Serum Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Concentrations in Japanese Black Cattle with Growth Retardation.

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Serum concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were determined in 5 calves in the same lineage with growth retardation. They had normal appetites, activities, body proportion, and laboratory test results. Calves with growth retardation had higher serum GH concentrations and lower serum IGF-1 concentrations. These findings suggested defects in the GH-IGF-1 axis, such as in the GH-receptor.KEY WORDS: growth hormone, growth-retarded cattle, insulin-like growth factor-1.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 63(2): 167-170, 2001 The growth of animals is regulated by many hormones and growth factors acting both in an endocrine (systemic) and autocrine/paracrine (local) manner, and requires the coordinated action of several hormones; growth hormone (GH, somatotropin), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1, somatomedin), thyroid hormone, insulin, leptin, glucocorticoid and sex steroids. Of these, the somatotropic (GH to IGF-1) axis is the most important hormonal system for growth, primarily consisting of GH, IGF-1, their carrier proteins and receptors [3,16].Considerable numbers of cattle with growth retardation have been produced in populations of Japanese cattle [6]. Most of them are considered to result from infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea or parasitic diseases [9]. The cattle with hereditary diseases [17,18] showed signs of prostration, anorexia and/or typical abnormal body shape in addition to growth retardation. We observed some Japanese Black cattle with marked growth retardation despite normal activity, appetite and proportional body shapes. In order to clarify the cause of growth retardation in these cattle, we determined the serum GH and IGF-1 concentrations in them.Five Japanese Black calves with growth retardation were used. Their ages ranged from 3 to 13 months. Two calves were males and 3 were females. These calves were of the congenital strain (Fig. 1). Their father was in consensus, YIH, and the paternal grandfather was YF. The maternal grandfather was also YF in 4 calves (Nos. 4371, 4374, 4441 and 4451) and TM in 1 calf (No. 4315). DIZ was the maternal grandfather of YIH, and the father of TM. Nos. 4374 and 4451 were full sibs. Their dam delivered 2 affected calves at the 4th and 5th deliveries, consecutively, mating with YIH. Four dams of the calves with growth retardation had procreated 10 normal calves mating with other sires before mating with YIH. The sire YIH produced 100 calves during 2 years (1997 to 1998) by artificial inseminations in the G region, and 9 calves (9.0%) were dwarfs. Gestations of all 5 calves were normal (288-295 days). They were delivered normally, and neonatal body weights (BW) were normal or slightly below (20 to 26 kg) [2]. These calves showed normal growth with no abnormal clinical signs until 3 or 4 months of age. At the first examinations, 3 calves (Nos. 4315 (160 kg in BW, 13 months of age), 4374 (144 kg in BW, 10 months of age) and 4441 (76 kg in BW, 5 months of age)) showed normal signs of appetite and activity, with no abno...

Endocrine Patterns in Two Strains of Japanese Black Cattle with Growth Retardation

“…Thus, strain-specific endocrine and metabolic features should be considered as well as their meat characteristics. Some researchers have considered growth retardation in Japanese black cattle to be intimately related to pedigree and to be hereditary [9,14,15]. Our data above might support their conclusions.…”

“…However, more detailed knowledge of the causes for insufficient growth of cattle has yet to be obtained. Kitagawa et al [9] reported that cattle with growth retardation showed a high growth hormone (GH) concentration in spite of a low insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentration. Moreover, Oguro et al [15] concluded that the occurrence of ateliotic cattle is associated with the choice of a specific sire.…”

Alterations of Growth, Blood Biochemical Components and Hormone Profiles by Intensified Nutrition in Growth Retarded Japanese Black Cattle

“…72 (9): [1203][1204][1205][1206][1207][1208]2010 Considerable numbers of Japanese Black (JB) cattle suffer from retarded growth. The reasons for this are thought to be infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea and parasitic diseases [7,9]. However, many cattle with normal appetite and activities are also categorized as growth retarded [7-10, 13, 19-22, 24, 27].…”

“…However, many cattle with normal appetite and activities are also categorized as growth retarded [7-10, 13, 19-22, 24, 27]. Kitagawa et al [8,9] and Takasu et al [19][20][21][22]24] investigated JB cattle with retarded growth and suggested that they had an abnormal IGF-1-GH axis that exhibits higher GH and lower IGF-1 concentrations. These retarded cattle also had abnormalities of energy and protein metabolism that were verified by their blood profiles.…”

Results of Metabolic Profile Test in Japanese Black Cattle with Growth Retardation

“…To reduce such losses, researchers have attempted to determine the cause of the growth retardation [5,6]. However, nutriture of the cattle with growth retardation has yet to be clarified.…”