Dynamics of the Secretory Activity of the Female Moose Mammary

Gland During the First Lactation at the Sumarokovskaya Moose Farm

L. P. SOLOVYOVA1, E. K. UGODAKAYA2

1Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology,

FSBEI HE Kostroma State Agricultural Academy,

Campus, 34, Karavaevo village, 156530, Kostroma region,

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

2OSBI "State Nature Reserve "Sumarokovsky",

Kostroma region, Krasnoselsky district, village of Sumarokovo,

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Abstract: - For the first time, comprehensive research have been conducted to study the morphology and

function of the mammary gland of domesticated first-calf moose. The mammary gland is an organ of dense

consistency, consisting of four grouped hills divided into left and right halves, in which, in turn, the anterior

and posterior lobes are distinguished, consisting of glandular (62.8%) and connective tissues (37.2%). Data on

the secretory function duration, which varies from 120 to 42 days, and the productive qualities of the mammary

gland (175.7 and 20.3 liters, respectively) in female moose with different activities of coming to the farm for

milking are presented and systematized. The clarified features of the activity of the secretory system of the

mammary gland of the moose-heifer represent the “standard.” Thus, they are essential to analyze species

characteristics, comparative morphology, and physiology of lactation as a standard criterion for improving

animal productivity at the stage of domestication, as well as to organize measures for the prevention of breast

diseases in moose. The object of the study is elk cows of the first lactation (n= 221 heads). Depending on the

activity of moose coming to the farm during lactation, they were divided into four groups: 1st - with 100%

activity, 2nd – 99-80%, 3rd - 79-50%, and 4th – with 49% activity or less. The scientific information presented

in the paper was obtained using morphological, histological, zootechnical, and statistical methods.

Morphometric analysis showed the ratio of parenchyma and stroma in the mammary gland in domesticated

moose 1.7:1. The glandular apparatus of the udder in the studied female moose secreted significantly higher in

animals of the first (duration of lactation 120 days, lactation milk yield – 175.7±3.36 l) and the second groups

(109 days and milk yield 122.9 ± 2.31 l) compared to the animals of the third (96 days and a yield of 80.4 ±

3.77 l) and fourth (42 days and a yield of 20.3 ± 1.06 l) groups. The analysis of the secretory activity of the

mammary gland in female moose with different activities of coming to milking during the first lactation

showed that domestication is a complex and lengthy process. There is still a long and purposeful work to be

done to improve the issues of morphology, physiology of the lactation process, and regulation of growth and

development of the mammary gland. Moreover, it is essential to organize and improve measures for the raising

of moose replacements to transfer them to a milking herd. This will not only domesticate the moose on the farm

and strengthen their attachment to humans but also prepare the animals for the upcoming productive period.

Key-Words: - Domestication, mooses, mammary gland, parenchyme, stroma, lactation, activity, milk yield.

Received: March 15, 2023. Revised: November 14, 2023. Accepted: December 15, 2023. Published: January 18, 2024.

1 Introduction

The biological prerequisite for the development of

issues of mammary gland secretory and excretory

function, as well as the organization of preventive

measures and mastitis diagnostics is the study of

the patterns and specific features of the milk-

forming organ in domesticated moose at the stage

of training them to milking.

The mammary gland is one of the complexly

organized and easily changing organs, consisting of

several tissues, among which there are secretory,

closely related to the mammary system

(parenchyma), myoepithelial, smooth muscle,

connective (stroma), fatty tissues, as well as blood

and lymphatic vessels, nerves and nerve endings.

Nevertheless, in the size, shape, localization of the

mammary glands, like the organ functional

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manifestations – the chemical composition of milk,

the peculiarities of milk production, and the

duration of the lactation period – significant

differences can be observed in different species

even within the same order, [1], [2], [3], [4].

