Gross composition and nutritional properties of donkey milk produced in Sicily. [Italian]Original Title Composizione chimica e proprieta nutrizionali del latte di asina prodotto in Sicilia.

摘要

Individual milk samples were collected, monthly throughout the complete lactation, from 24 donkeys reared under semi-intensive system in a farm of Eastern Sicily. The registration of the functional data has allowed a first evaluation of the real productive capacity of this species. The analysis of composition, expanded for the nitrogen fraction, was carried out to study the properties of this milk from a nutritional point of view. In condition of specialized breeding, the donkeys of Ragusano bred have showed good production levels (1.66 kg/day) with a fairly good milk quality. Noteworthy was the low fat content (0.13 g/100 g) and the reduced casein/whey proteins ratio (on average 1.04), that varied from 1.33 (early lactation) to 0.80 (end of lactation), reporting values even lower in a rare individual characterized by the lack of the alpha _S1-casein.