Milking Time Effect on Nutrients Level of Free Range Indigenous and Zero Grazed Exotic Cow Milk on Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Zinc in Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the different milking time in a cow affects the nutrients levels in the milk. Milk is considered as balanced diet food with nutrients playing an important role in the body of a human being like calcium build and maintain strong bones and teeth, magnesiumhelps in muscular functions, potassium helps in blood pressure control, muscle and nerve function while zinc stimulates the activity of enzymes in the body, supports immune system, synthesize DNA and in wound healing.Nutrients levels were determined using analytical methodsAAS for analysis of calcium, magnesium and zinc and AES for analysis of potassium. Cow milk obtained in the morning and in the evening had different levels of nutrients in free range indigenous and zero grazed exotic cows. The results showed that in free range indigenous cow milk, nutrients are higher in the morning than in the evening except magnesium while in zero grazed exotic cow milk, the nutrients analysed are higher in the evening milk than the morning milk.Cow milk obtained in the morning from free range indigenous cows and that from evening from zero grazed exotic cows is the best to be taken.

Keywords: AAS, AES, Cow, milk, nutrients levels,