Comparative milk and serum cholesterol content in dairy cow and camel

Abstract

In order to compare cholesterol contents in cow and camel milk in similar farming conditions, milk and blood of seven cows and seven camels maintained at normal diet at the middle of lactation were sampled at morning and evening, then after two weeks of keeping them at low protein diet. The cholesterol content in camel milk (5.64 ± 3.18 mg/100 g, SD) was not significantly lower than in cow milk (8.51 ± 9.07 mg/100 g, SD). Fat contents in cow milk were higher. Cholesterol/fat ratios were similar in the two species (camel: 225 ± 125 mg/100 g fat; cow: 211 ± 142 mg/100 g fat). The serum cholesterol concentration was significantly higher in cow (227.8 ± 60.5 mg/100 ml) than in camel (106.4 ± 28.9 mg/100 ml). There was a significant difference between morning and evening milking in milk fat compositions and concentrations in cholesterol. Fat levels increased in cow after two-week low energy-protein diet.