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Effect of repeated cycles of melatonin and long light on milk production in the goat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2021

M.A. Alamer
Affiliation:
Hannah Research Institute, AYR KA6 5HL, UK
C.H. Knight
Affiliation:
Hannah Research Institute, AYR KA6 5HL, UK
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Extract

Exposure to long day photoperiod is known to stimulate milk secretion in dairy cattle, but the mechanism has not been determined. Melatonin (MEL), which is produced by the pineal gland, is stimulated during darkness and has been known to mimic the short day signal when administered during long day exposure. Preliminary evidence has suggested that long term MEL treatment sensitizes lactating goats to subsequent long light exposure (Knight, 1993). The present study was undertaken to test if repeated short cycles of MEL would prime goats to subsequent long light effect on milk yield.

Type
Programme
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1998

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References

Knight, C.H. 1993. Prolactin revisited. In: Hannah Research Institute Yearbook 1993, pp 7280.Google Scholar