Suckling reflex
Suckling is a physiological process involving coordinated synchronus movement of tongue and buccal musculature.
More prominant in newborn animals to fecilitate withdrawal of milk from teat canal and mammary gland while feeding. It is termed as a reflex since it involves set pattern of neuronal inputs to complete this action.
Afferent fibers pass through trigeminal and facial nerve.
Involves internuncial neurons located within the brain stem reticular formation.
Motor fibres with orders to the specific muscles reach via hypoglassol, facial and branch of trigeminal that is involved in mastication.
This reflex is initiated by creating a vaccum which is assisted by withdrawal of tounge from the heart palate.
The creation of partial vaccum within the oral cavity help to withdraw milk from the mammary gland.
This reflex is always associated with reflex closure of reticular groove of the young animal to direct the flow of milk into the omasum and abomasum.