Nutrient composition of the milk of the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)

Citation

Power ML. 2015. Nutrient composition of the milk of the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla).  In Bissell H, Brooks M Eds. Proceedings of the Eleventh Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Portland, OR.

Abstract

Little information exists about milk composition in obligate insectivores or in members of the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. A total of 37 milk samples collected from 3 lactating giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) were assayed for proximate nutrient content at the Nutrition Laboratory of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute using standard methods developed at the Nutrition Laboratory. Water comprised 88.7 ± 2.1% of the milk (mean ± SD). Sugar and fat content were moderately low (3.2 ± 0.6% and 1.0 ± 0.5%, respectively). Crude protein was the highest solid constituent at 5.6 ± 1.2%. Milk gross energy content (GE) was 0.55 ± 0.11 kcal/g.

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