A simple technique for measuring the rate of milk secretion in the rat

Abstract

1. 1. The milk yield of the rat has been measured by a technique based on the increase in weight of the mammary glands following removal of the litter. 2. 2. The rate of milk secretion declines rapidly 4–8 hr after removing the suckling pups, and this is due to the withdrawal of sensory stimuli from the teats rather than to milk accumulation within the glands. 3. 3. Daily total milk yields have been calculated and have been shown to be considerably greater than many earlier estimates.