Cxi. the Component Fatty Acids and Glycerides of the Milk-fats of Indian Goats and Sheep. by Das Ram

THE milk-fats from goats and sheep are used, although only to a small extent, as substitutes for those of cows and buffaloes in India. The component fatty acids and glycerides of these two fats have been studied by methods recently developed [Hilditch et al., 1929; 1930; 1931] in the case of cow butter-fats, in order to compare their composition with those of the latter and, in certain respects, with beef and mutton tallows [Banks and Hilditch, 1931]. It may be noted, in passing, that " ghee " (the prepared butter-fat used in India on account of the difficulty of keeping ordinary butter fresh in the hot, humid climate) is defined in the Bombay "Adulteration of Ghee " Act as made from the butter-fat of either cows, buffaloes, goats or sheep. The milk-fats used in the present investigation were specially prepared by churning the fresh milk and at once melting the resulting butter at 100°, the fats being separated by decanting and then filtering through a double layer of filter-paper to remove traces of water and caseinogen. The fats were stored in vacuo in sealed amber glass bottles. The goat milk-fat was from the milk of animals at Lahore (Panjab) taken in January 1932; they had been fed on a winter diet of turnips, grass, zizyphus Jujuba tree leaves and fruits and barley meal. The yield of fat from different samples of the goat milk varied from 3-2 to 3-6 %. The sheep milk-fat was obtained in February 1932 from the milk of Leiah (Multan, Panjab) sheep, which had been fed on a winter ration of grass, zizyphus Jujuba leaves and fruits, turnips, carrots and barley meal; the milk contained from 4 0 to 4-2 % of fat. The general characteristics of the milk-fats are given in Table I.