Open Access
How to translate text using browser tools
1 January 1993 COMPOSITION OF PREPARTUM MAMMARY SECRETIONS OF TWO BOWHEAD WHALES (BALAENA MYSTICETUS L.)
Craig A. Harms
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Mammary secretions from two bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus L.) females carrying near-term fetuses were analyzed for dry matter, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate and energy content. Protein values ranged from 75.9% to 97.3% of dry matter. Fat ranged from 0.6% to 9.1 % of dry matter. A protein corresponding to beta-lactoglobulin on gel filtration chromatography was the predominant whey protein. Neutralizing antibodies to nine caliciviruses were detected in one sample. Composition of these two samples differs from previous reports for cetacean milk, perhaps due to the stage of lactation.

Harms: COMPOSITION OF PREPARTUM MAMMARY SECRETIONS OF TWO BOWHEAD WHALES (BALAENA MYSTICETUS L.)
Craig A. Harms "COMPOSITION OF PREPARTUM MAMMARY SECRETIONS OF TWO BOWHEAD WHALES (BALAENA MYSTICETUS L.)," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 29(1), 94-97, (1 January 1993). https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-29.1.94
Received: 9 December 1991; Published: 1 January 1993
KEYWORDS
Balaena mysticetus
bowhead whale
Calicivirus
Cetacean
colostrum
milk
Back to Top