Is goat milk a better milk replacement to piglets, rat pups and foals than cow milk is?
Goat milkCow milkMilk replacementsNutrient composition of milkNutrient requirements of newborn animals
AbstractOne opinion among people who are experienced in hand rearing newborn mammals is that goat milk is more suitable than cow milk if the young needs a milk replacer. The purpose of this literature review was to find out if there is scientific evidence that goat milk is a better milk replacer for piglets, rat pups and foals than cow milk. The milk is essential for the newborn animal, as its only source of nutrition until it has learned how to eat solid food. In this literature review, the composition of goat milk and cow milk is compared with the nutrient requirements after birth in piglets, rat pups and foals. The nutrient requirements and the milk composition are partly determined by the newborn mammals activity level and suckling frequency, which also is described. The comparison between goat milk and cow milk showed that the compositions of the two milks is very similar, although there are some small differences which make the goat milk more easily digested for monogastric animals. The higher digestibility leads to a higher absorption of nutrients which in turn leads to a more efficient utilization of nutrients. The subject of milk allergy is also discussed briefly.