Bushra Griffith
Horse milk cheese is a rare and expensive product due to the challenges in converting horse milk into cheese. Horse milk is highly digestible and considered to have therapeutic properties, but it is not coagulable by rennet, making it difficult to produce cheese. In addition, the low fat and casein content of horse milk result in a high cost and significant amount of milk needed for a small yield. Despite these challenges, some cheesemakers have crafted unique horse milk cheeses, such as the Mares Milk cheese from Combe Hay Farm, which is made using 100% organic mare's milk and features hints of hazelnut and watermelon.
Characteristics of Horse Milk Cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Production | Horse milk cheese is rare and expensive due to the lower fat and casein content of horse milk. It takes up to 20 liters of horse milk to produce a small yield of cheese. |
| Taste | Horse milk cheese has a unique, slightly flowery taste similar to semi-hard cheese with hints of hazelnut and watermelon. |
| Health Benefits | Horse milk is highly digestible, rich in essential nutrients, and has an optimal whey protein/casein ratio. It is also claimed to have therapeutic properties and is used to manage digestive and cardiovascular diseases. |
| Availability | Horse milk cheese is produced by a master cheesemaker at Combe Hay Farm. It is also traditionally important in Mongolia and the southern states of the former Soviet Union, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. |
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What You'll Learn
Horse milk is hard to convert into cheese
Horse milk is considered exclusive and luxurious due to its scarcity and the complexities involved in its production. While it is known to have various health benefits, converting it into cheese is challenging and results in losing these beneficial properties.
Horse milk is difficult to convert into cheese because it is low in fat. While cow and goat milk have four times more fat, and buffalo and sheep milk have seven times more fat, horse milk falls significantly behind. This leads to a low yield of cheese. It takes an average of 10 litres of cow's milk or 7 litres of sheep's milk to make one kilogram of cheese. Additionally, mare's milk contains less protein than cow's, goat's, and sheep's milk. It has only 13 grams of casein per litre, a protein crucial for cheese-making, compared to 25 grams in cow's and goat's milk, 35 grams in buffalo milk, and 45 grams in sheep's milk.
The heat-intensive cheese-making process also reduces the health benefits commonly attributed to horse milk. Therefore, it is advised to reserve the limited supply of horse milk for health-oriented uses.
Horse milk is also very expensive to produce. One of the main constraints of the horse as a dairy animal is the high frequency of milkings required; generally about five times per day or every 2 hours, with the foal feeding through the night. The capacity of the mare's udder is low, about 2 litres, and the foal must be in close proximity during milking.
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It is a rare and expensive product
Horse milk cheese is a rare and expensive product due to several factors. Firstly, the process of converting horse milk into cheese is challenging. Horse milk has a lower fat and casein content, and it is not coagulable by rennet, which is traditionally used for bovine milk. This means that a significant amount of milk, up to 20 litres, is required to produce a small yield of cheese. As a result, the production cost is high.
Another factor contributing to its rarity and expense is the labour-intensive process of milking horses. Horses need to be milked frequently, about five times per day or every two hours, and the mare's foal must be in close proximity during milking. Additionally, the capacity of a mare's udder is low, about 2 litres. These constraints make horse milk a very expensive type of milk to produce.
Despite the challenges and cost, some cheesemakers have successfully crafted horse milk cheese. For example, a cheesemaker from Combe Hay Farm creates a unique, semi-hard cheese with hints of hazelnut and watermelon, setting high-quality standards for their horse milk cheese.
Horse milk has been traditionally important in Mongolia and the southern states of the former Soviet Union, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. In these regions, horse milk is often fermented to create beverages like koumiss and airag, which are believed to have therapeutic properties and offer relief from various health issues. The fermentation process for airag involves repeatedly stirring the milk with a wooden masher 3000 to 5000 times over one to two days, resulting in a mildly alcoholic, sour, and fizzy beverage.
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It is considered highly digestible and nutritious
Although horse milk cheese is a rare and expensive product, it is considered highly nutritious and digestible. This is due to its rich vitamin and mineral content, as well as its high whey protein/casein ratio. In fact, it is said to be similar to human milk in many respects, which makes it suitable for paediatric dietetics.