More detailed studies of the mammary gland

were conducted in cattle. Even though a lot of

scientific literature has been devoted to the study of

the morphology, function, and resistance to breast

diseases, some issues of the secretory activity of

this organ in domesticated animals, including the

amount of milk secreted during the lactation period

at the stage of training them to milk, have not been

sufficiently studied, [5], [6]. The mammary gland is

one of the external secretion organs, its activity is

closely related to the function of the female genital

organs. The functional activity of the gland

determines the productive qualities of animal udder

as a whole. This is one of the main breast

characteristics. Secretory activity, and accordingly,

the amount of milk produced, can vary greatly in

the same animal and depends on several factors. In

agricultural and domesticated animals, it is the

breed, the optimal ratio of parenchyma and stroma,

age, month of lactation, health status, feeding, and

maintenance, and in domesticated animals, it is

their farm attendance for milking, feeding, the

duration of upbringing and preparation of female

moose for the upcoming productive period, etc.,

[7], [8], [9].

The beginning of research in the field of

mammary gland morphology and function in a

comparative aspect in domesticated animals

(camel, donkey, eland), which are already involved

in agricultural production, was started in the last

century. Since then, there have been enough

scientific publications devoted to various issues of

the structure and physiology of the breast and the

regulation of its functions, [8], [9].

Today, large artiodactyl animals – moose – are

being domesticated at the Sumarokovskaya moose

farm of the Kostroma region of the Central Federal

District of Russia, organized in 1963. These

animals have always attracted the attention of a

wide range of specialists not only as an object of

hunting but also as a biological species for

domestication, due to the increasing need for more

rational use of them in the national economy.

Sumarokovskaya Moose Farm is the second

farm in Russia, it is a unique biological research

laboratory. Scientific research is carried out here on

morphology, physiology, ethology, feeding,

maintenance, rearing of replacements, etc.

Currently, one of the activities of the moose farm is

to obtain a specific dietary product from moose –

milk, which differs from cow milk in chemical

compositions and has a wide range of preventive

and therapeutic properties, [10].

Despite the available information on moose

domestication in the Kostroma region, some

aspects of this problem, namely issues related to the

disclosure of the secretory activity of the moose

mammary gland, are insufficiently studied. Thus,

the functional properties of the mammary gland in

moose are not fully reflected at the stage of training

them to milk, which allow to analyze objectively

the secretory activity duration of the glandular

apparatus of the animal udder at this stage. In this

regard, special attention is paid to the problem of

the activity of moose coming to the farm for

milking in the morning and evening hours.

Insufficient knowledge of this problem cannot

qualitatively and objectively characterize the

formation of lactation function (lactogenesis) and

the maintenance of milk secretion after calving

(lactopoiesis), which is closely related to the

process of its excretion in moose. It is possible to

solve this challenge with the organization and

improvement of measures for raising moose

replacements to transfer them to a milking herd,

[11], [12]. This will not only domesticate the

moose on the farm and strengthen their attachment

to humans but also prepare the animals for the

upcoming productive period.

The purpose of the research was to study the

morphology and disclosure of patterns of the

mammary gland secretory activity in domesticated

female moose during the first lactation.

2 Research Material and Methods

Experimental studies on the secretory activity of

the udder glandular apparatus of the moose at the

stage of training it to milking were carried out in

the period 1995-2021 based on the moose farm

OSBI "State Nature Reserve "Sumarokovsky" of

the Kostroma region. The object of the study was

clinically healthy female lactating moose of the

first calving. The maintenance of female moose is

loose in the open, i.e. they freely come to the farm,

and after milking they go to the forest, where they

independently receive the main part of the feed, and

a small part, as a top dressing, on the farm. Two-

time manual milking of moose has been introduced

at the moose farm: in the morning (from 6.00 to

8.00 am) and in the evening (from 6.00 to 9.00

pm). A long-term study of the female moose

lactation function at the Sumarokovskaya moose

farm allows us to recommend that all days be

considered when determining the lactation

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duration, even if the moose came once with a two-

time milking, this day should also be considered a

milking day.

Table 1. The number of studied female moose of the first lactation for the period 1995-2021.

