The vitamin C content of cow's milk

Abstract

The healthy mammary gland of the cow secretes only reduced and no reversibly oxidized ascorbic acid. In the south of England, season of the year and state of nutrition of the cows do not affect the vit. C content of herd milk: the averages for sale milk from a herd of Shorthorn and Guernsey cows were 2.01 mg. of reduced and 2.37 mg. of total ascorbic acid per 100 ml. of milk during stall-feeding and 2.06 and 2.35 mg./100 ml. respectively on early pasture. The vit. C content of colostrum is only slightly higher than that of milk.