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Donkey milk · origin & science

Why science is interested in donkey milk

It is rare, its composition differs from cow’s milk – and it occupies researchers from Italy to China. A brief exploration.

A feature by DON DONKEY’S®Reading time approx. 4 minutes

94proteins identified
in donkey milk (Study 3)

A milk with a long history

Donkey milk is not a trend but an old food. It appears in ancient writings, and according to legend Cleopatra bathed in donkey milk. Nobody knows whether that is true – but it shows how special this milk was considered even then.

It is still special today for one reason above all: there is very little of it. A jenny only gives milk while she is suckling a foal, and only a small part of that remains for milking.

Milk available for milking per animal per day · guide values

Dairy cow

≈ 28 l

Jenny

usually 0.5–1 l, at most approx. 2 l

One symbol corresponds to about one litre. Amounts vary by breed, feeding and stage of lactation.

What's in donkey milk

In the glass, donkey milk looks like any other milk. Its composition, however, is different: less fat and protein than cow’s milk but more milk sugar – which is why it tastes mild and slightly sweet.

Researchers are mainly interested in its proteins. An analysis from Italy identified 94 of them. Some occur in much larger amounts in donkey milk than in cow’s milk.

Typical values per 100 ml

Donkey milk (range)Cow’s milk

Fat g / 100 ml

Donkey 0.3–1.8Cow ≈ 3.8

Protein g / 100 ml

Donkey 1.5–1.8Cow ≈ 3.4

Milk sugar g / 100 ml

Donkey 5.8–7.4Cow ≈ 4.7

1.3–2.6grams of lysozyme per litre were measured in two studies with Serbian donkey milk (Studies 2 and 5). In cow’s milk: only traces.

Values from the scientific literature; milk is a natural product and varies. The nutrition information on the packaging is authoritative for our products.

What research examines

We have collected, read and summarised the scientific publications on donkey milk in plain language. Italy leads the way, where research on it has been carried out for almost twenty years; in recent years many papers have also come from China.

38studies

9countries

2007–2026period

Study 3 · Italy · laboratory

94 proteins in a glass of milk

Using mass spectrometry, donkey milk was broken down into its proteins. Result: 94 identified gene products – including lysozyme, lactoferrin and immunoglobulins.

To the summary → Study 5 · Serbia · laboratory

137 samples, 21 months

Researchers from Novi Sad sampled milk from 33 jennies for almost two years, measuring lysozyme and lactoferrin content among other things.

To the summary → Study 29 · Germany · ongoing

Research with our milk

In Kiel, a research team is examining individual constituents of donkey milk at molecular level – with milk from DON DONKEY’S®.

To the project →

What the studies show

how donkey milk is composed and how much it varies
which constituents researchers find particularly interesting
what was observed in laboratory and animal experiments

What they do not show

that donkey milk has a particular effect when drunk
that results from laboratory or animal experiments are transferable to humans
anything about our products – with the exception of the project in Kiel

View all 38 studies

Ongoing project

04 · Research in Kiel

Our milk in the laboratory

At the RI-B-NT Research Institute of Bioinformatics and Nanotechnology in Kiel, the team led by Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans-Christian Siebert is working with donkey milk from DON DONKEY’S®. It is not the milk as a whole that is being studied but individual constituents – at the level of individual molecules.

The project is still ongoing. It is basic research and makes no statement about any effect when drunk – but it shows how much there is still to discover about this milk.

More about the project and Prof. Siebert →

LysozymeBesides its well-known role as an enzyme, the group is studying how lysozyme recognises certain sugar structures.

SialidasesEnzymes that the group, comparing seven types of milk, found only in donkey milk and in llama and dog colostrum.

ExosomesTiny vesicles in milk enclosed by a lipid envelope – and their cargo of proteins and sugars.

And how does it taste?

Mild, light and slightly sweet. Anyone trying donkey milk for the first time is usually surprised by how unassuming it tastes. This is how our customers like to enjoy it most:

Pure & well chilled

Thawed in the fridge and cold from the glass – this brings out its own flavour best.

In coffee or tea

As a mild, slightly sweet note in a hot drink – best added at the end.

In a smoothie or porridge

As a base for breakfast and smoothies. Simply mix the powder with water according to the instructions on the pack.

A customer with our donkey milk

Customer drinking a glass of donkey milk — Customer for three years

Two bottles of donkey milk on a table in summer — Donkey milk on a summer’s day

Bottles of donkey milk in the freezer — Illustrative image

How it reaches you

Frozen – until you need it

Our fresh donkey milk is frozen as raw milk and sent to you that way. You keep it in the freezer and only ever thaw as much in the fridge as you want to drink at the time.

The two founders of DON DONKEY’S® with a donkey — The founders of DON DONKEY’S®

Who is behind it

Two brothers, many donkeys

DON DONKEY’S® is a family business from Lüdinghausen in the Münsterland region, founded by two brothers. Our donkey milk comes from partner farms; we make sure it reaches you frozen.

Because we wanted to know for ourselves what lies behind this milk, we read the studies and summarised them for you – and we are delighted that research is being carried out in Kiel with our milk.

Frequently asked questions

Good to know

Why is donkey milk so expensive?

A jenny gives only a fraction of the amount of milk a cow gives, and she is only milked while suckling a foal. Herds are small and the work is laborious – that makes every litre valuable.

Fresh milk or powder – what is the difference?

Our fresh donkey milk is 100 % donkey milk, frozen as raw milk. The powder is long-life and easy to store and portion. Which option suits you is mainly a question of taste and everyday routine.

What do the studies mean for me?

They show what researchers have observed in the laboratory, in animal experiments or in individual clinical studies. They do not demonstrate any effect of our products. Donkey milk is a food – not a medicine and not a substitute for medical treatment.

Is donkey milk suitable for babies?

No. Donkey milk is not a substitute for breast milk or infant formula. For questions about feeding infants, please consult your paediatrician.

I have a milk allergy – what should I consider?

Only after consulting a doctor, please. Donkey milk can also trigger allergic reactions.

End of feature

Note on our products

This feature describes the origin, composition and research on donkey milk in general. Our products are foods and are not intended to prevent, treat or cure diseases.

Fresh · frozen

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk

100 % donkey milk · raw milk, frozen

100 % donkey milk from our partner farms, frozen as raw milk – mild, slightly sweet, with no additives.

Transparency: Our donkey milk is a food. The studies mentioned in this feature were not carried out with this product – with the exception of the laboratory project in Kiel.

€24,90

100 ml bottle / 100ml · Unit price: €249,00 / 1 l · incl. VAT, plus shipping

View all sizes & purchase options →

Long-life · powder

Donkey Milk Powder

Donkey milk in powder form

For anyone who prefers something longer-lasting: our donkey milk in powder form – easy to store and portion.

Transparency: Our donkey milk powder is a food. The studies mentioned in this feature were not carried out with this product.