Abstract:

In this study, we determined the main nutritional components of sika deer colostrum by Kjeldahl and colorimetry.
An automatic amino acid analyzer was used to determine amino acid contents. Sika deer colostrum was also compared
with the colostrums of other mammals. The results showed that sika deer colostrum was rich in protein (7.07 g/100 g), fat
(10.69 g/100 g), calcium (1 172.19 mg/kg), magnesium (151.22 mg/kg), iron (10.34 mg/kg), zinc (8.86 mg/kg) and 17 kinds
of amino acids. Essential amino acids (EAAs) comprised 0.407 of the total amino acids; the ratio of EAA to non-essential
amino acids (NEAAs) was 0.716. The most abundant amino acid was glutamic acid and the first limiting AA in the protein
was sulfur-containing amino acid. Based on the FAO/WHO recommended pattern and the whole-egg protein pattern, SRCs
of sika deer colostrum were 81.08 and 71.82, respectively, and EAAIs were both 0.96. All these findings indicated that sika
deer colostrum was a source of high-quality proteins that can satisfy human nutritional needs.

Key words: sika deer colostrum, nutritional components, amino acid, nutritional evaluation