Characterization of milk composition in narrow-ridged finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) at different lactation stages

Lactation plays a vital role in reproductive success, evolving with ecological adaptations of mammalian life histories. Knowledge of the lactation process in odontocetes is scarce and limited to a handful of species. We investigated the changes in milk composition across different lactation stages,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine Mammal Science
Main Authors: Zeng, Xianyuan, Huang, Shiang-lin, Qian, Zhengyi, Hao, Yujiang, Wang, Ding, Ji, Junhua, Nabi, Ghulam
Format: Report
Language:English
Published: WILEY 2017
Subjects:
milk composition
finless porpoise
odontocetes
lactation stage
prepartum mammary secretion
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Zoology
FATTY-ACID-COMPOSITION
DOLPHIN PONTOPORIA-BLAINVILLEI
BOTTLE-NOSED-DOLPHIN
LIFE-HISTORY
PHOCAENOIDES-ASIAEORIENTALIS
DELPHINAPTERUS-LEUCAS
TURSIOPS-TRUNCATUS
COASTAL WATERS
REPRODUCTION
CAPTIVITY
Delphinapterus leucas
Online Access:http://ir.ihb.ac.cn/handle/342005/32312
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12398
Description
Summary:Lactation plays a vital role in reproductive success, evolving with ecological adaptations of mammalian life histories. Knowledge of the lactation process in odontocetes is scarce and limited to a handful of species. We investigated the changes in milk composition across different lactation stages, including prepartum mammary secretion and early, mid- and late lactation of narrow-ridged finless porpoises. Prepartum mammary secretion was greenish and characterized by high protein, low sugar, and negligible fat contents. In contrast, milk fat became predominant over protein and sugar contents throughout all lactation stages. At the early lactation stage, the contents of all milk constituents except water varied greatly. At the mid-late lactation stage, the gross milk composition was relatively stable and was composed of, on average, 67.34% +/- 4.13% water, 9.96% +/- 0.75% protein, 21.40% +/- 3.24% fat, and 1.72% +/- 0.73% sugar. Our findings provide new insight into milk composition at different lactation stages in the narrow-ridged finless porpoise.

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