The composition of serval ( Felis serval) milk during mid-lactation

• Published in: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Vol. 147; no. 2; pp. 237 - 241
• Main Authors: Osthoff, G., Hugo, A., de Wit, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.06.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Carbohydrates - analysis; Carnivores; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Electrophoresis; Fatty acid; Felis; Felis serval; Female; Lactation - physiology; Lactose - analysis; Lipids; Lipids - analysis; Milk - chemistry; Milk composition; Milk Proteins - analysis; Nutrition; Protein; Serval; Species Specificity; Felis serval; Carnivores; Milk composition; Nutrition; Serval; Fatty acid; Lipids; Protein
• ISSN: 1096-4959; 1879-1107
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2007.01.005

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 β-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.