The Vitamin A and Vitamin C Content of Sows' Colostrum and Milk

The vitamin A and vitamin C levels of colostrum and normal milk are reported for ten sows carried through growth and gestation on pasture and for ten sows carried through growth and gestation in dry-lot. The sows were milked manually after the injection of 1 ml. of Pitocin, on the first day of lactation, the third day, the first, week, and each subsequent week until weaning at eight weeks of age. The mean values for vitamin A are: first and third day colostrum from pasture sows 143.6 γ/100 ml., from dry-lot sows 132.9 γ/100 ml.; normal milk from pasture sows 52.7 γ/100 ml., from dry-lot sows 34.8 γ/100 ml. of milk. The mean values for vitamin C are: first day colostrum from pasture sows 18.8 mg./100 ml., from dry-lot sows 24.6 mg./100 ml.; normal milk from pasture sows 10.4 mg./100 ml., from dry-lot sows 12.2 mg./100 ml. of milk.