Carbohydrate Stores Are Good in Neonates Bom as Singles or Twins, Whereas Carbohydrate Stores Are Low in Neonates Bom in Litters; the Former Can Stand a Longer Interval to First Suckling Than Can the Latter
In domestic animals that have one or two offspring, such as cattle, horses, sheep, and goats, the young have to be able to stand in order to suckle. In this situation, neonates have reasonably good carbohydrate stores, and suckling may not occur for 1 to 2 hours without adverse effect as the young gain the ability to stand and locate the mammary gland.
Young that are part of litters (cats, dogs, and pigs) are usually immediately nestled toward the mammary glands and often will be sucking in less than 30 minutes. This is important for animals born in litters because they tend to be immature at birth and susceptible to hypoglycemia, and suckling delays are often detri-Table 39-2
Composition of Milk from Various Species (Percentage)
| Species | Fat | Protein | Lactose | Ash |
| Cat | 7.1 | 10.1 | 4.2 | 0.5 |
| Cow | 3.5 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 0.7 |
| Dog | 9.5 | 9.3 | 3.1 | 1.2 |
| Goat | 3.5 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 0.8 |
| Horse | 1.6 | 2.4 | 6.1 | 0.5 |
Modified from Jacobson NL, McGiIIand AD:The mammary gland and lactation. In Swenson MJ, editor: Dukes' physiology of domestic animals, ed 10, Ithaca, NY, 1984, Cornell University Press.
mental to their survival. Hypoglycemia results in stasis of the bowel (ileus) and can promote neonatal sepsis (overwhelming infection).
The suckling interval during the neonatal period varies considerably among domestic animals. Species nursing litters, such as cats, dogs, and pigs, often nurse at intervals of 1 hour or less. Goats, horses, and sheep nurse at slightly longer intervals, often up to 2 hours. Rabbits are an exception regarding the time between suckling periods; their young nurse at 24-hour intervals. As can be imagined, baby rabbits are engorged after each suckling period.