Changes of Microbial and Component Composition of Giraffe Milk During Mid‐ to Late Lactation

The proximate, mineral and microbiological composition of milk from five giraffes from mid lactation to dry-out is reported. This covered the lactation time from nine to 16 months. The composition of milk at approximately 9.4 months lactation consisted of dry matter at 17.7 g/100 g milk made up of 3.4 g/100 g protein, 4.7 g/100 g lactose, 8.8 g/100 g fat, 0.9 g/100 g ash and 0.03 g/100 g NPN. The major minerals consisted of 30.2 mg/100 g Na, 113.5 mg/100 g K, 139.5 mg/100 g Ca, 77.7 mg/100 g P and 0.6 mg/100 g Zn. The gross energy was 119.4 kCal/100 g. At 12 months lactation the dry matter remained unchanged at 17.0 g/100 g, however, the ash and protein as well as Ca, P and Na increased. At 15.1 months lactation, the milk composition changed to 20 g/100 g dry matter consisting of lactose at 0.9 g/100 g, 8.8 g/100 g protein, 3.5 g/100 g fat, 2.2 g/100 g ash, 0.08 g/100 g NPN, 233.2 mg/100 g Na, 121.6 mg/100 g K, 293.2 mg/100 g Ca, 188.9 mg/100 g P, 0.7 mg/100 g Zn and a gross energy of 87.6 kCal/100 g. At 16 months lactation, all the animals tested were completely dry. The microbial quality of the milk was very high, conforming to legal microbial limits of agricultural milk. Lactation stage had a decreasing effect on the total bacteria count and an increasing effect on yeast and mould counts. The warmer months of the year had an increasing effect on the total bacteria count, while the yeast and mould counts declined.