This volume investigates the energetic costs associated with mammalian reproduction and how these metabolic demands constrain population dynamics and survival. Edited by A. S. I. Loudon and P. A. Racey, the text compiles research presented at a 1986 symposium held at the Zoological Society of London. It synthesizes perspectives from agricultural science and ecology to establish a framework for measuring the energy expenditure of pregnancy and lactation in wild mammals. The contributors argue that understanding these physiological costs is essential for predicting offspring growth and population-level productivity.

Experts recognize this collection as a foundational reference for the study of mammalian reproductive physiology and energetics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a specialized resource for researchers in zoology and ecology.