Milk Composition and Production in Free-Living Allied Rock-Wallabies, Petrogale Assimilis

1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Merchant ◽  
H Marsh ◽  
P Spencer ◽  
G Death

Milk composition and the rates of milk consumption by pouch young were examined in free-living allied rock-wallabies, Petrogale assimilis. Milk solids concentrations were approximately 16% (w/w) at 70 days post-partum and increased to about 22% by 170 days when young first left the pouch. By permanent pouch emergence (about 200 days), concentrations had declined and stabilised at about 19%. Milk carbohydrate peaked at 12% (w/v) at 150 days; lipid concentrations averaged 8% (w/w) at 200 days. The subsequent decline in carbohydrates was the main cause of the fall in milk solids. Protein concentrations increased gradually from about 3% (w/v) at 70 days to plateau at 5.5% at about 200 days. Milk consumption rates were measured from 72 to 159 days post-partum with Na-22 turnover. Milk consumption, about 3 mL day(-1) initially, increased to an average of about 15 mL day(-1) by 150 days. The mass gained by a pouch young between 72 and 159 days for each millilitre of milk consumed was not correlated with lactational stage and averaged 0.21 +/- 0.014 (s.e.)g mL(-1).

1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Merchant ◽  
JA Libke ◽  
MJ Smith

Milk samples were collected from 20 captive bettongs at various times during the 140 days of lactation to determine milk composition. Milk consumption rates of young were measured, using Na-22 turnover, up to the time of their permanent emergence from the pouch and before solid food was consumed. Milk composition followed the general patterns of change observed previously in other marsupials and included the characteristic drop in carbohydrate concentrations associated with permanent exit from the pouch. Milk consumption rates increased from about 1.0 mL day(-1) at 35 days to about 23 mL day(-1) at 90 days, just before permanent emergence from the pouch. Increases in milk consumption were paralleled by changes in the size of the mammary glands, which reached their maximum size at about 100-110 days. The efficiency with which young used milk to accumulate body tissue ranged from 0.39 to 0.51 g mL(-1). Milk energy and protein were converted to body tissue with efficiencies of 21.3-29 6% and 70.1-93 5% respectively.


1997 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Messer ◽  
Kerryn Parry-Jones

Milk samples from 11 captive flying-foxes were collected at various times during lactation from 5 to 139 days post partum and analysed for protein, carbohydrate, total solids and ash. In addition, samples from 14 free-living animals, collected on a single occasion, were analysed. No significant changes in milk composition were observed during lactation in the captive bats except for a small increase in protein and a small decrease in carbohydrate concentration late in lactation. The milk from captive bats contained less protein and total solids than that from free-living animals (mean values: protein, 2·59 and 3·64%, repectively; total solids, 11·1 and 12·7%, repectively) but there was no significant difference with repect to the carbohydrate (6·13 and 6·44%, respectively). The fat content, estimated from the total solids by difference, was low (1·9 and 2·2%, respectively) in both captive and free-living animals. The results are compared with previously published values for milk composition in Chiroptera and are discussed in the context of nursing behaviour and diet in captive and free-living flying-foxes.


1988 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 217 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Green ◽  
JC Merchant ◽  
K Newgrain

Milk consumption rates of young tammar wallabies, Macropus eugenii, were measured during the first 32 weeks of lactation by means of 22*Na turnover. Milk consumption rates were low during the first 18 weeks or so of lactation, rising from 1.2 to 9.0 ml d-'. Milk consumption rose to 43 ml d-' at 30 weeks post-partum. Changes in milk consumption were paralleled by increases in the size of mammary glands and weight gain by the sucklings. The mass gain for each millilitre of milk consumed (crude growth efficiency) averaged 0.23 g ml-I during the first 26 weeks of lactation, but then increased to more than 0.35 g ml-'. The increased growth efficiency was associated with massive increases in the lipid and energy content of milk from 26 weeks onwards. The conversion efficiencies of milk protein and energy to body materials were intermediate (55-87%, 23-36%, respectively) to those of other mammals, which suggests that the slow growth of pouch young during the first 17 weeks of lactation is the result of restricted milk production by the mother. Milk production and the growth of young were closely correlated with maternal mass (r=0.96; r=0.80, respectively) at 16 weeks post-partum.


