Nutritive value of dried infant milk foods based on buffalo milk.

The nutritive value of dried infant milk foods based on buffalo milk and containing
varying levels of protein ( I O - - Z ~ ~a~n)d fat (8-26%) has been studied in experiments on
albino rats. The mean weekly-growth-rate of rats receiving milk food I (26% protein
and 26% fat) was significantly higher than those obtained with milk foods I1 (20% protein
and 20% fat) and IV (15% protein and 26% fat). No significant differences were observed
in the mean values for weekly growth, feed efficiency ratio, or the composition of livers
and carcasses of rats fed on 'milk food I and milk food 111 (15% protein and 15% fat).
Milk food VI (22% protein and 18% fat) promoted slightly lower growth than did milk
foods I-IV. There were no significant differences, however, in the feed efficiency ratio
and the composition of livers and carcasses of animals fed on milk foods I-IV and VI.
Milk foods V (10% protein and 26% fat), VII (28% protein and 15% fat) and T'III (16%
protein and 8 yo fat) promoted significantly lower growth and possessed significantly lower
feed efficiency ratios than milk foods I-IV. The mean total serum protein albumin contents,
ribonucleic acid content and xanthine-oxidase activity of the livers and the nitrogen
and calcium contents of the carcasses of rats receiving milk food V were significantly lower
than values obtained for rats fed on milk foods 1-111 and V1. The livers of rats fed on
milk food V showed mild generalised fatty infiltration while the livers of animals fed on
the other milk foods were quite normal. Milk food I11 containing 15% protein and 15y0 fat
and possessing an overall nutritive value equal to that of whole milk powder, can be used
with advantage for feeding infants in regions where milk is in short supply.