Characterization of gross composition, energy value, and fatty acid profile of milk from lowland tapir (Tapirusterrestris) during different lactation periods

Abstract

We evaluated gross composition, energy value, and fatty acid profile of colostrum, transitional, and mature milk of lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris (L., 1758)) from Argentina. Samples were obtained from six healthy animals kept in captive or semicaptive conditions. Protein content varied over time from 6 to 19 g/100 g of milk; carbohydrates varied from 2.4 to 5.4 g/100 g of milk; fat varied from 2.4 to 17.3 g/100 g of milk. Energy value also varied over time, with colostrum having the highest value. Fatty acid profile revealed a unique pattern in tapir milk, characterized by the presence of higher amounts of lauric, myristic, and pentadecanoic acids than in milk from other equids. Traces of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) were measured, being the only trans fatty acid detected in tapir milk. Neither butyric acid (C4:0) nor fatty acids longer than C18 were found in tapir milk. The characteristics of tapir milk include high concentration of fat, caseins, and whey proteins. Gross composition and saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid (SFA/UFA) ratio of tapir milk were more similar to that of horse milk than rhinoceros milk. The present study sheds light on tapir fatty acid metabolism and on nutritional requirements of their newborns, which can be used to improve conservation and management strategies. Furthermore, different periods of lactation were evaluated in this species for the first time, thus contributing to the general knowledge of milk from other members of the order Perissodactyla.Résumé : Nous avons évalué la composition brute, la valeur énergétique et le profil des acides gras du colostrum, du lait de transition et du lait mature de tapirs terrestres (Tapirus terrestris (L., 1758)) d'Argentine. Des échantillons ont été obtenus de six animaux en santé gardés dans des conditions de captivité ou de semi-captivité. La concentration de protéines variait dans le temps de 6 à 19 g/100 g de lait, celle de glucides, de 2,4 à 5,4 g/100 g de lait, et celle de lipides, de 2,4 à 17,3 g/100 g de lait. La valeur énergétique variait également dans le temps, le colostrum présentant la valeur la plus élevée. Le profil des acides gras du lait de tapir présentait une distribution singulière caractérisée par des quantités plus importantes des acides laurique, myristique et pentadécanoïque que celles du lait d'autres équidés. Des traces d'acide linoléique conjugué (ALC) ont été mesurées, ce dernier étant le seul acide gras trans détecté dans le lait de tapir. L'acide butyrique (C4:0) et des acides gras plus longs que C18 n'ont pas été détectés. Les caractéristiques du lait de tapir comprennent de fortes concentrations de lipides, de caséines et de protéines de lactosérum. La composition brute et le rapport des acides gras saturés et des acides gras non saturés (AGS/AGN) du lait de tapir ressemblaient plus à ceux du lait de jument qu'à ceux du lait de rhinocéros. L'étude jette un nouvel éclairage sur le métabolisme des acides gras chez les tapirs et sur les besoins nutritifs de leurs nouveau-nés qui peut server à amél...

Milk composition of white rhinoceros over lactation and comparison with other Perissodactyla

“…In general, rhinoceros milk contains lower amounts of fat, higher lactose and equal protein compared to the Equidae, while the Tapiridae milk contains the highest amounts of fat and protein, and lowest lactose. Compositional changes in milk of rhinoceroses over lactation are very small compared to that of the Equidae (Salimei & Fantuz, 2012) and Tapiridae (Van Nieuvenhove et al 2014).…”

“…The GE of the white rhinoceros was 47.26 ± 5.12 kCal/100 g milk, which was 10 kCal higher than that of the Indian (Gimmel et al, 2018) and black rhinoceros (Gregory et al, 1964). Available data indicated that the lowland tapir had double the GE (Van Nieuvenhove et al 2014), with the Equidae displaying levels in‐between those of the rhinoceros and tapir.…”

“…Amongst the Perissodactylae, there is evidence that dietary as well as phylogenetic factors may contribute to differences in fatty acid composition of milk fat of the Equidae (Doreau & Martuzzi, 2006; Markiewicz‐Keszycka et al, 2014) and the Tapiridae (Van Nieuvenhove et al 2014). Milk of the equidae contains high proportions of medium length fatty acids (20%–35% C8‐C14) and contains very small amounts of both short‐ and long‐chain saturated fatty acids (Salimei & Fantuz, 2012).…”

“…Detailed information of the composition of milk of commercially exploited animals is available (Casoli et al, 1989; Jenness & Patton, 1976; Voutsinas et al, 1990), as well as for several wild or non‐dairy ruminants (Gjøstein et al, 2004; Landete‐Castillejos et al, 2000; Osthoff et al, 2012; 2017). Of nonruminant herbivores, the horse ( Equus caballos ) (Doreau & Martuzzi, 2006; Markiewicz‐Keszycka et al, 2014), ass ( Equus asinus ) (Salimei & Fantuz, 2012; Salimei et al, 2004), zebras ( Equus zebra and Equus burchellii ) (Oftedal & Jenness, 1988), pig ( Sus scrofa ) (Csapo et al, 1996), tapir ( Tapirus terrestris ) (Van Nieuwenhove et al, 2014) and elephant ( Elephas maximus and Loxodonta Africana ) (Abbondanza et al, 2013; Kobeni et al, 2020) were also studied in detail.…”

A comparison of fatty acid and sensory profiles of raw and roasted pecan cultivars

“…Individual fatty acids were identified through the use of a standard mixture (37‐component fatty acid methyl esters [FAME] mixture; Supelco Inc., Bellefonte, PA, USA) of fatty acids run at the time of instrumental analysis. Results were transformed into percentage of total fatty acids for analysis, following the methods of similar studies (Pavithra, Gowda, Rajesh Kumar, Prasanna, & Shivanna, 2012; Stefanova, Toshkov, Vasilev, Vasilev, & Marekov, 2011; Van Nieuwenhove, Perez, Hernandez, & Luna Pizzaro, 2014).…”