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Osthoff, G.; Hugo, A.; de Wit, M.
The composition of serval (_Felis serval_) milk during mid-lactation
2007 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (147): 237-241
Milk was obtained from three captive servals. The average nutrient content was 158.3ñ44.4 g protein; 152.6ñ62.3 g fat; and 68.7ñ31.4 g lactose per kg milk. The protein fraction respectively consisted of 117.7ñ44.8 g caseins per kg milk and of 40.6ñ6.7 g whey proteins per kg milk. Electrophoresis and identification of protein bands showed a similar migrating sequence of proteins as seen in cheetah and cat milk, with small differences in the ƒ-caseins. The lipid fraction contains 313.3ñ18.8 g saturated and 338.6ñ11.9 g mono unsaturated fatty acids per kg milk fat respectively. The high content of 292.4ñ24.9 g kg-1 milk fat of polyunsaturated fatty acids is due to a high content in linolenic acid. No short chain fatty acids, but substantial levels of uneven carbon chain fatty acids were observed. In general, serval milk has a higher protein and fat content than that of the domestic cat and cheetah, and a lower content of unsaturated fatty acids than that of the domestic cat.
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