Serial

month

of lactation

The activity of coming to milking

Total studied,

heads

100%

99-80%

79-50%

49% and less

1st group

2nd group

3rd group

4th group

n, heads

Total, heads

221

Based on the analysis of the activity of the

moose arrival to the farm in the morning and

evening milking hours, four groups of animals were

formed. Since the animal activity changes in the

following months, they can move from one group

to another and therefore the number of animals in

groups varies. Thus, the first group included first-

calf female moose, which during the entire

lactation, regularly, twice a day came to milking

(100% activity of visiting the farm); the second

group included animals with 99-80% activity, they

extremely rarely, but, missed any one milking

during the day; the third group included animals

with 79-50% activity, they missed not only any

milking but could not come at all for 8 to 15 days a

month; the fourth group included animals that

rarely visited the farm, their activity was 49% or

less (Table 1).

All individual data on each milking female

moose – farm attendance and their one–time milk

yield in the morning and evening milking hours -

were taken from primary accounting documents.

Based on these data, the following indicators were

calculated in each group: activity of moose arrival

at the farm (%), duration of the lactation period

(days), average daily milk yield (l), average

monthly milk yield (l), milk yield for the lactation

period (l).

The biological material for macro- and

microscopic studies was the mammary glands of

female moose that were in a period of functional

activity and dropped out of the herd for reasons

unrelated to udder disease (n=3). When studying

the morphology and productive qualities of the

female moose mammary gland, morphological

assessment, and histological and statistical research

methods were used.

The research conducted complies with

generally accepted moral standards, all the

requirements of the current legal and ethical

standards were met when using animals in

morphological studies, which were carried out by

all directives on the protection of animals (ethical

approval No. 2 dated March 14, 2023).

3 Results of Own Research

In female moose, the mammary gland is a compact

small formation, firmly suspended on ligaments

and muscular bands in the inguinal region. The

female moose mammary gland is divided into two

lateral halves – left and right, which in turn are

divided into anterior and more developed posterior

quarters, each of which has one main nipple. One

nipple canal opens at the nipple tip. Often moose

have additional nipples around the main nipples (1-

8).

In female moose of the first lactation, the udder

is rounded, primitive, underdeveloped,

hemispherical, with small, closely spaced nipples

(front – 8.7 0.11, rear – 8.3 0.31, side –

3.050.12 cm). The parameters (length and

diameter) of the front nipples are 2.09±0.02 and

0.93±0.01 cm, and the rear ones are 2.27±0.03 and

1.19±0.03 cm. When examining (palpation) the

udder, both in the first days after calving and in the

middle or end of lactation, it does not protrude

from the pubic area, it is covered by the hips. The

organ weight varies from 810 to 1845 grams. In the

first month of lactation, when the udder is filled

with milk, between milking, its volume practically

does not increase. The udder skin of female moose

is light brown, covered with relatively well-

developed hair, but it is absent in the area of the

nipple base, on the left half the area of the hairless

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zone is on average 52.3±3.8, on the right –

51.9±4.5 cm². Milk veins are almost invisible.

Female moose are late-maturing animals,

puberty occurs in 2.5–3.5 years, nevertheless, there

are individuals whose puberty occurs in 16-17

months, respectively, the first calving - in 2-4

years. With the onset of the first pregnancy, the

growth, development, and differentiation of breast

tissues, although they increase, slightly, visually it

is not noticeable, but a week before calving, the

udder increases in size as a result of the glandular

tissue proliferation.

More intensive development of the mammary

gland, its visual increase occurs during calving and

in the first days of lactation. During this period, the

network of inter-lobular and intra-lobular ducts

grows, secretory departments are in the stage of

formation, and milk lobules are observed in the

thickness of the connective tissue skeleton. It

should be noted that the mammary gland has a

highly developed connective tissue, in which there

are many collagen fibers, as well as fat cells in the

form of small islands or lobules that are clearly

visible. After milking, the udder volume practically

does not decrease, and when palpated and

examined before and after milking, it remains

elastic, and fleshy. In first-calf female moose

during the period of functional activity of the

mammary gland, the secretory apparatus accounts

for 62.8%, the connective tissue skeleton – 37.2%,

the ratio of these components is 1.7:1. The

secretory apparatus consists of small milk lobules

of two types: functioning and resting, as well as

intra-lobular ducts and inter-alveolar layers of loose

connective tissue (thickness from 19.3 to 48.5

microns). The lobules contain terminal secretory

sections – alveoli of two types: with open lumens,

i.e. these are functioning alveoli (diameter – from

45.6 to 72.2 microns) and closed lumens or non-

functioning ones (diameter – 42.3±2 microns). It

should be noted that during this period, non-

functioning alveoli in the milk lobules occur very

often.

