A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND MINERAL CONTENT IN COW AND CAMEL MILK FROM AGA WAYU DISTRICT, GUJI ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study aims to analyze and compare the physicochemical properties and mineral composition of cow’s and camel’s milk. Milk samples were collected from the Aga Wayu district in the Guji zone of the Oromia region, Ethiopia, using a proportional random sampling method. The physicochemical parameters analyzed included pH, titratable acidity, ash content, specific gravity, protein content, fat content, moisture content, total solids, and boiling point. Additionally, the concentrations of selected minerals (phosphorus, sodium, calcium, and potassium) were measured. The results showed that cow’s and camel’s milk exhibited similar physicochemical properties, with comparable pH (5.8 ± 0.5), titrateble acidity (0.20 ± 0.01), ash content (0.84 ± 0.12%), specific gravity (1.04 ± 0.11), protein content (3.32 ± 0.43%)for cow, fat content (3.6 ± 0.48%) and boiling point (92.66°C)for camel. The concentrations of sodium (3.63 ± 1.23 mg/L) and phosphorus (2.43 ± 0.39 mg/L) were also similar in both types of milk. However, cow’s milk had higher moisture content (85.13 ± 2.65%) and calcium levels (22.44 ± 2.41 mg/L) compared to camel’s milk, which had lower moisture (82.83 ± 1.22%) and calcium (17.07 ± 1.38 mg/L). Conversely, camel’s milk contained higher total solids (18.26 ± 0.50%) than cow’s milk (14.82 ± 2.11%). In conclusion, camel’s milk was found to have higher protein and lactose content than cows’s milk, while cow’s milk had a greater fat content. These findings highlight the distinct nutritional profiles of the two types of milk, which may have implications for their dietary applications.