Fallow deer milk composition: effect of diet

Two groups of 6+6 female lactating fallow deer were fed either on pasture alone (PASC) or on pasture plus supplementary feeding (500-700g/head/d; CONC). CONC improved dams’ body condition and suckling fawns’ growth rate. Supplemented deer’s milk was lower in fat and in dry matter, and higher in lactose: it may be argued that CONC milk production was higher. Milk fat, protein and dry matter increased, while lactose decreased in both groups from the 46th to 134th lactation day. Two analytical methods (infra-red spectroscopy and proximate analysis on freeze-dried milk) and two calibration systems within infra-red spectroscopy (buffalo milk and ewe milk) gave similar results for milk fat and protein.