The secretory activity of the mammary gland is

closely interrelated with the function of the

female's genitals and is preceded by this process –

estrus, pregnancy, and lactation following it. Milk

secretion begins in the last two months of

pregnancy, but occurs almost imperceptibly, this

process increases almost before calving.

Nevertheless, an analysis of the lactation period

in 63 first-calf female moose showed that after

childbirth, the secretory activity of the mammary

glands is not enhanced in all animals. In the first

three days of the lactation period, the daily milk

yield varies from 0.1 to 3.7 liters.

It should be noted that the opening,

strengthening of milk secretion, and the formation

of the lactation period in female moose is preceded

by a long preparatory period for raising and

training them to milking. Such work begins with

the assessment of their mothers, they pay attention

to such moments as the calving without

complications, the calm reaction of animals to the

birth process, to the newborn calf, and the presence

of a person during childbirth. It is also important

that they actively come to the farm in the morning

and evening milking hours. Moose breeders pay

special attention to the upbringing and training of

moose calves for the replacement and reproduction

of the milking herd. It takes quite a long and patient

work.

Calving for most female moose takes place in a

pen on the territory of a moose farm. The first

milking of the female moose is carried out at the

calving site, in the presence of the elk calf, it is also

allowed to the udder, i.e. milking is interspersed

with udder sucking by the elk calf. Then two

milking at the calving site is carried out without the

elk calf. From the third milking until the end of the

lactation period, female moose are milked in the

milking room.

A long-term study of the secretory activity of

the female moose mammary gland allowed us to

characterize them as "wayward, or capricious"

animals. In female moose in the process of

domestication, even minor changes in climate,

feeding regime, maintenance, and milking, as well

as a change of milkmaid, the presence of an

outsider, etc. slow down the process of milk

production, sometimes this leads to its complete

cessation.

Certain attention of employees when working

with milking female moose is currently caused by

the problem associated with the arrival of first-calf

female moose on the farm in the morning and

evening milking hours.

The analysis of moose farm attendance for the

period 1995-2021 showed that only 29 female

moose (46%) in the first month of lactation

regularly went to morning and evening milking

(Table 2). Nevertheless, in the second month, the

number of moose with 100% attendance activity

decreased to 18 animals (by 11 heads, 38%), in the

third one - to 16 heads (2 heads, 11.2%), in the

fourth group – to 9 heads (7 heads, 43.8%)

compared to the previous month of lactation.

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Table 2. Change in the activity of female moose arrival for milking by months of lactation

Month

of lactation

Attendance activity of female moose for milking, %

Total

1st group

2nd group

3rd group

4th group

heads

M±m

heads

M±m

heads

M±m

heads

M±m

heads

100

92.1±0.97

65.5±3.84

29.9±1.38

100

93.0±0.63

65.5±4.82

30.1±4.71

100

91.3±1.30

59.0±3.35

29.9±8.92

100

88.5±1.25

61.7±1.75

26.0±3.86

–

64.0±3.68

24.8±2.37

10.0

Average activity

100

91.2±1.13

69±3.79

30.1±4.58

Table 3. Number of milking days during lactation in female moose with different activity of farm attendance,

(M±m) days

Month

of lactation

1st group

2nd group

3rd group

4th group

27.7±0.29

21.3±1.15

6.3±0.62

27.5±0.15

19.7±1,44

9.0±1.41

27.4±0.29

17.7±1,01

9.0±2.67

26.5±0.37

18.5±0,60

7.8±1.26

19.2±1,11

7.4±0.71

3.0±

Lactation duration, days

120

109

Thus, in 9 female moose, the lactation period

was 120 days (4 months, Table 2 and Table 3), in

the remaining animals, the activity of coming to

milking decreased and during statistical processing,

they were assigned to the second, third, and fourth

groups.

