Acceleration of reflex maturation and physical development in suckling rats: effects of a maternal diet containing lipids from goat milk.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of lipids from goat milk containing conjugated linoleic acids on body weight and reflex ontogeny of neonatal rats treated during the prenatal and suckling periods.

METHODS: Three groups were studied: soybean oil (S), coconut oil (C), and goat milk lipids (GM). Reflex maturation (palm grasp, righting reflex, cliff avoidance, vibrissae placing, negative geotaxis, auditory startle, and free-fall righting) as well as body weight evolution were recorded during lactation.

RESULTS: Data demonstrated that the lipids from goat milk accelerated body weight evolution as well as all the reflex maturation investigated (P < 0.05).

DISCUSSION: The supply of goat's milk offered to Wistar rats during pregnancy and lactation provided a variety of fatty acids necessary to accelerate the development of offspring.