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Camelid Lactation & Care of the Newborn - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 14:08, 1 August 2008
, 14:08, 1 August 2008no edit summary
** Signs of respiratory distress include open mouth breathing (gasping for air), or heavy breathing due to collapsed lungs, presence of fluids or choanal atresia.
** Signs of respiratory distress include open mouth breathing (gasping for air), or heavy breathing due to collapsed lungs, presence of fluids or choanal atresia.
* Normal body temperature varies from 37.5oC to 39oC but the newborn may show shivering during the first few hours after birth, which is quite normal.
* Normal body temperature varies from 37.5oC to 39oC but the newborn may show shivering during the first few hours after birth, which is quite normal.
== Mammary Gland ==
* In the prepuberal and nulliparous females, only the small teats are visible as the mammary tissue does not develop until the end of the first pregnancy.
* At the peak of lactation, the udder has increased in size and shows well-developed venous drainage.
* The udder consists of four glandular quarters, each with its own teat.
* The left and right halves of the udder are separated from each other by fibroelastic tissue extending from the linea alba and prepubic tendon and a groove is generally visible between the left and right halves.
* The lateral aspect of the quarters is covered by tissue from the abdominal tunic and the caudal abdominal wall.
* The anterior and posterior quarters are independent but there is no visible separation between them and the teats
* Teats are directed cranio-ventrally and possess two openings.
* Conformation of the udder can change according to breed, age and stage of lactation.
=== Histology ===
* Each mammary gland consists of parenchyma, connective stroma, ducts and alveolar systems.
* The gland is made of several individual lobules separated by septa of connective tissue (interlobular connective tissue).
* The glandular units of the lobule, the alveoli or acini, are separated from each other by the intralobular connective tissue which projects from the interlobular connective tissue but there are no anastomoses between glands.
* The duct system begins with small intralobular ducts that enlarge progressively and each duct is lined by an epithelium resting on a distinct basement membrane.
* The duct epithelium is low, simple and secretory in the smallest intralobular duct but becomes columnar in the larger ducts.
* The secretory units, acini or alveoli, are small vesicles of unequal sizes that form the lobule-alveolar system.
* The epithelial lining of the alveoli (flattened to columnar epithelium) shows great variation according to stage of lactation and secretory activity of the gland.
** In the non-lactating female, the number and size of alveoli per lobule decreases, the parenchymatous tissue regresses and the interalveolar space becomes filled with interstitial connective tissue.
== Lactation ==
== Milk Composition ==
* Llama milk has a higher lactose content (6.5%) and lower fat content (2.7%) than milk from other domestic ruminants.
* Llama milk contains more calcium and less sodium, potassium and chloride but the concentration of trace minerals is similar to that found in bovine milk.
* Composition of milk is not affected by stage of lactation, lactation number or body condition score.
== Suckling ==
== Suckling ==