German Shepherd Dog Milk Composition and Its Changes During Lactation

• Published in: Scientia agriculturae Bohemica Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 9 - 13
• Main Authors: Dokoupilová, A., Svobodová, I., Chaloupková, H., Kouřimská, L., Dvořáková, B., Končel, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter Open 01.03.2016
• Subjects: colostrum; fat; lactose; normal milk; protein; total solids
• ISSN: 1805-9430; 1805-9430
• DOI: 10.1515/sab-2016-0002

Milk composition of nine lactating German Shepherd nursing females was studied. The experiment took place at the breeding facility of Police of the Czech Republic (breeding centre for service dogs in Domažlice) in days 2−30 of the females’ lactation. Females were given a commercial granulated feeding mixture (starter category). Canine milk samples were analyzed using an infra-red instrument MilkoScan FT 120. Calculated mean values for colostrum (day 2 postpartum) and normal milk (days 4−29 postpartum) were: 23.86 and 24.63% for total solids, 8.14 and 7.22% for protein, 6.04 and 5.76% for casein, 10.22 and 11.32% for fat, 3.40 and 4.48% for lactose. German Shepherd milk showed almost no variation in composition after day 4 of lactation. Differences observed between colostrum and normal milk composition were statistically insignificant but not for lactose. No significant differences in density and other composition parameters between colostrum and normal milk were identified.