Skip to main content

Table 1 Composition of mature milk of domesticated and wild mammals

From: Amino acids and mammary gland development: nutritional implications for milk production and neonatal growth

Species

Fat

Casein

Whey protein

Total protein

NPN subs

Lactose

Total Carb

Ca

Ash

DMa

References

Antelopeb

72

48

14

62

18

42

47

2.6

13

212

[47, 48, 60]

Baboon

46

4.7

7.3

12

3.0

60

77

0.44

3.0

141

[5, 6, 2024]

Bat

133

x

x

80

5.0

34

40

x

6.8

265

[26, 27, 29]

Bear (black)

220

88

57

145

7.5

3.0

27

3.6

19

419

[11, 24, 43, 58]

Bear (grizzly)

185

68

67

135

7.0

4.0

32

3.4

13

372

[11, 24, 48, 57]

Bear (polar)

331

71

38

109

5.6

4.0

30

3.0

12

488

[18, 2124, 42]

Beaver

182

85

23

108

6.3

17

22

2.4

20

338

[3, 21, 40, 62]

Bison

35

37

8.0

45

3.0

51

57

1.2

9.6

150

[12, 35, 40]

Buffalo

77

38

7.0

45

5.2

40

47

1.9

8.0

192

[12, 35, 40, 48]

Blue whale

423

73

36

109

6.6

10

13

3.4

16

568

[16, 24, 42, 44]

Camel

45

29

10

39

5.6

49

56

1.4

7.0

153

[3, 12, 22, 40]

Cat (domestic)

108

31

60

91

10

42

49

1.8

6.2

264

[3, 21, 48]

Chimpanzee

37

4.8

7.2

12

2.0

70

82

0.36

11

144

[12, 22, 58, 60]

Cow (domestic)c

37

28

6.0

34

2.2

49

56

1.2

7.1

136

[1924, 48, 58]

Coyote

107

x

x

99

x

30

32

x

9.0

247

[3, 22, 48]

Deer

197

94

10

104

14

26

30

2.6

14

359

[3, 12, 40, 48]

Dog (domestic)

95

51

23

74

23

33

38

2.0

12

242

[3, 2024, 40]

Dolphin

330

39

29

68

3.0

10

11

1.5

7.5

420

[12, 40, 44, 49]

Donkey (Ass)

14

11

9.0

20

3.2

61

68

0.91

4.5

110

[3, 12, 2024]

Elephant

116

19

30

49

4.1

51

60

0.80

7.6

237

[12, 2024, 45]

Ferret

80

32

28

58

6.7

38

44

x

8.0

197

[6, 12, 21, 40]

Fin whale

286

82

38

120

6.2

2.0

26

3.0

16

454

[24, 31, 44]

Fox

63

x

x

63

4.0

47

50

3.4

10

190

[1, 2, 40, 48]

Giant panda

104

50

21

71

10

12

15

1.3

9.4

209

[38, 58]

Giraffe

125

48

8.0

56

2.2

34

40

1.5

8.7

232

[2, 12, 20, 40]

Goat (domestic)

45

29

5.0

34

5.8

43

47

1.4

7.9

139

[2, 24, 48, 52]

Goat (mountain)

57

24

7.0

31

5.3

28

32

1.3

12

136

[3, 12, 33, 40]

Gorilla

19

13

9.0

22

1.9

62

73

3.2

6.0

122

[12, 46, 61]

Guinea pig

39

66

15

81

12

30

36

1.6

8.2

176

[12, 36, 39, 40]

Hamster

126

58

32

90

11

32

38

2.1

14

279

[3, 12, 24, 60]

Horse (domestic)

19

14

8.3

22

3.6

62

69

0.95

5.1

119

[2024, 48, 60]

Humand

42

4.4

6.6

11

2.8

70

80

0.32

2.2

138

[3, 12, 48, 60]

Kangaroo

21

23

23

46

4

<0.01

47

1.6

12

130

[3, 6, 40, 48]

Lion

189

57

36

93

6.6

27

34

0.82

14

337

[3, 9, 12, 40]

Llama

42

62

11

73

9.6

60

66

1.7

7.5

198

[12, 35, 37, 40]

Mink

80

x

x

74

12

69

76

1.3

10

252

[12, 29, 48, 59]

Moose

105

x

x

135

18

33

38

3.6

16

312

[8, 13, 23, 48]

Mouse (Lab)

121

70

20

90

11

30

36

2.5

15

273

[3, 12, 25, 48]

