Chemical composition and lipid profile of mare colostrum and milk of the quarter horse breed.

Ícaro M. L. G. Barreto,Bruna M. E. Chags,Stela A. Urbano,Cláudia S. Macêdo,Adriano H. N. Rangel,Chiara A. A. Oliveira,Luiz H. F. Borba,Arda Yildirim

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0238921

Ícaro M. L. G. Barreto, Bruna M. E. Chags + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238921

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical composition and lipid profile of colostrum and milk of purebred Quarter Horse mares. Thirty-four (34) purebred mares were selected, which were then separated into groups according to age, birth order and lactation stage. Colostrum samples were collected in the first six hours after delivery and milk samples from the 7th postpartum day, with intervals of 14 days until the end of lactation. The samples were refrigerated and sent to the Milk Laboratory of the University (Laboleite-UFRN), where they were analyzed for chemical composition. Colostrum was assessed by refractometry. The lipid profile was determined by gas chromatography through a separation of methyl esters. The data were tabulated and subjected to descriptive statistics and analysis of variance by the F-Test, and the groups were compared by the Tukey test using a significance level of 5%. There was high protein content and reduced lactose content for the colostrum of the Quarter Horse mares, differing from other breeds. The milk composition was not influenced by the mares' age. However, variations in the lactation stage and in the birth order of the Quarter Horse mares altered the milk's chemical composition. There is variation in the lipid composition of milk according to the lactation stage, without changing the characteristic profile of the mares' milk or diminishing the nutritional quality of the lipid fraction.

Highlights

A considerable number of horses have been bred in several countries around the world in order to produce milk [1] because of its nutritional and therapeutic properties
It is important to highlight the high percentage of protein found for the colostrum of Quarter Horse mares (18%), which was higher than the average of 15% reported by Csapoet al. [12] in Hungarian Draught, Haflinger, Breton and Boulonnaise mares; and the 16% found by Pecka et al [10] when they evaluated the colostrum of Arabian mares
The lactose content of the colostrum evaluated in this study (1.53%) differed from that presented by other authors, such as: 3.4% cited by Salimei et al [13]; 2.95% found by Pikul & Wojtowski [14]; and 2.46% presented by Pecka et al [7]

Summary

Introduction

A considerable number of horses have been bred in several countries around the world in order to produce milk [1] because of its nutritional and therapeutic properties. According to Malacarne et al [2] mares’ milk is consumed by 30 million people worldwide, and has been studied as a milk substitute in newborns and pre-mature humans. This milk can be used as a dietary supplement for older adults, recovering patients, and mainly children allergic to cow milk [1]. Composition of mare colostrum and milk of the quarter horse breed

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