Production and Composition of Sow's Milk

Abstract

Sows produce about 6.8 pounds of milk per day for an average lactation period of 8 to 12 weeks. The averages for the constituents of colostrum as determined in these studies were: total solids 28.02 per centfat 5.96 per centprotein 15.49 per centand ash 0.65 per cent. The averages for normal milk as obtained were: total solids 17.98 per centfat 6.77 per centprotein 6.22 per centand ash 0.97 per cent. The average calcium and phosphorus content of colostrum of sow's milk as found at this station were 0.076 per cent and 0.083 per centrespectively; while for normal milk they were: calcium 0.252 per cent and phosphorus 0.151 per cent. Like cow's milkthe milk of the sowat parturitioncontains large quantities of total solids and proteinbut both fall rapidly immediately thereafter. The ash content of sow's milk is relatively low at parturition and increases during lactation. The calcium and phosphorus content of normal sow's milk is higher than that reported for the human or the cow.