The question about the safety of donkey meat has been the subject of many debates but a man in Naivasha has gone further and is now milking them for a living.
John Nduhiu owns a herd of over 10 donkeys which he milks and sells the produce to willing buyers.
Speaking to The Standard, he explained that the process is exactly the same as it happpens for cows.
“They are just like cows; others are difficult to handle but most are gentle. They behave well and know when it is milking time. Gentle ones do not need to be tied up to stop them from kicking. They just wait until you are done and you release the baby to suckle the remaining milk,” he narrated.
Nduhiu, who is a consumer of his own produce, sells the milk between Ksh 200 and Ksh 250 per litre and advises his customers not to boil the nutritious drink.
“The best way to drink donkey milk is to take it after milking. If one wants to drink the milk the following day, you keep it in a fridge overnight and dip it in warm water before consuming it. That way, it will be effective,” explained.
A medical lab expert who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke, however, advised against drinking unboiled milk from a donkey or any other animal, adding that it could contain the Brucella bacteria that can spread from animals to humans.
It is known to cause joint and muscle pain, fever, weight loss and fatigue. Some people develop stomach pain and cough.
The out of the box dairy farmer praised the nutritional value of his donkey's milk, disclosing that most of his clients were people suffering from ailments such as asthma, arthritis and high blood pressure.
He plans to expand the herd but his efforts have been curtailed by donkey theft that increased upon the opening of slaughterhouses for the beasts of burden.
“I always wanted to expand the venture and start a donkey dairy but since the opening of donkey slaughterhouse in Naivasha and Mogotio, theft has dealt my dream a blow. At one point I lost seven of them and I decided to sell a few so that I could remain with a manageable number,” he indicated.
Nduhiu has called for experts who can collaborate with him on donkey milk research and how to improve his breeds.
Watch John Nduhiu milking a donkey below.
