Montenegro's Shunned Donkey's Milk New Health Trend

GRADINA MARTINICKA, Montenegro, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Nov, 2016 ) - Machines long ago usurped a donkey's traditional role as the farmer's beast of burden, but the animals are winning new fans in Montenegro -- thanks to their luxury milk.

It comes at a trickle and selling at a hefty 50 Euros ($54) per litre it could provide a lifeline for the Balkan donkey breed, whose numbers have sharply declined. But it is the product's therapeutic potential that makes it stand out, according to producers and buyers.

"This milk is extremely healthy for skin disease and other diseases," said Darko Saveljic as he squeezed an inch of the white stuff from Tereza, one of 30 donkeys at his sanctuary in the central Montenegrin countryside.

Even small daily amounts can help tackle asthma and bronchitis, he said. The animals are first milked just two to three months after giving birth and produce only 400 millilitres a day, a fraction of what a cow can provide.

"Don't expect a lot of milk," warned Saveljic, who gives away half his yield to those he thinks will benefit but cannot afford it. The product's price tag is significant in Montenegro, home to 620,000 people and an average monthly wage of about 500 euros.