GALACTOPOIESIS (MAINTENANCE OF LACTATION) The hypophysis is as essential tor maintenance of lactation as it is for the initialion of milk secretion, and

the hormonal mechanisms involved are similar. I he continued production of prolactin is essential throughout the lactation period, as are also STH (growth hormone), AC I H (adrenocorticotropic hormone), and TSH (ihvroid-stimulating hormone). Regular application of the suckling stimulus maintains prolactin secretion at a high level, along with the other galactopoietic hormones from the hypophysis, all of which are involved in the maintenance of lactation. Milk production can be decreased or in some cases stopped by removal of one or more of the following glands: hypophysis, adrenal glands, ovaries, and thyroid gland. Even though the hypophysis is necessary to lactation, injections of AC I H in cows appear to cause temporary decrease in milk production. On the other hand, injection of STH will increase milk production in dairy cattle. Thyroidectomy reduces milk production, but thyroxine will bring production back to normal in thyroidectoniized animals and will even increase milk production in normal animals. lodacasein, which also has thyroid activity, has been used for artificially stimulating increased milk production. However, it has a number of disadvantages, including an excess of iodine, a need for biologic standardization, and a flavor that is unacceptable to some cows. L-ThyroxiiK' contains less iodine, can be assayed chemically, and increases milk production when given orally to ruminants. Injection of estradiol-testosierone will greatly decrease lactation in cattle, goats, and sheep. Also, feeding a high-calorie diet to cows during their life before their first calf will generally reduce their milk yield. The early high-calorie diet, in adition, decreases the animal's productive life and causes a high level of fat to be deposited in the udder, with less formation of secretory tissue, along with decreased milk production. Conversely, if the animal is underfed in its early life, then its sexual maturation will be delayed and so will the age for first calving. However, if the cow is fed well following the first calf, milk production will rise to nearly that of those that were properly well-fed before first calving. The same applies to milk volume of ewes and sows.

(Frandson/Spurgeon)