title: The composition of serval (Felis serval) milk during mid-lactation.
abstract: Milk was obtained from three captive servals. The average nutrient content was 158.3+/-44.4 g protein; 152.6+/-62.3 g fat; and 68.7+/-31.4 g lactose per kg milk. The protein fraction respectively consisted of 117.7+/-44.8 g caseins per kg milk and of 40.6+/-6.7 g whey proteins per kg milk. Electrophoresis and identification of protein bands showed a similar migrating sequence of proteins as seen in cheetah and cat milk, with small differences in the beta-caseins. The lipid fraction contains 313.3+/-18.8 g saturated and 338.6+/-11.9 g mono unsaturated fatty acids per kg milk fat respectively. The high content of 292.4+/-24.9 g kg(-1) milk fat of polyunsaturated fatty acids is due to a high content in linolenic acid. No short chain fatty acids, but substantial levels of uneven carbon chain fatty acids were observed. In general, serval milk has a higher protein and fat content than that of the domestic cat and cheetah, and a lower content of unsaturated fatty acids than that of the domestic cat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. OsthoffG.sci@mail.uovs.ac.za
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Osthoff
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hugo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Wit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004586:Electrophoresis; D045991:Felis; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D007785:Lactose / Q000032:analysis*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D008055:Lipids; D008894:Milk Proteins; D007785:Lactose