Predicting growth in angus bulls: the use of GHRH challenge, insulin-like growth factor-I, and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins.
Plasma IGF-I, IGF binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2), and IGFBP-3 were quantified in growing Angus bulls (n = 56) to determine their relationship with postweaning growth and carcass ultrasound measurements. In addition, GH response to GHRH challenge (area-under-the-curve GH [AUC-GH) was determined for each bull as part of a previous study. Blood was collected by jugular venipuncture at the start of a 140-d postweaning growth performance test and at 28 d intervals for plasma IGF-I determination by RIA. Plasma IGFBP-2 and -3 content was measured at the start of the study, on d 70, and d 140 by Western ligand blotting. Individual weights and hip heights were measured every 28 d during the study and carcass longissimus muscle area, intramuscular fat percentage, and carcass backfat were estimated by ultrasound on d 140. Greater plasma IGF-I at the start of the performance test was associated with reduced postweaning ADG and increased longissimus area. Throughout the performance test period, the correlations between plasma IGF-I and hip height were consistently positive, ranging from 0.10 to 0.38, but the correlations between ADG and IGF-I varied from -0.32 to 0.31. Age-adjusted d-1 plasma IGFBP-2 was related to ADG during the performance test, explaining nearly 30% of the variation in ADG. A model combining weaning age, IGFBP-2, and AUC-GH showed a strong relationship with ADG (R2 = 0.40). Plasma IGFBP-2 and -3 were not related to carcass characteristics, and IGFBP-3 was not related to growth rates. This study provides additional evidence for the variable relationship between plasma IGF-I and growth rates in cattle. A significant positive relationship between plasma IGFBP-2, AUC-GH, and postweaning ADG warrants further investigation.
Connor
E E
EE
Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park 20742-2311, USA.
Barao
S M
SM
Kimrey
A S
AS
Parlier
A B
AB
Douglass
L W
LW
Dahl
G E
GE
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D006615:Hip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000097:blood*; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone