Question

A milkman is very upset one morning as his cow refuses to give any milk. The milkman’s wife gets the calf from the shed. On fondling by the calf, the cow gave sufficient milk. Describe the role of endocrine gland and pathway associated with this response?

Answer 1

Oxytocin hormone is the hormone which stimulates the release of milk from the mammary gland by causing surrounding cells to contract. When the infant starts feeding breast stimulates the posterior pituitary to produce the oxytocin hormone and the oxytocin hormone stimulates milk secretion. It also contracts the smooth muscles of the uterus to expel the foetus outside the body of the mother.