One of the most popular beverages made from horse milk is Airag, which is a traditional fermented drink from Mongolia. It is believed to have medicinal properties, aiding digestion and boosting the immune system. Airag is made by fermenting mare's milk in a vessel called a "khukhuur" or "khokhuurin tolgoi", traditionally made from animal hides. The fermentation process requires repeatedly stirring the milk with a wooden masher 3,000 to 5,000 times over one to two days. This transforms the milk into a mildly alcoholic beverage with a distinct sour taste and a slightly fizzy texture.
In addition to its nutritional benefits, horse milk is also believed to have therapeutic properties. It is said to help with metabolic and intestinal problems, gut cleansing, and the "repair" of intestinal flora. It is also claimed to prevent stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and liver problems. Furthermore, horse milk is used as a dietary aid in the treatment of cancer patients.
However, it is important to note that converting horse milk into cheese results in the loss of these beneficial properties. This, coupled with the high cost and the significant amount of milk needed for a small yield, makes horse milk cheese a rare product. Nevertheless, some cheesemakers, such as those at Combe Hay Farm, have crafted unique, high-quality horse milk cheeses with hints of hazelnut and watermelon.
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It is traditionally important in Mongolia and former Soviet Union states
Although horses are not a major source of milk for cheese production, they have been traditionally important dairy animals in Mongolia and the southern states of the former Soviet Union, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. In these regions, equine milk has been considered to hold therapeutic properties, and it is often consumed for its purported health benefits.
In Mongolia, mare's milk is typically fermented to create a beverage known as "airag," which has been a staple in the diet of nomadic herders for over a thousand years. Airag is produced by leaving the milk to ferment in a vessel made from animal hides, known as a "khukhuur" or "khokhuurin tolgoi," and repeatedly stirring it with a wooden masher 3,000 to 5,000 times over one or two days. This process results in a mildly alcoholic, slightly fizzy drink with a distinct sour taste. Airag is also a potent source of vitamins A, C, and E, and it is extremely rich in vitamin D and minerals. As a result, it is believed to aid digestion, boost the immune system, and provide essential nutrients.
In Central Asia, particularly in Mongolia and the former Soviet Union states, equine milk is also used to produce koumiss, a fermented milk product. Koumiss is traditionally made by exploiting the weak coagulum formed under acidic conditions when equine milk is fermented. Koumiss is believed to have medicinal properties and is used to manage digestive and cardiovascular diseases.
While it is challenging to convert horse milk into cheese due to its low fat and casein content, it is possible to produce rare and expensive horse milk cheese. One example is the Mares Milk cheese crafted by a master cheesemaker at Combe Hay Farm, which is made using 100% organic mare's milk and features hints of hazelnut and watermelon.
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It has many health benefits
While there is no such thing as horse milk cheese, as horse milk cannot be coagulated using traditional cheese-making methods, drinking horse milk is believed to have several health benefits.
Horse milk, also known as mare's milk or equine milk, has been consumed for over 2,000 years. It is believed to have originated with the ancient Greeks, who claimed that the Amazons, a legendary tribe of women warriors, fed their children mare's milk. In the 19th century, Russian doctors even recommended fermented mare's milk as a treatment for tuberculosis.
Horse milk is deemed highly digestible and rich in essential nutrients, with an optimal whey protein/casein ratio. It is also a good source of the amino acid arginine, which is essential for infants. Horse milk is also rich in lactose, with 55-65g per kg, and has a high proportion of omega-3 linolenic acid when derived from grass diets.
Horse milk is often used to help with skin problems, strengthen the immune system, improve intestinal flora, and fight allergies. It is also believed to have antioxidant and antibacterial properties, making it an attractive ingredient in skincare products. Fermented horse milk, or koumiss, is used in Russia and Mongolia to manage digestive and cardiovascular diseases.
However, it is important to note that horse milk can temporarily worsen symptoms and is not recommended for those with lactose allergies or pregnant women.
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Frequently asked questions
Horse milk cheese is a rare and expensive product made from the milk of horses.
Horse milk is very expensive to produce. Horses need to be milked up to five times per day or every two hours, yielding about 2 litres in total.
Horse milk is highly digestible and rich in essential nutrients. It is also claimed to have therapeutic properties, helping with digestion, boosting the immune system, and providing essential nutrients.
Horse milk cheese is produced by a master cheesemaker at Combe Hay Farm in the UK.
Horse milk cheese has a unique, slightly flowery taste which is similar to semi-hard cheese.