In the female moose of the second group, the

activity of coming to the farm during lactation

varied from 93.0±0.63 to 88.5±1.25%, during the

month they did not come from 1 to 6 days. The

lactation period of these female moose was 109

days.

Nevertheless, in group 3 female moose (with

79-50% activity), the secretory apparatus of the

mammary gland is not always able to respond with

increased secretion after calving to milking. Such

animals skip regular milking for up to 15 days

every month during lactation, while the secretory

activity of the udder decreases sharply, but these

animals can come to milking even in the fifth

month of lactation. The duration of lactation is 96

days.

It should be noted that in 13 (20.6%) female

moose (group 4, with attendance activity of 49% or

less) after calving, the secretory function of

alveolar cells is inhibited, and they came to the

farm less and less often. Thus, in female moose of

this group, the number of milking days in the first

month varied from 1 to 10, in the second – from 7

to 11, in the third – from 2 to 14, in the fourth –

from 3 to 14, in the fifth – from 2 to 13, in the sixth

it was 3 days (Vasilisa moose, calving

17.04.2014). In general, the duration of lactation in

animals was

42 days. Activities carried out by moose

breeders to habituate and increase the milk yield of

moose cows after the first calving (udder massage

before milking and manual milking) often do not

give the desired result, it is not always possible to

try to obtain higher milk yield from female moose

and develop a conditioned reflex in them -

attachment to the farm, so that they actively come

for morning and evening milkings.

As a result, long-term studies of the mammary

gland in female moose during the functional

activity period in the process of domestication

revealed a different degree of milk formation

intensity. The amount of secreted milk during the

first lactation is influenced by many factors,

including heredity, the state of health and

individual characteristics of the animal, the

development of the udder glandular apparatus, the

activity of the arrival of animals to the farm, the

lactation month, the grass state, etc.

One of the indicators characterizing the

functional activity of the mammary gland secretory

apparatus in female moose at the stage of training

them to milk is the average daily milk yield, which

underlies the purposeful formation of a female

moose milking herd. A comparative analysis of the

average daily milk yield dynamics in female moose

with different farm attendance activity during

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lactation showed that it is significantly higher in

female moose with 100% attendance activity, and

lower milk yield per day in female moose with

activity of 49% or less.

During the lactation period, the average daily

milk yield of female moose with different activities

coming to milking undergoes significant changes. It

should be noted that the female moose has a fairly

well-expressed reaction to the milking process and

within 30 seconds after the udder preparation for

milking begins, the milk comes, the udder becomes

more elastic, and the milking process begins. The

change in milk yield per day during lactation in

general for each group can be observed by the

lactation curve (Figure 1).

Fig. 1: Dynamics of average daily milk yield in

female moose during lactation

As a result of the conducted studies, it was

noticed that the average daily milk yield of female

moose with different activities of coming to the

farm varies during lactation. For example, in

animals in the first group, it ranged from 0.58 to

2.53 liters; in the second group, it ranged from 0.26

to 2.2 liters; in the third, it ranged from 0.15 to 2.34

liters; and in the fourth, it ranged from 0.1 to 1.49

liters. Thus, in each group, the most productive is

the first lactation month, during which the moose

gives on average from 1.78±0.08 liters (group 1) to

0.34± 0.03 liters of milk (group 4). Further, there is

a decline in the lactation curve until the end of

lactation. Compared with the previous month, in

female moose with farm attendance activity of

100% in the second month of lactation, the average

daily milk yield decreases, is 9%, in the third

month – 12.4%, in the fourth – 26.8%; in animals

with 99-80% activity, in the second month milk

yield was at the level of the first, in the third –

decreases by 9.5%, in the fourth – by 12.4%; in

animals with 79-50% activity, milk yield in the

second month was at the level of the first, in the

third – decreases by 22%, the fourth – by 40.9%, in

the fifth – increases by 33.3%; in animals with 49%

activity and less – milk yield in the second month

decreases by 17.7%, in the third – by 28.6%, in the

fourth it increases by 3.4 times, then in the fifth and

sixth months it decreases by 33.8% and 48.9%

(P≤0.001).

