He Milks Horses

He milks horses LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules 14-6-28 Milking horses is a lot of work but with fresh mare's milk selling for $13 a quart, German farmer Ulf Helmich, who farms near Hamburg, says it's profitable business. Horse milk is valued for the hormone estrogen that's present in the milk. Soap containing the milk sells for up to $20 a pound because estrogen is supposed to be good for the skin. Helmich milks up to 25 thoroughbreds. He says mares are individualists and decide for themselves when and for how long they will be milked. Each milking squeezes out a maximum of half a quart. They're milked up to 5 times a day. Any unexpected noise or movement will cause the horse to dry up instantly. One person works nearly full time milking Helmich's mares. The lactation period lasts from 6 to more than 9 months. Helmich has no trouble selling all the milk he can produce since there are only about 10 horse milk producers in all of Germany. The milk can be kept frozen for up to a year. (Excerpted from THE FUR-ROW)

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