1991 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
SA Munks ◽  
B Green ◽  
K Newgrain ◽  
M Messer

Milk samples were collected from captive common ringtail possums, Pseudocheirus peregrinus, throughout lactation and from free-living animals during phase 3 of lactation (weeks 15-30 post partum). Both field and captive animals lactated for approximately 30 weeks. In comparison with the milks of other marsupial species, ringtail possum milk was relatively dilute and low in lipid. During phase 2 of lactation (up to week 14) solids represented around 16% (w/w), comprising mostly carbohydrate and protein, increasing to 25% (w/w) at the onset of pouch emergence. During the period of pouch vacation (weeks 15-18) the carbohydrate concentration declined and protein and lipid concentrations peaked. Sodium and potassium concentrations throughout lactation were around 25 mm and 22 mm respectively. Calcium and magnesium levels were around 1.8 g per L and 131 mg per L respectively. Milk carbohydrates consisted mainly of oligosaccharides during phase 2 of lactation and these were replaced by the disaccharide lactose during phase 3 of lactation. The pattern of change in the composition of ringtail possum milk during phase 2 was similar to that shown by those of other marsupials, but during phase 3 the milk had higher levels of carbohydrate and lower levels of lipid than that of other marsupials. Differences in the composition of milk from free-living and captive animals suggest that diet composition may affect the concentration of milk protein and milk fat within a species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-343
Author(s):  
M. A. Oguike ◽  
M. E. Udeh

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of Spondias mombin on milk composition using milk from twelve lactating West African dwarf (WAD) ewes. The lactating ewes were assigned to two treatment groups of six ewes per group, designated T1 and T2 representing control and trial group, respectively The ewes in T2, the trial group were fed Spondias mombin L. post partum while those in T1 the control were not fed Spondias mombin. Colostrum samples were collected from each ewe the first four days following parturition while normal milk was sampled for analysis after two weeks of lambing through 12 weeks of lactation. The constituents studied were lactose, milk protein, butterfat, ash, total solids and solid non-fat. Results showed that the colostrums of ewes fed S. mombin had significantly higher (P<0.05) total solids, and solids not fat contents of 18.34 and 11.31% respectively, than those of the control ewes which were 17.32 and 10.35%, respectively. The other constituents of colostrums of the different groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). At week 2 of lactation, lactose (3.98%) and ash (0.98%) concentrations of normal milk of treated ewes were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control ewes for lactose (3.74%) and ash (0.65%). Also by the 12th week of lactation, ash contents of the two treatments were significantly different (P<0.05) with T2 having higher value. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in the normal milk compositions of both groups in weeks 4, 6, 8 and 10. These results suggest that feeding S. mombin to lactating ewes could be useful in improving on the milk composition of WAD ewes and has no adverse effects on their general health and performance.


Author(s):  
A. I. Budevich ◽  
E. V. Petrushko ◽  
D. M. Bogdanovich ◽  
V. N. Kuznetsova ◽  
Iu. K. Kirikovich

The seasonal variability of the physicochemical parameters of milk of both ordinary goats and goats producers of a biosimilar human lactoferrin has been established. The average values of the mass fraction of fat, protein, lactose, nonfat milk solids, density index in the second and third quarters were lower than in the first and fourth quarters. At the same time, the difference between the spring-summer and autumn-winter periods in the mass fraction of fat was 25%. In the mass fraction of protein, lactose, nonfat milk solids, density it was 5–7%. Comparative analysis of milk from goats-producers of a biosimilar human lactoferrin of various lactations revealed a number of changes in the physicochemical composition of raw materials in comparison with non-transgenic animals: an increase in the mass fraction of protein by 4–6% (P˂0.05), of lactose by 2–6 (P˂0.05), nonfat milk solids by 1–6, density by 2–5% (P˂0.05), freezing temperature by 5 and a decrease in the mass fraction of fat by 5–8% (P˂0, 05). At the same time, the indicators of active and titratable acidity of milk were similar in all groups of animals. At the same time, the concentration of human lactoferrin in the milk of producers of the second and third lactation had almost identical seasonal changes in the increase and decrease in the synthesis of lactoferrin in the mammary gland during the year: in the first quarter – 2.88 and 2.97 g/l, in the second – 4.76 and 4.63, in the third – 7.44 and 7.55 and in the fourth – 7.97 and 6.72 with an average annual value of 5.84 and 5.72 g/l, respectively.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1123
Author(s):  
Lynn L. Rogers ◽  
Linda McColley ◽  
Janet Dalton ◽  
Jim Stroner ◽  
Douglas Hajicek ◽  
...  

