In a message dated 5/27/99 7:32:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< I was saying that animals (thinking of primates) nurse their young on
 demand and she replied that that wasn't true of all species - pigs,
 apparently, nurse their young when it's convenient for them and have
 conscious control of their letdown. If a mother pig is worried or
 frightened, she can actually refuse to nurse her young altogether, and
 even if they can get to latch on, they get no milk without her consent.

 So there you have it. Scheduled feeding is natural - for a pig! >>

Humans do that too - it can be hard to get a letdown under certain stressful
situations.  All mammals are like that - it is no time to lie down and nurse
if a bear is about to make you his lunch!  The pig is not thinking, "hmmm, I
should really get those piglets on a schedule..." she is just following her
survival instincts!

Kim Sherwood, LLLL

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