From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2007-11-12 08:48:10 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] now here is a surprise
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
> J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2007 Dec;91(11-12):475-80.
> Chemical and amino acid composition of colostrum and mature milk
> differ only slightly in mink (Mustela vison).
>
> Fink R, Rasmussen A, Tauson AH.
> Department of Basic Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Life
> Sciences, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
> To determine differences in chemical composition between colostrum
> and mature milk in mink, milk samples were collected from 12 dams as
> close to the end of parturition as possible (n = 12), and at 24 h (n
> = 3), 48 h (n = 3) and 1 week (n = 12) postpartum. The milk samples
> were analysed for dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein, fat,
> carbohydrate, and amino acid composition. The DM content was higher
> (p < 0.05) in milk sampled at parturition than at 24 and 48 h
> postpartum. Also, the crude protein content decreased (p < 0.05)
> after the first 24 h postpartum. However, the fat, carbohydrate and
> ash contents did not change (p > 0.05) during the first week of
> lactation. The proportion of essential amino acids tended to
> decrease during the first 24 h postpartum. During the first week of
> lactation, the phenylalanine and tyrosine contents decreased while
> the cysteine content increased. However, in general, the differences
> between colostrum and mature milk were less pronounced in the mink
> than in many other species. Thus, colostrum seems to be of little
> importance in the mink in conferring passive immunity and hence for
> kit survival.
> PMID: 17988351 [PubMed - in process]
>
Colostrum can affect how long a wait is needed for vaccinations
to be given, so the above is curious and I wound up wondering
how it compares to ferrets.
The character of individual milk types can be important for saving
young in some emergencies, too.
Found these and it looks like ferret and mink milk differ despite their
close taxonomic relationship:
> J Immunol. 1979 Jul;123(1):6-9. Links
> Ontogeny of the ferret humoral immune response.
>
> Suffin SC, Prince GA, Muck KB, Porter DD.
> Infant ferrets are born with nearly undetectable immunoglobulin
> levels, but by 9 days of age the infant ferret serum contains 77,
> 29, and 13% of adult mean serum levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM.
> Transmucosal uptake of IgG by the infant ferret occurred for the
> first 30 days of life. The specific anti-respiratory syncytial virus
> neutralizing titer of whole milk was 5.5 times higher than maternal
> serum despite a lower concentration of immunoglobulins in the milk.
> PMID: 448158 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
>
> Adv Exp Med Biol. 2001;501:397-401.Links
> Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) during early
> development: contribution of milk LC-PUFA to accretion rates varies
> among organs.
>
> Hamosh M, Henderson TR, Kemper MA, Orr NM, Gil A, Hamosh P.
> Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center,
> Washington, DC, USA.
> Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) accretion
> (essential for growth and neural development) was studied from late
> fetal throughout weaning age in the ferret, a species with maternal
> LC-PUFA sufficiency during pregnancy and lactation. The data show
> that a) accretion rate of LC-PUFA is rapid during early postnatal
> development, b) milk LC-PUFA decrease during lactation, c) adipose
> tissue LC-PUFA level is directly related to milk LC-PUFA level,
> while accretion in brain and liver exceeds dietary intake, d)
> accretion of arachidonic acid occurs earlier than docosahexaenoic
> acid, suggesting earlier development of n6-fatty acid endogenous
> synthesis.
> PMID: 11787708 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
>
> Comp Biochem Physiol A. 1985;81(3):589-91.Links
> Variability in milk composition of the domestic ferret (Mustela
> putorius).
>
> Schoknecht PA, Cranford JA, Akers RM.
> Ferret milk composition was analyzed among individuals, over time,
> and across teat pairs. Females differed in fat, protein, and lactose
> concentrations. Protein and fat concentrations varied over the
> course of lactation. Lactose was the only measured component which
> differed across teat pairs.
> PMID: 2863046 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
>
and there are others in PubMed
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