Research on donkey milk · Study 70

Two donkeys from Tunisia: milk yield and composition compared by breed

A Tunisian-Italian team followed 28 jennies of two native populations – Masri and North African – for a whole lactation: how much milk did they give, and what was in it?

Important: A milk analysis of jennies on a single farm. It describes the amount and composition of the milk – not any effect of donkey milk in humans.

North African (n = 14)Masri (n = 14)model curves, kg milk per day

Trial procedure · runs automatically

One lactation in the hourglass

Day of lactation0

Foaling, start of lactation28 jennies that had foaled several times, on average 8 years old and weighing 192 kg, on a dairy donkey farm in El Kef. Grazing on maquis scrubland, plus concentrate.
Measured every weekMilked by hand at 10 am and 3 pm. Once a week, milk yield per animal was recorded and a sample taken. After the afternoon milking, the foals stayed with their mothers until 5 am.
Peak North African: 1.212 kg/dayHighest daily yield according to the Wood model.
Peak Masri: 0.991 kg/dayTwo days later and around a fifth lower.
End: 205 ± 12.5 daysModelled total yield: 188.66 kg (North African) and 163.42 kg (Masri).

North African: – kg/dayMasri: – kg/day

Daily values live from the Wood model with the study’s parameters (Y = a · t^b · e^−ct) – model values, not individual measurements.

Composition · tap a measure

Two needles, eleven measures

Mean over the lactation

North African
Masri
Difference

* = significant (p < 0.05) according to the study. Outer bars: ± standard deviation. Laboratory measurements.

Protein building blocks

17 amino acids, two profiles

g/100 g milk after acid hydrolysis. According to the study, only glutamate, aspartate and the total (1.45 versus 1.32) were significant (*) – leucine (0.15 versus 0.08), by contrast, was not.

Fatty acids · tap a pearl

22 fatty acids on two strings

Each pearl is a fatty acid; its area corresponds to its share (g/100 g fatty acids). Sorted from short to long chains.

saturatedmonounsaturatedpolyunsaturated

North African
Masri
Difference

Saturated55.6 | 55.0

Unsaturated44.1 | 45.0 *

n-6 : n-31,84 | 1,54

Values given as North African | Masri, g/100 g fatty acids. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 according to the study. Most common fatty acids in both milks: oleic acid (C18:1) and palmitic acid (C16:0).

Critical assessment

Recalculated by us

We cross-checked the study’s tables. Most totals add up – but in a few places the figures do not match.

Editorial assessment: The authors see the milk of both populations as a possible building block for “functional foods” and for infants. This was not examined. Donkey milk is not a substitute for breast milk or infant formula. For comparison: Study 54 (feed and lactation) and Study 55 (course of lactation).

CHECK SHEET STUDY 70

Aroua et al. · Animals 2024 · cross-checked

Sample14 + 14 jennies, one farm, one season.SMALL
SpreadAccording to the methods section, the ± values come from three laboratory replicates, not from comparing the animals. Read significances with caution.!
Abstract“188.66 ± 7.19 kg” and “163.42 ± 7.21 kg”: the ± values are identical to the persistence indicators.?
Whey proteinsα-lactalbumin + β-lactoglobulin + lysozyme = 7.87 and 6.58 mg/mL – more than the measured total whey protein (0.58 and 0.49 g/100 g). Different methods, not explained in the paper.?
Fatty acid ratioMasri: 45.0 unsaturated / 55.0 saturated gives about 0.82 arithmetically – 0.69 is stated. North African fits (0.79).?
TotalsCasein + whey protein + NPN = total protein (1.45 and 1.32). n-6 : n-3 recalculated: 1.84 and 1.54.OK
InterestsNo external funding, no conflicts of interest declared.OK

LEVEL OF EVIDENCEMILK ANALYSIS

Research question for DON DONKEY’S®

How much is down to the breed – and how much to the feed?

The two Tunisian populations lived on the same farm and still differed in fat, protein and fatty acids. How strongly breed, pasture and lactation stage shape the milk cannot be separated with a single study – a question we are following up.

Make origin transparentCompare with Study 59More farms, more animals

Original publication

Preserving Mediterranean Donkeys: A Study on Milk Production and Nutritional Benefits

Original title of the publication.

Aroua M., Fatica A., Ben Said S., Mahouachi M., Salimei E.
Animals · 2024 · volume 14, issue 24, article 3713 · open access
Université de Jendouba, École Supérieure d’Agriculture du Kef (Tunisia); Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso (Italy)

DOI: 10.3390/ani14243713

Transparency: according to the paper, no external funding and no conflicts of interest. No product-related statement for DON DONKEY’S®.

Summarised and reviewed by the DON DONKEY’S editorial team on the basis of the original publication · as of October 2026

End of the study summary

Note on our products

The study summarised above was carried out independently of DON DONKEY’S® and does not relate to our products. It serves solely to inform about the state of research.

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk and donkey milk powder are foods. They are not intended to prevent, treat or cure any disease and do not replace medical advice.

From our shop

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk

100 % donkey milk · raw milk, frozen

On this page we report the findings of a published study. Independently of that, you will find our donkey milk here: 100 % donkey milk, frozen as raw milk.

Transparency: The study examined milk from Masri and North African jennies in Tunisia – not the milk of our partner farms.

€24,90

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

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Donkey Milk Powder

Donkey milk in powder form

For anyone who prefers a longer shelf life: our donkey milk in powder form – easy to store and portion.

Transparency: The study examined fresh donkey milk, not our donkey milk powder.