Pre partum milk fat secretion and concentrations of progestins, prostaglandin F2 alpha and oestrone sulphate in mammary fluid of the goat.

As much secretion as possible was removed manually twice daily, from both mammary glands of 6 late-pregnant goats beginning on d 137 of gestation. Removing mammary fluid before parturition stimulated fluid secretion by different amounts in individual goats. The mean volume of fluid secreted pre partum by the goats correlated directly with their secretion of triglyceride and the percentage composition of C18 fatty acids in the triglyceride fatty acids; the volume also correlated with the concentration of progestins, but not prostaglandin F2 alpha or oestrone sulphate, in the fluid.