Role of mammary serotonin during lactational calcium homeostasis in dairy cows: Review

Abstract

Lactation is the terminal stage of the bovine reproductive cycle and constitutes an important reproductive strategy to ensure greater survivability of newborn. One of the limitations in the production economy is postpartum disorders as increased lactational performance leads to imposed metabolicload to meet the production requirements. The primary predisposing factor to such disorders is frail calcium metabolism resulting in postpartum subclinical hypocalcaemia. However, during lactation mammary-derived serotonin has been recognized as a calcium regulator biomolecule. In this review, an attempt has been made to describe the functional role of non-neuronal serotonin during lactation in dairy cows.