There is a immunological pathway that connects the gut to the mammary gland. This pathway allows for immune cells to capture microflora from the dam and carry it to the mammary gland where it can be deposited and transferred to the suckling offspring.
Peer Reviewed Manuscripts
- Greiner, L., D. Humphrey, S. Holland, C. Anderson, and S. Schmitz-Esser. The validation of the existence of the entero-mammary pathway and the assessment of the differences of the pathway between gilts and sows. Translational Anim Sc, 2022. doi: 10.1093/tas/txac047
Peer Reviewed Abstracts
- Greiner, L.L, D. Humphrey, S. Holland, C. Anderson, and S. Schmitz-Esser. The validation of the existence of the entero-mammary pathway and the assessment of the differences of the pathway between gilts and sows. Midwest American Society of Animal Science. March 2022.
Podcasts
- Greiner, L.L. Understanding the importance of the entero-mammary system. 2022 Phileo Podcast Series. Virtual.