Burrow, KeeganYoung, WayneHammer, NielsSafavi, SarahScholze, MarioMcConnell, MichelleBarr, DavidReid, MalcolmBekhit, Alaa El-Din2020-09-162020-08-072020-082020-08-052304-8158NL3FZ (isidoc)32784633 (pubmed)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/12676This study assessed the effect of cow milk (CM) and sheep milk (SM) consumption on the micro-structure, mechanical function, and mineral composition of rat femora in a male weanling rat model. Male weanling rats were fed a basal diet with a 50% reduction in calcium and phosphorus content (low Ca/P-diet) supplemented with either SM or CM. Rats were fed for 28 days, after which the femora were harvested and stored. The femora were analyzed by μ-CT, three-point bending, and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The addition of either milk to the low Ca/P-diet significantly increased (p < 0.05) trabecular bone volume, trabecular bone surface density, trabecular number, cortical bone volume, and maximum force, when compared to rats that consumed only the low Ca/P-diet. The consumption of either milk resulted in a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in trabecular pattern factor, and cortical bone surface to volume ratio when compared to rats that consumed only the low Ca/P-diet. The results were achieved with a lower consumption of SM compared to that of CM (p < 0.05). This work indicates that SM and CM can help overcome the effects on bone of a restriction in calcium and phosphorus intake.14 pagesElectronicen© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerlandbonedeficient dietdairymineralsmicro-computed tomographyinductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometrymechanical propertiessheepcowJournal Article10.3390/foods9081070ANZSRC::090801 Food Chemistry and Molecular Gastronomy (excl. Wine)ANZSRC::090802 Food Engineering2304-8158ANZSRC::3006 Food sciencesANZSRC::3106 Industrial biotechnologyhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution