Milk yield and composition in mice: effects of litter size and lactation number.

Milk yield was measured by a tritiated water dilution procedure during consecutive lactations in mice suckling four, 10 or 18 young. Analysis of variance revealed positive effects of lactation number and litter size on milk yield. There was a significant correlation between maternal body weight and parity; increased body weight accounted for some, but not all, of the parity-related increases in milk yield. Peak milk yield was reached between days 10 and 16 of lactation, but the efficiency with which the growing young utilized milk for weight gain was greatest before day 7. Milk composition varied significantly during the course of lactation.