When it came to curing ailments or improve skin care, the ancient Egyptians and Romans used to turn to donkey milk.

In the West and parts of the Middle East, the nutritional and therapeutic power of this dairy product is well known. Now donkey milk is being developed as a consumer brand in China.

"The potential to develop the donkey milk industry in China is big," Zhang Ming, chairman of Xinjiang-based Yukunlun Natural Food Engineering Co Ltd, said. "It just needs time."