title: Effect of clenbuterol on growth, nitrogen and energy balances and endocrine status in food-restricted sheep.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the beta2-adrenoceptor clenbuterol on food-restricted sheep. Clenbuterol was administered as a dietary admixture (4 mg/ kg diet) to a group of male Serra da Estrela sheep (n = 6). The animals were housed individually in metabolic cages and fed for 45 days at 65% of estimated requirement for energy maintenance. An untreated group with the same energy intake level was included as a control. Changes in body mass, nitrogen and energy balances and insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), and triiodothyronine (T3 ) levels in the experimental animals were monitored. During the 4th week of the trial, clenbuterol-treated sheep showed increased mass gains, greater energy retention and serum IGF-1 levels and decreased T3 serum concentrations. This study showed that clenbuterol may induce a protective effect in sheep subjected to periods of food deprivation, based on the body mass and digestible energy effects manifested by treated animals.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigação Cientifica Tropical, Centro Interdisciplinary de Investigaçäo de Sanidade Animal, CVZ, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinària, Rua Prof. Cid dos Santos, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal. alfarocardoso@fmv.utl.pt
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taveira
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002976:Clenbuterol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D007328:Insulin; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D009584:Nitrogen; D002976:Clenbuterol