Effect of intravenous bovine growth hormone or human pancreatic growth hormone-releasing factor on milk production and plasma hormones and metabolites in sheep.

Although it is well known that exogenous bovine GH (bGH) increases milk yield in ruminants it has not been possible to determine whether an increase in endogenous GH secretion has the same effect. The recent isolation of human pancreatic GH-releasing factor (hpGRF-44) has enabled this comparison of the effects of bGH and hpGRF-44 on milk production in sheep. Three pairs of Dorset ewes underwent three 4-day treatments according to a Latin square design. Treatment 1 involved: 2-hourly i.v. injections (approximately 3.0 ml) of bGH (15 micrograms/kg; 1.8 units/mg); treatment 2: 2-hourly i.v. injections (approximately 3.0 ml) of hpGRF-44 (0.6 microgram/kg); treatment 3: 2-hourly i.v. injections (3.0 ml) of the vehicle. Treatment periods were separated by 10 days. Sheep were milked twice daily and the milk was analysed for fat, protein and lactose. Blood samples (5.0 ml) were taken before and at 15, 45, 75 and 100 min after every third injection throughout the 4 days. Plasma was analysed for insulin, glucose, urea and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). The changes in plasma GH stimulated by hpGRF-44 were consistent and repeatable throughout the 4 days of treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)