Concentrations of Minerals and Nitrogen in Milk of Carollia and Other Bats

Concentrations of nitrogen and minerals were measured in milk of Carollia and a few other tropical species of bats. Compared with other mammals, milk of Carollia is high in potassium and low in calcium. Compared with milk of the insectivorous Tadarida brasiliensis, milk of Carollia is low in nitrogen. High potassium and low nitrogen concentrations in milk of Carollia may reflect its frugivorous diet, while low milk-calcium levels may relate to slow postnatal growth in these bats.