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The effects of exogenous bovine growth hormone and bromocriptine on growth, body development, fleece weight and plasma concentrations of growth hormone, insulin and prolactin in female lambs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

I. D. Johnsson
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
I. C. Hart
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
B. W. Butler-Hogg
Affiliation:
AFRC Food Research Institute, Carcass and Abattoir Division, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DY
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Abstract

In crossbred female lambs given a concentrate diet ad libitum between 8 and 20 weeks of age, daily subcutaneous injections of 0·1 mg bovine pituitary growth hormone (GH) per kg live weight increased daily live-weight gain (347 v. 284 g/day; P < 0·01; no. = 8), food conversion efficiency (3·94 v. 4·49 kg dry matter per kg gain; P < 0·01) and greasy fleece weight (1·49 v. 0·99 kg; P < 0·001). The increase (4·8 kg) in final live weight was due primarily to an increase in the non-carcass components of the body (3·5 kg), with little effect on carcass weight (1·3 kg). However, bovine GH treatment markedly increased the weights of lean tissue (11·4 v. 9·2 kg; P < 0·001) and bone (2·8 v. 2·4 kg; P < 0·001) and moderately reduced the weight of fat (7·0 v. 8·0 kg; P < 0·10) in the carcass. The bovine GH treatment raised plasma concentrations of immunoreactive GH within the physiological range for about 16 h each day and significantly increased mean plasma concentrations of insulin and prolactin. Daily injection of 1 mg bromocriptine had no effect on daily live-weight gain, food conversion efficiency or carcass composition. This treatment markedly reduced plasma concentrations of prolactin but also significantly reduced insulin concentrations. When given in combination with bovine GH, bromocriptine reduced the GH-induced stimulation of insulin concentration and tended to decrease the effects of GH on food conversion efficiency and growth. This interaction was significant only for the effects on greasy fleece and skin weights (P < 0·01).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1985

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References

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