Denning behavior has long remained the least observed aspect of bear behavior. During 2010–2013, we used webcams, microphones, the internet, and 14,602 h of archived video to document the denning behaviors of two adult wild black bears (Ursus americanus) as they gave birth and cared for four litters through six winters in northeastern Minnesota. Observations included types of dens, labor, pre-parturient genital swelling, birthing positions, post-partum vocalizations, mothers removing amniotic tissues and warming newborn cubs in sub-freezing temperatures, frequency of nursing, cubs establishing nipple order, yearlings suckling, the ingestion of snow and icicles, the ingestion of foot pads, urination and defecation in latrine areas, toilet-licking, eye opening, reciprocal tongue-licking, play, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and possible dreaming, and reactions to wildlife intruders. The use of this new method for observing natural bear dens allowed the identification of many behaviors undescribed for any species of wild bear in dens. We also discuss the need for future studies and how the depth and duration of black bear hibernation varies with body condition and geographic region.


1999 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon D. Goldsworthy ◽  
Helen M. Crowley

The composition of milk collected from 36 antarctic (Arctocephalus gazella) and 17 subantarctic fur seals (A. tropicalis) breeding sympatrically at Macquarie Island was examined over the first 100 days of lactation in the 1990/91 season. The mean composition of milk in A. gazella and A. tropicalis was 41.3% and 44.6% water, 39.8% and 38.6% lipid, 18.1% and 16.1% protein, and the estimated gross energy content of milk was 19.9 and 18.9 kJ g–1, respectively. Neither the composition of milk nor its energy density differed significantly between species, despite a difference of 4–6 months in lactation length. Water content of milk could be used to predict lipid (r2 = 0.67) and protein (r2 = 0.57) content, but was most accurate at predicting gross energy content (r2 = 0.97). These relationships were the same for each species. The water content of milk decreased throughout the first 100 days of lactation in both species, while lipid, protein and energy content all increased. The addition of maternal mass into regression analysis with days post-partum increased the significance of models predicting the content of lipid and proteins in the milk, but not those predicting the water or gross energy content. Milk collected on the first day of 2-day attendance bouts had, on average, 9% greater lipid content, and 5% greater protein content than milk collected on the second day. The growth rates of subantarctic fur seal pups were significantly lower than those of antarctic fur seal pups over the first month of growth, suggesting that (despite similar milk composition, attendance patterns and diet of the two species of fur seal) the overall rates of energy transfer from mother to pup in subantarctic fur seals is lower than in antarctic fur seals.


2010 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayani Chandrapala ◽  
Ian McKinnon ◽  
Mary Ann Augustin ◽  
Punsandani Udabage

The pH and calcium activity of reconstituted skim milk solutions (9–21% w/w milk solids non-fat) on heating and after cooling were studied as a function of milk pH prior to heating (pH 6·2–7·2 at 25°C) and added calcium complexing agents (phosphate or EDTA). The pH decreased as the temperature was raised from 25 to 90°C and the magnitude of the pH decrease was greater with increase in initial pH at 25°C before heating or milk concentration. The pH decrease on heating from 25 to 90°C in skim milk solutions with added calcium complexing agents was lower than that of milk without the addition of these salts. The calcium activity decreased on heating from 25 to 60°C. The magnitude of the change decreased with increase in initial pH at 25°C before heating and milk concentration. The decrease in calcium activity on heating from 25 to 60°C for skim milk solutions with added calcium complexing agents was lower than that of milk solutions without the addition of calcium complexing agents. The changes in pH and calcium activity on heating milk were largely reversible after cooling the milk. The results suggested that the pH and calcium activity at high temperatures are a function of the milk composition. Knowledge of the initial pH prior to heating alone is not sufficient for predicting the changes that occur during heating.


1960 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. O'Donovan ◽  
F. H. Dodd ◽  
F. K. Neave

SummaryData available for fifty cows mainly infected with Staphylococcus pyogenes have been analysed to determine the effects of udder infections and mastitis on milk, fat and solids-not-fat yield and on fat and solids-not-fat percentages over full lactations.It was found that lactation yields of milk, solids-not-fat and fat were depressed by 10, 11 and 12% respectively in the presence of infection. These depressions were significant (P < 0·05). The composition of the milk averaged over whole lactations was not significantly affected (P > 0·05), although the mean solids-not-fat percentage of the milk was significantly depressed by 0·196±0·092 during the period of infection.It is suggested that the depressions in lactation yield and changes in milk composition would have been greater in the absence of antibiotic therapy for mastitis.


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