Abstract

As part of a study measuring the effect of a variant of insulin-like growth factor-1 (long-arg3-IGF-1; LR3IGF) on tissue amino acid utilisation in sheep, changes in plasma Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations were observed. LR3IGF-1 was infused continuously over 21 days into the skin of 6 sheep using a bilateral arterio-venous preparation. Another 6 sheep were infused in the same way with saline only (controls). Feed intakes were the same for both groups. Arterial blood samples were obtained prior to the start of treatment and at 1, 7, 14 and 21 days. Plasma samples were prepared and analysed for concentrations of endogenous IGF-1, insulin, cerulophasmin, macro-elements (Ca, Mg, Na, P and S) and the trace elements, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. Plasma concentrations of the macro-elements were unchanged over the treatment period and were not significantly different between the two groups. However there was a significant effect of treatment (P<0.001) and treatment x time interaction (P=0.024) on the Cu concentration in plasma. After 7 days the Cu concentration in plasma of the LR3IGF-1 group increased from 1.06

MA, Friend, GE Robards, AR Lindsay, and SC Champion

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 55, , 127-129, 1995