Gross Composition and Variation of the Components of Baboon Milk during Natural Lactation

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Abstract
The characterization of natural baboon milk was undertaken to provide information on the dietary requirements of infant and lactating female baboons (Papio anubis, P. cynocephalus and P. papio). The gross composition of the mature milk (days 36 to 279) was as follows: (in grams per 100 ml) total solids, 14.4; lipids, 5.0; crude protein, 1.6; lactose, 7.3; and ash, 0.26. The specific gravity and pH were 1.027 and 7.18, respectively. The mammary secretion obtained during the first 5 days of lactation was richer in crude protein and poorer in carbohydrates than the mature milk, but the lipid and ash concentrations were not appreciably different. Variations in those components with each other, with length of lactation and with milk yield were also determined; as lactation progressed, the only significant change in composition was the increase in lipid concentration.
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