Buyer protection
Research on donkey milk · Study 88
The first 14 days: minerals in jenny colostrum and milk
How much calcium, potassium or zinc is in the first milk after birth – and does it depend on what the pregnant jenny is fed? A team from Inner Mongolia fed 24 Dezhou jennies at three energy levels and measured colostrum, milk and blood plasma over two weeks.
Trial procedure · runs automatically
88 days, three rations
Time course · tap an element
From colostrum to milk: the values decline
Moon-phase series: the lit portion of each moon corresponds to the mean at that time point relative to the value at birth (0 h = full moon). Means across all three groups. Right: means per feed group across all time points. All differences by time and group p < 0.001.
Group comparison
Medium energy, mostly the highest values
Each row shows the group means across all time points, relative to the medium-energy group (ME = 100 %). For calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and molybdenum, ME was ahead; for manganese, selenium and cobalt, ME and LE were level, ahead of HE. The highest-energy group had numerically the lowest values throughout.
Critical assessment
Six stars in the review sky
Inconsistencies
The calcium range is given as 1043.7–1351.11 mg/L in the results and 888.89–1351.11 mg/L in the discussion. Body weight ±33 or ±34 kg, one incorrect table reference.
Group size
24 jennies split into three groups. Eight per group is likely but is not stated explicitly in the text.
Only 14 days
Measurements ran until two weeks after birth. The study says nothing about mature milk in later months.
Sampling
Morning and afternoon milk were pooled. Whether the 0 h sample was taken before the foal first suckled is not stated.
Horse standard
The energy values of the rations were calculated using the horse standard (NRC 2007). The requirements of donkeys may differ.
Solid framework
Random group allocation, ICP-OES measurement, ethics approval, public funding, no conflicts of interest declared.
Editorial assessment: The authors describe donkey milk as a “functional food” – we do not adopt this classification; only mineral contents were examined. For comparison: Study 56 (minerals over the year) and Study 54 (trace element supplement in feed).
Research question for DON DONKEY’S®
How do minerals differ in mature milk?
In this study, the values were highest shortly after birth and fell markedly within two weeks. How stable they remain afterwards, and how we can explain the laboratory values of our milk clearly, is a question we are following up.
Original publication
Effect of Dietary Energy Level during Late Gestation on Mineral Contents in Colostrum, Milk, and Plasma of Lactating Jennies
Original title of the publication.
Hui F., Tong M., Li S., Zhao Y., Guo X., Guo Y., Shi B., Yan S.
Animals · 2024 · volume 14, issue 16, article 2383 · open access
Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot (China)
DOI: 10.3390/ani14162383
Transparency: funded by programmes of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The authors declare 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
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.
100 ml bottle / 100ml · Unit price: €249,00 / 1 l · incl. VAT, plus shipping
Also in our shop
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.
20g · Unit price: €1.245,00 / 1 kg · incl. VAT, plus shipping