Mulee

18

x

x

20

3.0

55

62

0.76

4.8

108

[12, 2024, 48]

Musk ox

110

35

18

53

7.0

27

33

3.0

18

221

[40, 48, 55]

Opossum

61

48

44

92

4.6

16

20

4.2

16

194

[15, 17, 30]

Peccary

36

40

15

55

5.7

66

71

1.2

6.4

174

[3, 48, 53, 60]

Pig (domestic)

80

28

20

48

5.4

52

58

3.1

9.2

201

[2024, 48, 60]

Pronghorn

130

x

x

69

7.2

40

43

2.5

13

262

[3, 12, 48]

Rabbit

183

104

32

136

11

18

21

6.3

20

371

[3, 12, 40, 48]

Rat (Lab)

126

64

20

84

6.3

30

38

3.2

15

269

[3, 12, 48, 58]

Reindeer

203

86

15

101

14

28

35

3.1

14

367

[12, 2024, 48]

Rhesus monkey

40

11

5.0

16

1.6

70

82

0.40

26

166

[14, 34, 48]

Rhinoceros

4.0

11

3.0

14

2.3

66

72

0.56

3.7

96

[2024, 35, 48]

Sea lion

349

x

x

136

4.1

0.0

6.0

0.76

6.4

502

[44, 48, 50, 56]

Seal (fur)

251

46

43

89

6.9

1.0

24

0.70

5.0

376

[10, 42, 44, 56]

Seal (gray)

532

50

52

102

10

1.0

26

2.0

7.0

677

[42, 44, 48]

Seal (harp)

502

38

21

59

2.4

8.9

23

1.2

3.9

590

[7, 12, 40, 54]

Seal (hooded)

404

x

x

67

5.0

0.0

10

1.2

8.6

496

[12, 42, 44, 48]

Sheep (domestic)

74

46

10

56

2.7

48

55

1.9

9.2

195

[2024, 40, 48]

Sperm whalef

153

32

50

82

6.3

20

22

1.5

8.0

270

[19, 44, 48]

Squirrel (gray)

121

50

24

74

16

30

34

3.6

12

257

[3, 12, 41]

Tree shrew

170

x

x

85

19

15

20

x

8.0

302

[3, 40, 60]

Water buffalo

74

32

6.0

38

5.8

48

55

1.9

7.8

181

[4, 6, 12, 35]

Water shrew

200

x

x

100

x

1.0

30

x

20

350

[3, 12, 2024]

White whale

220

82

38

120

3.7

2.0

18

3.6

16

378

[12, 44, 48]

Wolf

96

x

x

92

4.8

32

35

4.0

25

253

[3, 12, 32, 60]

Yak

68

36

7.0

43

2.5

50

54

1.3

8.0

176

[6, 12, 35, 48]

Zebra

21

12

11

23

2.6

74

82

0.8

3.5

132

[35, 40, 48, 51]

  1. Values are g/kg whole milk. Nonprotein nitrogen = total nitrogen – protein nitrogen. Nitrogen content in milk protein is 15.67 % [1924]. The amount of non-protein nitrogenous substances (g/kg whole milk) is calculated as the amount of nonprotein nitrogen (g/kg whole milk) x 6.25. Caseins include α S1-casein, αS2-casein, β-casein, γ-casein, and k-casein. Whey proteins include α-lactoalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, serum albumin, immunoglobulins, lactoferrins, lysozymes, amino acid oxidases, xanthine oxidase, and other enzymes
  2. AA amino acids, Ca calcium, Carb carbohydrates, DM dry matter, NPN subs non-protein nitrogenous substances (including free amino acids, small peptides, urea, ammonia, uric acid, creatine, creatinine, and other low-molecular weight nitrogenous substances). The symbol “x” denotes the lack of data in the literature
  3. aIncluding fat, protein, NPN, lactose plus other carbohydrates, and minerals (total ash). When data on total carbohydrates have not been reported, ratios of lactose to other carbohydrates in milk are estimated to be 15:1 (g/g) [14, 38, 57, 58]
  4. bGemsbok antelope
  5. cConcentrations of urea, creatinine, and amino sugars are 317, 127, and 392 mg/L whole mike, respectively
  6. dConcentrations of urea, creatinine, and amino sugars are 274, 209, and 1111 mg/L whole mike, respectively
  7. eMule is a domesticated, hybrid animal produced by crossing a female horse with a male donkey
  8. fPygmy sperm whale