Prolonged transition time between colostrumand maturemilk in a bear, the giant panda,Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Abstract

Bears produce the most altricial neonates of any placental mammal. We hypothesized that the transition from colostrum to mature milk in bears reflects a temporal and biochemical adaptation for altricial development and immune protection. Comparison of bear milks with milks of other eutherians yielded distinctive protein profiles.