Lactoferrin - The protective component of goat colostrum and milk

Lactoferrin (LF) isanimportant bioactive component ofcolostrum, iscritical for the development ofimmunity inthe newborns, and itisanimportant component ofthe mammary gland defence system. LF isalso animportant biomolecule interms ofpromoting and restoring the human health. The aim ofour study was tomonitor the dynamics ofchanges inlactoferrin concentration ingoat milk atvarying stages oflactation and its correlation with selected components and physicochemical parameters. Colostrum (n=24) and milk (n=120) samples were obtained from 12goats byhand milking. Lactoferrin was determined using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with anion-pairing reagent equipped with aPhotodiode Array Detector. TheLF concentration incolostrum ranged from 206mg/l to1228mg/l, and showed astatistically significant decrease inconcentration (P<0.05) over the colostral period. Significant correlation coefficients (P<0.001) were found between crude protein and LF (r=0.896), lactose and LF (r=–0.754), aswell asbetween non-fat solids and LF (r=0.853). The LF content inmilk ranged within arelatively wide range of94mg/l to1115mg/l although the values were highly variable (vx= 57.0%). Significant correlations were found between fat content and LF inmilk (r=0.429, P<0.001), crude protein and LF (r=0.376), non-fat solids and LF (r=0.361), somatic cell count (SCC) and LF (r=0.330), aswell aslog SCC and LF (r=0.348, P<0.01).