## 3 Results and Discussion
### Raw Milk Composition  
Mare's milk, in comparison to the milk of other animals, possesses a range of unique properties that make it particularly valued in the human diet. The milk contains an average of 9.89% of dry matter, including 1.50% of protein, 1.18% of fat, and 6.51% of lactose. The contents of protein, fat, lactose, dry matter, as well as acidity and density of both pasteurized and raw milk are presented in Table 1.  
The values obtained in the present study are consistent with the results reported by other researchers. For example, [PERSON] et al. [48] measured the fat content in mare's milk as 1.32 g/100 mL, protein content as 2.29 g/100 mL, and lactose content as 6.5 g/100 mL, with a milk density of 1.037 g/mL. [PERSON] et al. [49] reported that the average fat content in mare's milk is 1.1 g/100 mL, although it can range from 1.1 to 3.2 g/100 mL, making it one of the lowest-fat milks compared to other milk types regularly consumed by humans, alongside donkey milk. Mare's milk contains a high level of lactose (6-7 g/100 mL), which is comparable to human milk and significantly higher than in cow's milk (4-5 g/100 mL). The lactose content in mare's milk promotes the growth of the intestinal microbiome, providing a significant health benefit [8; 30]. Furthermore, mare's milk contains less fat and cholesterol than cow's milk, making it a healthier option in the diet. The fat in mare's milk contains fewer triglycerides, more phospholipids, and more free fatty acids than the fat in cow's and human milk [8; 10; 30]. Another distinctive feature of mare's milk is its protein composition. Both mare's milk and human milk are of the albumin type, with mare's milk containing 38.8% and human milk containing 53.5% of whey proteins in total protein, while cow's milk contains only 17.5% of whey proteins and is of the casein type [8]. Additionally, the protein in mare's milk contains less \(\alpha\)-lactalbumin than cow's milk, making it more suitable for individuals allergic to cow's milk [4; 8; 30]. Mare's milk is also characterized by high levels of lysozyme and lactoferrin, which exhibit strong antimicrobial properties [4; 30]. The mineral content in mare's milk is significantly lower than in cow's milk but closer to the values found in human milk. Mare's milk contains 50-135 mg of calcium per 100 mL, while cow's milk contains 112-123 mg/100 mL, and human milk contains 28-34 mg/100 mL. Moreover, the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in mare's milk (1.6-1.8:1) is closer to that of human milk (1.9:1) than to that of cow's milk (1.4:1), which is more favorable for proper skeletal growth [8; 30]. Mare's milk also contains a significant amount of vitamin C, which increases its antioxidant value [30]. To evaluate the nutritional value of mare's milk, the content of its basic nutrients was compared with the recommended daily intake levels for an adult consuming 2000 kcal per day. The fat content in mare's milk corresponds to an INQ (Index of Nutritional Quality) of 0.72, indicating that the fat in mare's milk provides slightly less than the proportional share \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Milk**} & **Dry matter** & **Protein** & **Fat** & **Lactose** & **Density** & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Acidity**} \\  & **[\%]** & **[\%]** & **[\%]** & **[\%]** & **[g/mL]** & \({}^{\circ}\)**SH** & **pH** \\ \hline Raw & 9.89 & 1.50 & 1.18 & 6.51 & 1.033 & 2.13 & 7.30 \\ Pasteurized & 10.02 & 1.46 & 1.12 & 6.74 & 1.033 & 1.87 & 7.21 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: The characteristics of raw and pasteurized mare’s milk. of energy relative to the recommended 70 g per day. This classifies mare's milk as a low-fat product, confirming its beneficial dietary properties. In contrast, the INQ for protein was 1.78, highlighting the high quality of the protein present in mare's milk, whose contribution to the diet exceeds the requirements relative to the energy supplied.