🥛 Cow's milk
Also known as: cow milk
The most widespread milk in the world: versatile, inexpensive and the basis of almost all dairy products.
Cow's milk is the most widespread milk in the world and the main raw material of the dairy industry. According to FAO, cows account for about 81 % of world milk output (83 % in 2010), with buffaloes in second place. In statistics, 'cows' include both humpless European cattle (Bos taurus) and humped zebu (Bos indicus): there is no reproductive barrier between them.
According to USDA, 100 g of whole milk contains 61 kcal, 3.15 g of protein, 3.25 g of fat, 5.05 g of lactose and 113 mg of calcium, and is 88 % water. About four-fifths of the protein is casein; the rest is whey proteins, including β-lactoglobulin, one of the main allergens. Milk is a notable source of calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B12.
About 35 % of the world's dairy cows — roughly 70 million — are Holstein-Friesians, a breed prized for its high yields. Almost every familiar dairy product is made from cow's milk: drinking milk, cream and butter, kefir and yogurt, cottage cheese, thousands of cheeses, condensed and powdered milk, infant formula. That is why it is the benchmark for comparing other animals' milk.
Why it matters to you. In the EU the fat content is clear from the name: whole milk has at least 3.5 %, semi-skimmed 1.5–1.8 %, skimmed no more than 0.5 %. Pasteurised milk is heated to at least 72 °C for 15 seconds, ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk to 135 °C or higher. Keep milk in the fridge at 0–5 °C and follow the use-by date. The NHS advises giving cow's milk as a main drink only from the age of one, and 1 % or skimmed milk not before five. With cow's milk protein allergy, goat's, sheep's or buffalo milk are not suitable: the World Allergy Organization warns of cross-reactions.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 3.25 g |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3.15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.8 g |
| Energy | 61 kcal |
| Calcium | 113 mg |
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 3.7 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 3.3 g | |
| Lactose | 4.7 g | |
| Energy | 64 kcal | |
| Calcium | 119 mg |
Average values. Values vary a lot with breed, season, feed and stage of lactation. The bar shows the share of the maximum within this group of milks.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central, FAO 2013, гл. 3
How it connects to milk
🥛 Cow's milk → type of → 🥛 Milk
Links
- A type of
- 🥛 Milk
- Whose milk
- 🐄 Cow
- What is made from it
- 🧀 Cheese, 🧈 Butter, 🥛 Kefir, 🥣 Yogurt, 🥣 Tvorog, 🧀 Milk powder, 🍼 Infant formula, 🧀 Parmesan, 🧀 Camembert, 🧀 Gouda
and 28 more
🧀 Cheddar, 🧀 Sulguni, 🍯 Dulce de leche, 🧀 Queso fresco, 🧶 Oaxaca cheese, 🧀 Monterey Jack, 🍘 Aaruul, 🪭 Rushan, 🫙 Labneh, 🥣 Kashk, 🫕 Smen, 🟫 Brunost, 🥣 Rømme, 🥣 Viili, 🥛 Filmjölk, 🧀 Leipäjuusto, 🥣 Dahi, 🍬 Khoa, 🧀 Chhena, ⚪ Rasgulla, 🍨 Kulfi, 🍮 Shrikhand, 🥣 Amasi, 🧀 Wagasi, 🧀 Ayib, 🧈 Niter kibbeh, 🫖 Clotted cream, 🥛 A2 milk - Benefits
- 🦷 Bones and teeth
- Rich in
- 🧪 Vitamin B12
- Risks
- ❤️ Milk protein allergy
- Part of
- 🥛 Milk by species
Frequently asked questions
How much fat is in cow's milk?
Raw milk usually has 3–4 %, and zebu milk can reach 5.5 %. In EU drinking milk the fat is standardised: whole at least 3.5 %, semi-skimmed 1.5–1.8 %, skimmed up to 0.5 %. American whole milk, according to USDA, has 3.25 g of fat per 100 g.
What share of the world's milk comes from cows?
According to FAO, cows produce about 81 % of the world's milk (83 % in 2010); buffaloes come second with 13–15 %.
How does milk allergy differ from lactose intolerance?
An allergy is an immune reaction to milk proteins, primarily casein and β-lactoglobulin. Lactose intolerance is linked to milk sugar and a shortage of the enzyme lactase; it is unpleasant but does not cause swelling or shortness of breath the way an allergy can.
Is it true that people allergic to cow's milk can drink goat's milk?
No. The World Allergy Organization guidelines advise against goat's, sheep's and buffalo milk for cow's milk protein allergy: their proteins are similar, so severe cross-reactions are possible.
Is it true that adults cannot digest milk at all?
No. Most adults worldwide produce less lactase, but according to EFSA most people with poor lactose digestion tolerate up to 12 g of lactose at a time without problems — roughly a glass of milk.
Comparisons
History
What to read next
- 🐄 Cow — The world's main source of milk: ≈81 % of global milk output (FAO). High-yielding cows give up to 60 kg of milk a day.
- 🧀 Parmesan — Parmigiano Reggiano, a hard cheese from Emilia-Romagna and part of Lombardy, aged from 12 months.
- 🦷 Bones and teeth — Calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D.
- 🥛 A2 milk — Milk from cows whose milk contains only A2-type beta-casein; some people tolerate it better.
- 🧀 Camembert — A soft white-rind cheese from Normandy.
Similar
🥛 Goat's milk · 🥛 Buffalo milk · 🥛 Sheep's milk · 🥛 Yak milk · 🥛 Donkey milk · 🥛 Breast milk
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- FAO. Milk and dairy products in human nutrition (2013)
- FAO Gateway to dairy production: Dairy animals
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Annex VII (milk and milk products)
- World Allergy Organization. DRACMA guidelines on cow's milk allergy (Fiocchi et al., 2010)
- Roy et al. 2020. Composition, Structure, and Digestive Dynamics of Milk From Different Species (Frontiers in Nutrition)