it to cure diverse affections.
Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
(460 – 370 BC), the father of medicine, prescribed asses’ milk for numerous purposes, such as liver troubles, infectious diseases, fevers,
oedema, nose bleeds, poisonings, and wounds.
In his encyclopedic work Naturalis Historia
Naturalis Historia
The Natural History is an encyclopedia published circa AD 77–79 by Pliny the Elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to Pliny...
, volume 28, dealing with remedies derived from animals, Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
(23 – 79 AD) proposed it to fight poisonings, fever, fatigue, eye stains, weakened teeth, face wrinkles, ulcerations, asthma and certain gynecological troubles:
Similarly, Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon was a French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist, and encyclopedic author.His works influenced the next two generations of naturalists, including Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Georges Cuvier...
, (1707–1788) mentions the benefits of asses’ milk in his Histoire naturelle: "Asses’ milk, on the contrary, is a well-tried remedy specific to certain illnesses, and the use of this remedy has been retained from the Greeks until us."
In Tamil Nadu of South India, Donkey's Milk is given to New Born Human for better and sound voice. Usually it is given only once. Rare occasions it is given twice. The quantity of Milk given varies between 5 to 10 ml, but not more than that.
Summary/Conclusion from a scientific study
According to a paper published by the Journal of Dairy Science from American Dairy Science Association, titled: "Composition, Physiochemical Properties, Nitrogen Fraction Distribution, and Amino Acid Profile of Donkey Milk by H.Y.Guo et al", the donkey milk was shown to be poor in protein and fat and rich in lactose, which is more similar to mare and human milk than to other mammalian milk. It was also characterized by a low CN content and a particularly a high whey protein content that was rich in β-LG and lysozyme. The percentages of 8 essential AA in the protein of donkey milk were higher than those of mare and cow milk; the milk also had higher levels of Ser, Glu, Arg, and Val and a lower level of Cys. As a result, donkey milk exhibited unique nutritional characteristics and has optimal potential to be used as a new dietetic food and breast milk substitute.Lactation stage affected the gross composition of donkey milk but had no significant effect on pH, percentage of whey protein and CN, and AA content, except Asp and Thr. The work may be a promising basis for the study and exploitation of donkey milk. However, more systematic studies are needed.