Thus, in female moose during domestication,

the activity of the secretory apparatus of the

cytoplasm of alveolar cells manifests only in the

first month of lactation, and from the second and

further, it decreases. In general, the difference

between the average daily milk yield of the first

and last month of lactation is 41.6% in animals of

the first group, 20% in the second, 37.8% in the

third, and 32.4% in the fourth (P≤0.001).

One of the activities of the moose farm is the

assessment of milk productivity for lactation, which

varies significantly among female moose with

different farm attendance activities. To get the

maximum amount of milk from female moose after

the first calving, it is necessary to carry out several

measures, among which important attention should

be paid to the identification of hidden forms of

breast diseases, the development of the udder

glandular apparatus, the reaction of the female

moose to the milking process, as well as to consider

factors such as the farm attendance activity of

female moose for milking, fodder base, etc.

When studying milk yield during the lactation

period in first-calf female moose with different

activities of arrival for milking, it was found that it

can vary significantly (Table 4). Thus, the high

milk yield for lactation was in female moose with

100% activity, which amounted to 175.7 liters,

respectively, with 99-80% activity – 122.9 liters,

with 79-50% activity – 80.4 liters, with 49% and

less – 20.3 liters.

Research conducted to study the secretory

activity duration of the female moose mammary

gland during the first lactation made it possible to

establish the different nature of individual

deviations in animals, even within the same group.

Nevertheless, moose cow Yasma went to the farm

in the morning and evening milking hours regularly

(100% activity) during lactation, its lactation

function duration is 120 days, and milk yield per

lactation is 141.1 l, but in moose cow, Vasilisa

lactation was longer (136 days) and more

productive (223.7 l), the number of milking days by

lactation months varied from 30 (first) to 3 days

(sixth). From the first to the third month of

lactation, moose cow Vasilisa went to the farm with

100% activity, in the fourth - the activity of its

arrival was 90%, in the fifth - 53%, in the sixth -

10%. Slightly lower these indicators (108 milking

days in the first lactation and milk yield of 136.1 l),

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its activity of coming to the farm during lactation

was 100% in the first month, 73% in the second,

100% again in the third, 80% in the fourth, and 7%

in the fifth month (Table 5).

Table 4. Dynamics of average monthly milk yield in female moose during lactation (M±m), l

Month

of lactation

Amount of milk

1st group

2nd group

3rd group

4th group

53.5±2.49

30.4

34.6±2.02

28.2

26.9±7.5

33.5

6.5±0.31

32.0

48.5±2.19

27.6

34.8±2.25

28.2

19.1±4.61

23.7

2.1±1.41

10.4

42.5±2.82

24.2

28.7±2.12

23.4

14.0±2.17

17.4

1.9±0.98

9.4

31.2±5.92

17.8

24.8±2.57

20.2

8.5±2.08

10.6

5.5±1.56

27.1

–

11.9±2.49

14.8

3.6±0.57

17.7

–

0.7

3.4

Milk yield per

lactation

175.7±3.36

100

122.9±2.31

100

80.4±3.77

100

20.3±1.06

100

Table 5. Manifestations of individual deviations in the female moose productive qualities depending on their

farm attendance activity during lactation

Month

of lactation

Yasma

Vasilisa

Nezhenka

milk days

milk yield,

milk days

milk yield,

group, No.

milk days

milk yield,

group,

No.

