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Aim of this work was to investigate nursing mares milk characteristics at the end of lactation (D) and to make a comparison<br />with milk taken during early lactation (3 to 30 d post partum) (E). The survey was carried out on 17 Italian Saddle<br />mares (IS) (193 days in milk; 147 pregnancy days) and on 12 Haflinger mares (H) (174 days in milk; 146 pregnancy<br />days). N fractions were determined by means of Kjeldahl; fat and lactose by means of mid infrared lectures; mineral elements<br />were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry; P by colorimetry. Data referring to 58 individual milk<br />samples were analyzed by ANCOVA. Significant variations, similar in both breeds, were observed (E vs D) for density at<br />15&deg;C (1.036 vs 1.034), pH (6.94 vs 7.24), titratable acidity (3.56 vs 1.70 &deg;SH), fat (1.17 vs 0.76% g/100g of milk),<br />crude protein (2.31 vs 1.68% g/100g), casein number (52.37 vs 46.59) and ash (0.50 vs 0.30% g/100g); similarly<br />(mg/100g) for non casein N (172.31 vs 142.05), non protein N (34.43 vs 29.09), P (61.30 vs 32.48), Ca (112.88 vs<br />54.42), Mg (8.40 vs 4.38) and K (60.77 vs 41.31). Freezing point, lactose and Na showed no significant variations. At<br />the end of lactation, milk resulted poorer in all main organic components, except lactose, and in all mineral components,<br />except Na. Only freezing point and phosphorus variations differed in IS from H. Breed significantly affected fat, casein N<br />and ash mean contents.