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Treatment with Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone increases male-male mounting behaviour in 8-week-old beef bull calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

S. Madgwick ,
A. P. Beard ,
P.M. Bartlewski ,
D. Barrett ,
S. Huchkowsky  and
N. C. Rawlings
S. Madgwick
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, U.K
A. P. Beard
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, U.K
P.M. Bartlewski
Affiliation:
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
D. Barrett
Affiliation:
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
S. Huchkowsky
Affiliation:
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
N. C. Rawlings
Affiliation:
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
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Extract

Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) is secreted in a pulsatile manner by the hypothalamus. GnRH is the major hormone controlling the pituitary-testicular axis and therefore influences aggressive and sexual behaviour in bulls. In 6 to 10 week old bull calves an increase in GnRH pulse frequency is responsible for a short-lived rise in circulating levels of LH. It has been shown that bulls with a higher rise in LH attain puberty at younger ages and have comparatively enhanced semen quality once they mature (Evans et al., 1995). Furthermore testicular growth has been enhanced in calves with a premature increase in LH brought about by GnRH treatment (Chandolia et al., 1997). This experiment tests the hypothesis that bull calves with increased GnRH pulsatility engage in more male-male mounting behaviour during this early period while the pattern of hormone secretion is becoming established. Studying this behaviour may give an indication of reproductive potential from as early as 8 weeks of age.

Type
Poster Session II
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2001 , 2001 , pp. PC10
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2001

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References

Evans, A.C.O., Davies, F.J., Nasser, L.F., Bowman, P., Rawlings, N.C.. Differences in early patterns of gonadotrophin secretion between early and late maturing bulls, and changes in semen characteristics at puberty. Theriogenology 1995, 43: 45–51.Google Scholar
Candolia, R.K., Honaramooz, A., Bartlewski, P.M., Beard, A.P., Rawlings, N.C.. Effects of treatment with LH releasing hormone before the early increase in LH secretion on endocrine and reproductive development in bull calves. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 1997, 111: 41–50.Google Scholar