Composition and structural characteristics of lipids in yak, buffalo, and cow colostrum based on untargeted lipidomics

Lipids play pivotal roles in supplying energy and promoting gut health. While yak and buffalo milk are known for their high nutritional values, the lipid compositions of yak colostrum (YC) and buffalo colostrum (BC) remain poorly explored. Here, untargeted lipidomics were applied to analyze YC, BC, and cow colostrum (CC). 546, 353, and 417 differential lipids were identified in the comparisons of YC-CC, BC-CC, and YC-BC, respectively. Compared to CC, YC exhibited a higher content of C18:2, while BC was marked by lower levels of saturated fatty acids. Additionally, specific lipid biomarkers were identified: triacylglycerol (TG) (16:0_10:0_22:6), TG (4:0_12:3_16:0), TG (4:0_8:0_18:2), TG (6:0_6:0_22:6), TG (6:0_8:0_22:6), and TG (6:0_8:0_8:0) were more for YC, while ceramide (Cer) (d19:1_24:1), diacylglycerol (DG) (36:2), hexosyl ceramide (Hex1Cer) (d37:1), TG (40:2e), TG (4:0_12:0_18:2), and zymosteryl (ZyE) (24:7) were biomarkers for BC. These findings provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the use of colostrum in various applications.