Minerals content and distribution in milk from red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

The characterization of milk from red deer (Cervus elaphus, ReD), fallow deer (Dama dama, FaD) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, RoD) was carried out in this study, focusing on mineral contents and their dis- tribution between the soluble and colloidal phases of milk. Individual milk samples were collected from 23 ReD hinds, 31 FaD does, and 5 RoD does. The concentrations (mg/100 g) of minerals in milk were as follows(mean±SD):Ca,ReD=273±33,FaD=234±46,RoD=418±101;P,ReD=191±15,FaD=158±16, RoD=316±46; Mg, ReD=18±2, FaD=29±7, RoD=24±2; Na, ReD=41±7, FaD=41±8, RoD=45±3; K,ReD=126±6,FaD=120±17,RoD=140±16.The%ofmineralsinthesolublephaseofmilkwereasfol- lows (mean±SD): Ca, ReD=27±6, FaD=27±3, RoD=22±3; P, ReD=30±6, FaD=28±6, RoD=30±1; Mg,ReD=57±10,FaD=55±9,RoD=51±15.Atmicellarlevel,thecontentsofCa,PandMg(mmol/100g casein) resulted as follow: Ca, ReD = 0.79 ± 0.12, FaD = 0.68 ± 0.16, RoD = 0.96 ± 0.15; P, ReD = 0.65 ± 0.10, FaD=0.54±0.09, RoD=0.83±0.08; Mg, ReD=0.05±0.01, FaD=0.08±0.01, RoD=0.06±0.02.