Why doesn’t anyone drink “pig milk”? Is it because it tastes bad?

Milk and dairy products are rich in nutrients, and the dietary guidelines of almost all countries recommend that their residents develop the habit of drinking milk every day .

The milk here does not only refer to cow's milk, but also includes goat's milk, horse's milk and camel's milk. In fact, as long as it is a mammal, it can produce milk, and basically it can be used as a source of milk for humans. At this time, some friends are curious:

There are so many types of milk, why do we prefer cow's milk?

What is the difference between cow's milk and milk from other mammals?

Pigs are the most common mammals, so why have we hardly ever heard of “pig milk”?

01They are both milk, what’s the difference?

Milk: Rich in nutrients such as protein and calcium, there are many types of milk and its products on the market, mainly divided into the following categories:

Goat milk: Although its composition is similar to that of cow's milk, its fat content is slightly higher and its fat globule size is close to that of human milk. At the same time, its vitamin B12 and folic acid content is lower.

Mare's milk and donkey's milk: The nutritional components of the two are similar, with low levels of protein and fat, but the particles are smaller and easier to digest. They are suitable for short-term feeding of infants with weak digestive abilities, but are not recommended for long-term consumption.

Camel milk: The lactose content is slightly lower than that of cow's milk, but the milk fat and milk protein are higher than that of cow's milk.

Yak milk: Known as "natural concentrated milk", it is an important food and raw material for dairy processing for people of all ethnic groups in the plateau. The milk fat content is as high as 8.18%, and the milk protein content is 5.28%, which is higher than that of milk. The lactose content is 4.40%, which is lower than that of milk.

02****Why is cow's milk the most common milk?

High efficiency: The lactation period of cattle is 10 months, and the daily milk production can reach 30 kg. For example, the Holstein cow, which is famous for its milk production, can produce more than 10 tons of milk per year. The input-output ratio of cattle breeding is higher than that of other mammals.

Easy to obtain: Cows are more docile than other mammals and are easier to handle during milking, making milk easier to collect.

Good taste : The fat content of cow's milk is similar to that of human milk, and the taste is easy to accept. In contrast, goat's milk has a high fat content, a greasy taste, thick and fishy; camel milk has a high sodium and iron content, is a bit salty, and does not suit the taste of the general public.

Excellent ingredients: Milk is rich in nutrients and low in cholesterol. At the same time, milk can separate itself into fat and milk , making it easy to make various beverages and dairy products.

**03** It is rumored that camel milk, goat milk, etc. have "special effects". Is this just a waste of money?

** Camel milk, goat milk, yak milk and other "niche milk" are often much more expensive than cow milk. Camel milk is even advertised as "nutritional close to human milk, easier to digest and absorb"**, and even has health and medical effects, known as the "gold of milk". Is it really nutritious or just a waste of money?

Take camel milk as an example. The nutritional content of camel milk is not much different from that of cow milk, but it is very different from human breast milk. In breast milk protein, the ratio of casein to whey protein is about 1:2, while in camel milk this ratio is about 4:1; in human breast milk, the lactose content is about 6.6%, while camel milk is only 5.1%, so camel milk cannot be directly given to infants under 1 year old . The claim that camel milk is closer to human milk in nutrition and easier to digest and absorb is not credible, and it is even more nonsense to say that it has the effect of health care and disease treatment.

From a nutritional point of view, "niche milk" is classified as milk like cow milk, and has no obvious nutritional advantages. The main reasons for their high prices include: most of these animals are free-range , so the natural milk production is low; the milking process is relatively difficult , which further reduces the production. For example, the milk production of a camel is only about one-tenth of that of a cow.

04Why is there no pig milk on the market?

Finally, let's return to the original question. Pigs are a common animal, and pork and other by-products enrich our tables. Why can Chinese people who eat everything let go of pig milk? There are mainly three reasons.

Poor taste : Some pig farmers reported that pig milk tastes particularly "smelly" , even stronger than goat milk.

Low production: Compared with the 10-month lactation period of cows, the lactation period of pigs is only 2 months . During the lactation period, the daily milk production of pigs is less than 6 kg, which is dozens of times lower than that of dairy cows.

Difficulty in milking: Pigs have many nipples that are scattered. Under natural conditions, the only way for sows to lactate is for piglets to suckle. In addition, sows are very irritable during lactation and have very low cooperation , so the difficulty and cost of milking pigs far exceeds that of milking cows.

In fact, whether it is cow's milk, goat's milk, horse's milk, camel's milk, etc., they can all provide high-quality protein for the human body. The difference in their nutritional content is far less than the difference in their prices. Instead of paying too much attention to nutrition, it is better to choose milk and dairy products that are more suitable for your taste.

References

[1] Chu Chu, Zhang Yi, Xiang Shixin, et al. Comparative study on the nutritional content of goat milk, yak milk, horse milk and camel milk [J]. Chinese Dairy, 2022(03):34-39.

[2] Deng Bingjun, Chen Wenying, Shi Danhong, et al. Analysis of nutritional components of breast milk of postpartum lactating women[J]. Chinese Journal of Maternal and Child Health, 2020, 11(05): 87-89+94.

[3] Lu Donglin, Li Jingfang. Nutritional value and flavor improvement technology of goat milk[J]. Xinjiang Animal Husbandry, 2013(06):16-20.

[4] Li Jing, Wang Tianling, and Mayila Turdibek. Analysis on the application value and development prospects of camel milk[J]. Food Safety Guide, 2021(23):157-158+160.

Author: Wang Zhengyuan, PhD in Nutrition, Deputy Chief Physician, Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Planning & Editing: Little Dandelion

Image source: Photo Network