title: Influence of stage of lactation and year season on composition of mares' colostrum and milk and method and time of storage on vitamin C content in mares' milk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mares' milk is becoming increasingly popular in Western Europe. This study was thus aimed at investigating the impact of stage of lactation and season on chemical composition, somatic cell count and some physicochemical parameters of mares' colostrum and milk, and at developing a method for the determination of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in mares' milk and to determine its content in fresh and stored milk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis conducted showed an effect of the stage of lactation on contents of selected chemical components and physicochemical parameters of mares' milk. In successive lactation periods levels of fat, cholesterol, energy value, citric acid and titratable acidity decreased, whereas levels of lactose and vitamin C, as well as the freezing point, increased. Analysis showed that milk produced in autumn (September, October, November) had a higher freezing point and lower concentrations of total solids, protein, fat, cholesterol, citric acid and energy value in comparison to milk produced in summer (June, July, August). Mares' milk was characterised by low somatic cell count throughout lactation. In terms of vitamin C stability the most advantageous method of milk storage was 6-month storage of lyophilised milk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, the results confirmed that mares' milk is a raw material with a unique chemical composition different from that produced by other farm animals.
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7928-4517
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markiewicz-Kęszycka
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Mammals Breeding and Raw Materials of Animal Origin, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 62-002, Suchy Las, Poland.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czyżak-Runowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Mammals Breeding and Raw Materials of Animal Origin, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 62-002, Suchy Las, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wójtowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-552, Magdalenka, Poland.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jóźwik
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pankiewicz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogusława
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Łęska
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-552, Magdalenka, Poland.
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krzyżewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-552, Magdalenka, Poland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strzałkowska
authors.affiliation: Animal Production Department, Neiker-Tecnalia, Arkaute Agrifood Campus, E-01080, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marchewka
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-552, Magdalenka, Poland.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bagnicka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D003126:Colostrum / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D061353:Food Storage; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005615:Freezing; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism*; D009753:Nutritive Value; D011247:Pregnancy; D012621:Seasons; D014815:Vitamins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D007785:Lactose; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: chemical composition; mares' milk; method of storage; seasonal variation; stage of lactation