Estimates of milk constituents from lactating bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) mothers between two and seven months post-partum.
BACKGROUND
The literature regarding milk composition in non-human primates collected across offspring development is limited. We assayed milk samples from bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) mothers as part of studies characterizing development of this species.


METHODS
Milk was obtained when possible longitudinally from seven lactating bonnet macaque mothers. Samples were frozen until analysis. Individual samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations of electrolytes including sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and magnesium, as well as urea, protein, lipids, glucose, and lactose.


RESULTS
A trend for increased lipids as well as protein percentage was noted with increasing infant age. Chloride and calcium showed an increase with age, whereas other electrolytes remained relatively stable across development.


CONCLUSIONS
The composition of the milk of this particular macaque species was similar to other Old World primates as well as humans. These data add to the limited information available on milk constituents among mammals.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver, CO 80220, USA. Mark.Laudenslager@ucdenver.edu
Mark L
ML
Laudenslager
Crystal
C
Natvig
Holly
H
Cantwell
Margaret C
MC
Neville
Martin L
ML
Reite
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002712:Chlorides / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008050:Lipid A / Q000032:analysis; D008255:Macaca radiata / Q000502:physiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology*
D002712:Chlorides; D008050:Lipid A; D008894:Milk Proteins; D002118:Calcium