[Management of cynomolgus monkey infants after separation from their mothers]

To establish an efficient rearing system for weaned cynomolgus infants, 51 groups composed of 4 weanlings each were formed. Of them each of thirty-eight groups had an adult female "nurse" monkey, who had no kinship with any of the 4 weanlings. The nurse was present during the first 4 weeks after weaning. The daily incidence of watery diarrhea was analyzed to assess the usefulness of the nurse monkey for stabilizing physiological conditions of the weanlings. Diarrheal incidence was significantly lower in the 38 groups with a nurse than in the 13 control groups without a nurse throughout the 4-week period of observation. This trend continued for more than 5 weeks after removal of the nurse. Thus, the time and manpower necessary for treating infant diarrhea were greatly reduced in this rearing system.