title: Hormone variations in serum and milk of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) as potential indicators of treatment with recombinant bovine somatotropin.
abstract: Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) is used to increase milk yield in cows, but it has been forbidden in some countries and in the EU. However, rbST misuse represents a concern in both bovine and buffalo dairy production. A number of studies on rbST treatment have been performed on bovines, but there are few data on buffaloes. In this study, we treated eight lactating buffaloes with biweekly injections of a slow-release formulation of rbST, for five cycles of administration, and analysed total ST and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) variations in serum and IGF-1 in milk. The aim was to assess their power as potential indicators of rbST-treatment. Blood was collected on days 2, 5, 9 and 14 of each cycle, and milk on days 2, 9 and 14 of cycles 2 and 5. Results showed an extraordinary increase in ST levels on day 2 in treated animals, followed by a rapid decrease over the following days, while a significant increase in IGF-1 was observed both in serum and in milk throughout most of each cycle. These results suggest that serum ST levels are a good indicator of treatment. However, the rapid decrease after the peak limits the useful period of sample collection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Prophylaxis and Food Hygiene, University of Pisa, Via delle Piagge 2-56124, Pisa, Italy. lcastigl@vet.unipi.it
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castigliego
authors.forename: Xiao Ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armani
authors.forename: Goffredo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grifoni
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boselli
authors.forename: Remo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosati
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gianfaldoni
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guidi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D007774:Lactation; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C073294:growth hormone, bovine; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone