The making of butter from camel milk using a traditional churning method and the physicochemical
properties of the butter were assessed. Camel milk was obtained from pastorally managed camels in the
Erer valley, eastern Ethiopia. Churning time, butter yield and fat recovery efficiency of camel milk were
120 min, 43 g L1 and 79.8%, respectively. Camel milk butter had average values of 64.1 5.2%,
55.8 1.6%, 6.7 2.5 mg KOH g1, 4.90 0.15, 43.2 0.8 C and 1.4530 0.0002 for total solids, fat, acid
degree value, pH, melting point and refractive index, respectively. The results showed the possibility of
making butter from camel milk; however, further research is needed to reduce churning time and
improve butter yield.