Suitability of low-dosage oxytocin treatment to induce milk ejection in dairy cows

Individual response phase duration (s) after injection of 0.2 and 0.5 IU of oxytocin per cow in control cows (group C) and in cows regularly treated with oxytocin before milking (group T), respectively. Oxytocin was injected i.v. after the spontaneous milk flow had ceased. ●=individual animals; —=means. ^a,bMeans without a common letter differ significantly (P<0.05).

Mean plasma oxytocin concentration (pg/mL; n=5) after i.v. injection of 0.2 (●), 0.5 (□), and 1.0 IU (▴) of oxytocin per cow. Arrow indicates injection of oxytocin.

Individual oxytocin plasma concentration (pg/mL) at milk flow cessation after i.v. injection of 0.2 and 0.5 IU of oxytocin per cow in control cows (group C) and in cows regularly treated with oxytocin before milking (group T). Oxytocin was injected i.v. after the spontaneous milk flow had ceased. ●=individual animals; —=means. ^a–cMeans without a common letter differ significantly (P<0.05).