The Thiamine, Riboflavin, Nicotinic Acid and Pantothenic Acid Contents of Mare's Colostrum and Milk and Ascorbic Acid Content of the Milk

Abstract

Summary Studies were made of the thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, and pantothenic acid contents of mare's colostrum and milk and of the reduced ascorbic acid content of mare's milk. Mare's colostrum was found to contain an average of 38 μg. of thiamine, 138 μg. of riboflavin, 160 μg. of nicotinic acid and 747 μg. of pantothenic acid per 100 ml. The corresponding values for mare's milk are 16 μg. of thiamine, 40 pig. of riboflavin, 50 μg. of nicotinic acid, and 331 μg. of pantothenic acid per 100 ml. Mare's colostrum contains significantly less thiamine and riboflavin and more pantothenic acid than cow's colostrum. Cow's milk is richer in each of the four vitamins than mare's milk. The average value for reduced ascorbic acid for mare's milk was 11.8 mg. per 100 ml. This is approximately five times greater than the ascorbic acid values found in this laboratory and reported in the literature for cow's milk. Acknowledgment is made to Prances Panzer for assistance with some of the analytical work.