The Composition of the Colostrum of the Dairy Goat

Abstract

The composition of colostrum and the transition to normal milk of six goats has been studied for a period of nine days. All the constituents decrease rapidly on the second day, with the exception of lactose which showed an increase. Goat colostrum has a tendency to approach normality between the third and fourth days. The newer methods of protein analysis have been used in a quantitative determination of these constituents present in goat colostrum. Total protein, free from non-protein nitrogen, was obtained by precipitating with 8 per cent trichloracetic acid. Casein was precipitated at its isoelectric point of pH 4.6 with an acetate buffer solution. Albumin and globulin were determined separately. By salting out with MgSO4, a quantitative estimation of the globulin content and its transition to normal has been followed for the first time. After the first milk is removed from the goat the globulin decreases very rapidly while only a moderate decline in albumin occurs. © 1937, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.