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The effect of injecting or infusing low doses of bovine growth hormone on milk yield, milk composition and the quantity of hormone in the milk serum of cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

I. C. Hart ,
J. A. Bines ,
S. James  and
S. V. Morant
I. C. Hart
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
J. A. Bines
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
S. James
Affiliation:
Imperial Chemical Industries PLC, Pharmaceuticals Division, Alderley Park, Macclesfield SK10 4TF
S. V. Morant
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
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Abstract

The effects of administering bovine growth hormone (bGH) on milk production in cattle were examined in two experiments.

In experiment 1, a Latin-square design, three groups of four Friesian cows were injected daily with one of two doses of bGH (6 ng/kg and 30 ug/kg; 0·82 unit/mg) or with saline (control) throughout three successive 21-day periods in mid-lactation. At 30 ug/kg daily bGH stimulated a significant increase in milk yield (P < 0·001) and this response increased with the duration of treatment. Changes in the yields of milk fat, protein and lactose closely followed the changes in milk production. The concentrations of milk fat (P < 0·05) and protein (P < 0·05) rose and fell respectively during the 1st week of injections.' A daily dose of 6 ug/kg bGH failed to stimulate an increase in milk yield but milk lactose content was reduced (P < 0·05) during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of treatment. The proportion of milk serum samples containing detectable quantities of the hormone was increased by the higher dose of bGH.

In experiment 2 the milk yields of four Friesian cows were measured when bGH (21·0 to 37·9 mg/day) or saline was infused intravenously for 6 days. The infusions produced up to eight-fold increases in plasma bGH. These were within physiological limits, and remained at elevated levels throughout the 24-h period. Three of the cows demonstrated a clear increase in milk production.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , April 1985 , pp. 243 - 250
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1985

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References

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