Effects of breed and wintering diet on growth, puberty and plasma concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 in heifers.
Twenty-five Brangus (BR) and 15 Angus (AN) heifers were used to study the effects of breed and wintering diet on average daily gain (ADG), onset of puberty and plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Wintering diets (fed for 107 days beginning November 15) consisted of the following: 1) native grass hay (NGH), 2) ammoniated NGH, 3) NGH plus cottonseed meal, 4) Diet 3 plus corn and 5) Diet 4 plus monensin. After wintering, heifers were transferred to ryegrass pasture for 70 days. Mean ADG during the wintering phase were -.20, -.10, .17, .29 and .39 kg for heifers fed Diets 1 through 5, respectively (P less than .01). ADG was greater (P less than .05) for BR than for AN heifers. Plasma concentrations of GH were higher (P less than .05) in heifers fed Diets 1 and 2 than in heifers fed Diets 3, 4 or 5. Plasma concentrations of IGF-1 were lowest in heifers fed Diet 1 and highest in heifers fed Diets 4 and 5. During ryegrass grazing, GH concentrations were similar for all groups. However, concentrations of IGF-1 were higher (P less than .05) in heifers fed Diets 3, 4 and 5 than in heifers fed Diets 1 and 2. Age at puberty (onset of cyclic progesterone concentrations) was greatest in heifers fed Diet 1 and lowest in heifers fed Diet 5. Weight at puberty was not affected (P greater than .10) by wintering diet but was greater (P less than .01) in BR than in AN heifers. Therefore, negative ADG appears to be associated with elevated plasma GH concentrations in heifers, and plasma IGF-1 concentration appears to be a more accurate indication of nutritional status than plasma concentrations of GH.
Department of Animal Science, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803.
A L
AL
Granger
W E
WE
Wyatt
W M
WM
Craig
D L
DL
Thompson
F G
FG
Hembry
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000097:blood*; D008985:Monensin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012621:Seasons; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000097:blood*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D013002:Somatomedins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D008985:Monensin