Abstract

Domperidone was administered to cashmere goats at 2.5 mg/day either by a daily subcutaneous injection at 1000 hours (INJ, n=6) or by a subcutaneously fitted osmotic minipump (OSP, n=6). There was an untreated control group (C, n=5). The treatments commenced on 13 September 1991 and continued for 14 days. Daily plasma prolactin concentrations at 1200 hours measured across the 14 days of treatment were 612±32, 73±35, and 60±34 ng/ml in INJ, OSP and C groups respectively (P<0.001), while daily plasma PRL concentrations at 1000 hours, immediately prior to the injection, were 33±6, 72±7 and 60±8 ng/ml in INJ, OSP and C groups respectively (P<0.01). Mean downlength was lower in INJ goats (34±4mm) than OSP goats (51±4mm) and C goats (46±4mm). A greater percentage of fleece by weight was shed earlier (P<0.05) in INJ compared to the C group. Primary follicle activity also increased earlier (P<0.001) in INJ goats when compared to C and OSP goats. There was no effect of OSP on fibre growth and no overall effect of INJ on guard hair length, shedding score, presence of newly erupted cashmere fibres, and secondary follicle activity. In conclusion, DOM administered at 2.5 mg/day for 14 days by injection, but not by osmotic pump, perturbed fibre growth in primary and not secondary follicles.

AJ, Litherland, and KT O'Neill

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 54, , 143-146, 1994