47.2

65.9

1st

66.3

1st

43.5

53.1

2nd

28.2

3rd

33.3

52.4

1st

22.9

1st

17.1

37.7

2nd

17.7

2nd

13.6

3rd

1.0

4th

1.0

4th

Total

120

141.1

136

223.7

108

136.1

Consequently, emerging evidence has been

obtained on the morphofunctional condition of the

mammary gland in domesticated moose during the

first lactation. The clarified features of the activity

of the secretory system of the mammary gland of

the moose-heifer represent the “standard.” Thus,

they are essential to analyze species characteristics,

comparative morphology, and physiology of

lactation as a standard criterion for improving

animal productivity at the stage of domestication,

as well as to organize measures for the prevention

of breast diseases in moose. The obtained results

were also reflected in the breeding work on the

formation of a milking herd at the Sumarokovskaya

moose farm.

Analysis of the secretory activity of the

mammary gland in female moose with different

activities of coming to milking during the first

lactation showed that there is still prolonged and

targeted work to improve the issues of the

morphofunctional condition of the moose udders of

the Sumarokovskaya moose farm at the stage of

taming them to milking.

The obtained data on the functioning dynamics

of the glandular system of the moose udder and the

varying extent of activity of coming to the farm

during milking hours suggest the following

features. The preparation of the mammary gland for

lactation, as well as the triggering of the secretory

process in alveolar cells, the periodic excretion of

milk, the sustainment of the secretion that has

begun after calving at a certain level, and the

mammary involution in animals during

domestication occur with varying intensity.

New approaches and methodologies for

revealing the organ’s secretory system in

domesticated animals can be developed based on

the morphometric evaluation of breast indicators in

moose heifers and their functional properties.

The studies performed are fundamental. In the

area of comparative and specific morphology in

domesticated ruminant artiodactyls, they

supplement and expand the data currently available

on the morphology and function of the mammary

gland.

4 Conclusions

1. In female moose during the first lactation, the

mammary gland is a complex organ consisting of

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on BIOLOGY and BIOMEDICINE

DOI: 10.37394/23208.2024.21.3

L. P. Solovyova, E. K. Ugodakaya

E-ISSN: 2224-2902

Volume 21, 2024

two tissue types of different origins: glandular and

connective, the tissue ratio is 1.7:1 (P 0.001). In

shape, the udder is rounded, primitive,

underdeveloped, and hemispherical, with small,

closely spaced nipples. The mass of the organ in

individual animals is from 810 to 1845 grams.

2. Not all first-calf female moose show proper

activity in visiting the farm in the morning and

evening milking hours. Therefore, the conditioned

milking reflex does not always lead to positive

results. According to research data, regular visits to

the farm in the first lactation month were observed

in 54% of animals. The 100% activity of female

moose coming to the farm is preserved only in 9

animals (14.3%).

3. The duration of the first lactation in female

moose with different activities varies from 120

days (activity 100%) to 42 (activity 49% or less).

For dairy first-calf moose with 99-80% attendance

activity, the duration of lactation was 109 days, and

with 79-50% activity – 96 days.

4. The value of the average daily milk yield in

female moose with different activities of coming to

milking during the lactation period is variable, and

varies widely (from 1.78±0.08 to 0.34±0.03 liters).

The average daily milk yield during lactation is

higher in female moose with 100% and 99-80%

activity.

5. The most productive during the first lactation

are female moose with 100% attendance activity

(175.7 l) and with 99-80% activity – 122.9 l, less

productive were female moose with 79-50%

attendance activity – 80.4 l and with 49%

attendance activity and less – 20.3 l.

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DOI: 10.37394/23208.2024.21.3

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E-ISSN: 2224-2902

Volume 21, 2024

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Contribution of Individual Authors to the

Creation of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting

Policy)

Solovyova L.P. prepared the experimental part of

the research, carried out statistical processing of

digital material, summarized it, made conclusions

and conclusions. Ugodskaya E.K. was responsible

for providing biological material.

The joint work of the authors consisted of

morphological assessment of preparations,

preparation of histological preparations and their

morphometric processing.

Sources of Funding for Research Presented in a

Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)

This article is published under the terms of the

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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n_US

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on BIOLOGY and BIOMEDICINE

DOI: 10.37394/23208.2024.21.3

L. P. Solovyova, E. K. Ugodakaya

E-ISSN: 2224-2902

Volume 21, 2024