Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T19:04:59.016Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An investigation of the anabolic effects of androstenedione in young ruminants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. L. Johnson
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, University of LeedsLSI 9JT
J. M. Wilkinson
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 5LR
Get access

Summary

Three experiments were carried out to investigate the anabolic effects of androstenedione administered at various levels to female and castrated male lambs in one experiment and to entire and castrated male calves in two other experiments. Significant increases in growth were not effected in normally fed animals but a sex × dose level interaction was detected in female lambs. Under normal husbandry conditions androstenedione appears to have little application in meat production.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Attal, J., Andre, D. and Engels, J. A. 1972. Testicular androgen and oestrogen levels during the post natal period in rams. J. Reprod. Fert. 28: 207212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baillargeon, J. M., Lemay, J. P., Holtmann, W. B. and Charette, L. A. 1971. Comparison de diverse methods de-castration et de sterilisation des agneaux. I. Influence de ces methodes sur la croissance Pefflcience alimentaire, le rendement a l'abattage et la rentabilite. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 51: 579589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baronos, S., Mann, T., Rowson, L. E. A. and Skinner, J. D. 1969. The effect of nutrition and androgens on the composition of bovine plasma and seminal plasma at puberty. Br.J.Nutr. 23: 191201.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bradfield, P. G. E. 1967. Sex differences in the growth of sheep. In Growth and Development of Mammals (ed. Lodge, G. A. and Lamming, G. E.). Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Burris, M. A. and Sutherland, D. M. 1960. Use of synthetic oestrogens for promoting weight gains in beef steers grazing on native pasture. QdJ. agric. Sci. 17: 3942.Google Scholar
Burns, M. J., Bogart, R. and Oliver, A. W. 1953. Alterations of daily gain, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics in beef cattle with male hormones. J. Anim. Sci. 12: 740746.Google Scholar
Clegg, M. T. and Carroll, F. D. 1954. Further studies on the anabolic effects of stilboestrol in steers as indicated by carcass composition. J. Anim. Sci. 13: 968 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Clegg, M. T. and Cole, H. H. 1954. The action of stilboestrol on the growth response in ruminants. J. Anim. Sci. 13: 108130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodgson, J. 1965. The effect of weaning treatment on the development of solid food intake in calves. Anim. Prod. 7: 717.Google Scholar
Lamming, G. E. 1957. The use of hormones in meat production. Agric. Prog. 32: 3138.Google Scholar
Large, R. V. 1965. The artificial rearing of lambs. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 72: 101108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leathem, J. H. 1959. Reproductive Physiology and Protein Nutrition. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick.Google Scholar
Linder, H. R. 1961. Testicular androgens in the ram, boar and bull. J. Endocr. 23: 171178.Google Scholar
Lonsdale, C. R. and Tayler, J. C. 1969. The artificial rearing of calves and their growth on grass diets. II. The effect of length of period of feeding cold milk substitute to spring born calves at pasture. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 73: 483488.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macdearmid, A. and Preston, T. R. 1969. A note on the implantation of intensively fed beef cattle with hexoestrol. Anim. Prod. 11: 419422.Google Scholar
Preston, T. R. and Willis, M. B. 1970. Intensive Beef Production. Pergamon Press, Ltd, Oxford.Google Scholar
Ray, D. E., Hale, W. H. and Marchello, J. A. 1969. Influence of season, sex and hormonal growth stimulants on feedlot performance of beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 29: 490495.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roy, J. H. B. 1970. Systems for the early weaned calf—a reappraisal. Proc. 4th Nutr. Conf. Fd Mftrs, University of Nottingham, pp. 4462.Google Scholar
Skinner, J. D., Mann, T., and Rowson, L. E. A. 1968. Androstenedione in relation to puberty and growth of the male calf. J. Endocr. 40: 261262.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turton, J. D. 1969. The effects of castration on meat production from cattle, sheep and pigs. In Meat production from the entire male (ed. Rhodes, D. N.), pp. 150. J. and A. Churchill Ltd, London.Google Scholar