Abstract

The ability of endocrine manipulation of the neonate to effect prolonged changes in body composition was examined. Treatment of lambs with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) at doses of 0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg liveweight/day for 11 weeks from birth elevated circulating ST concentrations (P<0.01) but had no effect on circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 or on liveweight gain compared with excipient-treated lambs. However, at 8 months of age (5 months after cessation of treatment), ultrasound backfat depths (Mean

TW, Knight, M Ridland, FI Hill, AF Death, and TK Wyeth

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 53, , 455-456, 1993