🥛 Musk ox milk
Also known as: muskox milk
The rich milk of an Arctic animal.
Musk ox milk is the milk of the musk ox, a large animal of the Arctic tundra that is hardly ever milked. The musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a large Arctic animal of the tundras of North America and Greenland, which people have also introduced to other northern areas. Despite its name and appearance, it is closer to goats and sheep than to cattle: they all belong to the goat subfamily.
There is very little data on musk ox milk. The FAO cites its composition from a single old study: it has more protein and fat and less lactose and water than cow’s milk, and more than twice as many minerals. The fat content in these data is about 5.4%, which the FAO notes is not much for an Arctic animal. Other studies in which females were hand-milked reported higher values, so the figures should be considered preliminary.
Musk oxen are raised on a few farms, for example in Alaska, mainly for their fine underwool, qiviut. Their milk has no practical value for people and is interesting mainly as an example of adaptation to a cold climate.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 5.4 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5.3 g | |
| Lactose | 4.1 g | |
| Energy | 85 kcal | |
| Calcium | no data |
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: FAO 2013, табл. 3.3–3.4, Chaplin & Follensbee 1993
How it connects to milk
🥛 Musk ox milk → type of → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Whose milk
- 🐂 Musk ox
- A type of
- 🥛 Milk
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- 🔬 Milk of other animals
Frequently asked questions
Do people milk musk oxen?
Only in a few scientific experiments. On farms, musk oxen are kept for their valuable qiviut underwool.
How fatty is musk ox milk?
According to data cited by the FAO, about 5.4% fat; other studies have reported higher values, so the data are incomplete.
Similar
🥛 Llama milk · 🥛 Alpaca milk · 🥛 Pig milk · 🥛 Elephant milk · 🥛 Polar bear milk · 🥛 Seal milk
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.