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 distribution 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 % of minerals in the soluble phase of milk were as follows (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. At micellar level, the contents of Ca, P and Mg (mmol/100 g 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.