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?

• Oxytocin hormone from pituitary gland is responsible for this response.

• Oxytocin hormone is protenious in nature.

• 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 oxytocin hormone stimulates the milk secretion.

• Oxytocin also cause contraction of smooth muscles of uterus to expel the fetus outside the body of the mother.

• So on fondling by calf, the cow gave sufficient milk because calf touches activate the oxytocin hormone which it stimulates milk secretion.