The fields of nutrition and dairy technology can learn from animals other than domesticated species. Under study are the proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates of milk from African mammals. The milk composition of 26 species, representing five orders and 16 different taxa, confirmed that milk composition is determined phylogenetically by statistical methods. Of interest was that the milk of the Alcelaphinae (blesbok, hartebeest, and wildebeest) contained the highest levels of saturated medium-length fatty acids in mammalian milk in general ruminants in specific, suggesting a unique biochemical regulation of fat synthesis. Differences in fatty acid composition have also been observed among the indigenous African cattle races. Milk fat from rhinoceros and elephants has been shown to be unique, with very high levels of capric acids, and drastic dynamic changes over lactation time that are apparently unrelated to dietary intake. The high levels of capric acid suggest a unique biochemical regulation of fat synthesis, which needs investigation. This knowledge could stimulate biotechnological applications in milk production, where milk with high levels of short- to medium-chain fatty acids will be suitable for infants with special dietary needs. The milk of cows and other commercially exploited ruminants contains low amounts of prebiotic oligosaccharides. This state seems not to be ruminant-specific, because the subfamily Bovinae, tribe Tragelaphini (sable antelope and gemsbok) contain four times higher levels of oligosaccharides. The proteins of African elephant milk are also unique. Only two of the four casein types occur, challenging the current understanding of the casein micelles regarding structure, role in nutrition, and role in food processing technology.