Arabian mare's milk characterisation and clotting ability

Area of Science:

• Animal science
• Dairy science
• Food science

Background:

• Mare's milk is a potential dairy alternative.
• Limited data exists on Arabian mare milk composition and coagulation properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize purebred Arabian mare milk's physicochemical and microbiological properties throughout lactation.
• To assess the milk's coagulation ability.

Main Methods:

• Collected weekly milk samples from 16 mares over 4 months.
• Analyzed milk for physicochemical composition, nitrogen fractions, somatic cell count, and bacterial count.
• Performed coagulation assays using calf rennet, Streptococcus thermophilus, and CaCl2.

Main Results:

• Arab mare milk exhibits alkaline pH, low fat/protein, and high lactose.
• Low somatic cell and bacterial counts suggest good mare health.
• Fat and protein content decreased with lactation stage but varied with lactation number.
• Mare milk can be coagulated with specific rennet, starter, and CaCl2 doses.

Conclusions:

• Arabian mare milk has distinct characteristics.
• Its low microbial load is favorable for processing.
• Mare milk coagulation is feasible, opening avenues for dairy product development.