What does “Species Specific” Mean?
Species specific means that the milk of each mammal species is designed specifically to meet the needs of that species. It is not designed for any other mammal… just others of its own kind.
That isn’t just important for human babies, all mammal babies need the right species of milk. Companies provide milk for orphaned animals or the babies of animals who, for whatever reason, refuse to suckle their newborns. Normally, refusal to suckle comes from separation at birth, an important principle to remember in human births as well. These companies make a wide variety of milk formulas with different ranges of fat, protein and carbohydrates.
Different Babies, Different Milks
For example, formula for puppies has a medium level of protein (33%) and is high in fat (40%). The formula for beavers, also recommended for sea lions and otters, has a higher fat content (50%). This makes sense… sea lion babies need extra fat for protection against the cold.
When you look at the actual composition of milk for different species, you get an even broader variety. Fat content can vary from the gray seal (53.2%) to the donkey (1.2%). Protein levels vary from the rat (11.3%) to the monkey (2.1%). And lactose, the primary carbohydrate in milk, varies from the mink (6.9%) to the polar bear (0.5%).
Humans are the only mammals that, as a species, seek out and drink the milk of another mammal. There may be specific occasions where a kitten is suckled by a mother dog, etc., but it is not a species wide phenomenon. We are also the only species that continues to drink milk beyond infancy/toddlerhood. It would be silly to assume that there are no health consequences to this practice.
Species specific means that the milk of each mammal species is designed specifically to meet the needs of that species. It is not designed for any other mammal… just others of its own kind.
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| Breastmilk |
That isn’t just important for human babies, all mammal babies need the right species of milk. Companies provide milk for orphaned animals or the babies of animals who, for whatever reason, refuse to suckle their newborns. Normally, refusal to suckle comes from separation at birth, an important principle to remember in human births as well. These companies make a wide variety of milk formulas with different ranges of fat, protein and carbohydrates.
Different Babies, Different Milks
For example, formula for puppies has a medium level of protein (33%) and is high in fat (40%). The formula for beavers, also recommended for sea lions and otters, has a higher fat content (50%). This makes sense… sea lion babies need extra fat for protection against the cold.
When you look at the actual composition of milk for different species, you get an even broader variety. Fat content can vary from the gray seal (53.2%) to the donkey (1.2%). Protein levels vary from the rat (11.3%) to the monkey (2.1%). And lactose, the primary carbohydrate in milk, varies from the mink (6.9%) to the polar bear (0.5%).
Humans are the only mammals that, as a species, seek out and drink the milk of another mammal. There may be specific occasions where a kitten is suckled by a mother dog, etc., but it is not a species wide phenomenon. We are also the only species that continues to drink milk beyond infancy/toddlerhood. It would be silly to assume that there are no health consequences to this practice.
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