Insulin and glucagon secretion in goats (Capra hircus Linnaeus) exposed to cold.

Cold exposure significantly decreased the insulin response to the intravenous injection of arginine, butyrate and tolbutamide, and tended to reduce the response to glucose in goats. The glucagon responses to these test materials were not different between warm and cold environments. Intravenous phentolamine infusion tended to increase, and propranolol infusion decreased insulin secretion more effectively in the cold than in the warm environment. It is concluded that cold exposure decreases insulin secretion in response to a variety of stimuli in goats.