Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Bovine somatotrophin stimulates milk production in red deer hinds

G. K. Barrell A D , J. A. Archer B , M. Wellby A , M. J. Ridgway A and M. J. Evans C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Agriculture and Life Sciences Division, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.

B AgResearch Invermay, Private Bag 50-034, Mosgiel 9053, New Zealand.

C Endolab, Department of Endocrinology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand.

D Corresponding author. Email: barrell@lincoln.ac.nz

Animal Production Science 49(7) 619-623 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08288
Submitted: 25 November 2008  Accepted: 17 February 2009   Published: 11 June 2009

Abstract

To determine its potential as a tool for studies of growth in suckling red deer calves, bovine somatotrophin (bST) was administered to lactating red deer hinds. The present study used twice-daily machine milking of bST-treated hinds (n = 10, 54 mg bST for 2 weeks then 108 mg for 1 week) and compared the milk yield with that of saline-treated controls (n = 9). Treatment with 54 mg bST tended to increase milk yield by ~16% and the 108-mg dose increased (P = 0.013) milk yield by ~32%. Both doses of bST increased (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 concentration but did not affect total solids or fat content of the milk, nor was there any effect on body condition score or liveweight of the hinds. This shows that milk production in red deer hinds is increased by administration of bST, which makes it a suitable experimental technique for investigating the lactational biology of red deer.


Acknowledgements

We thank Monsanto Co. (St Louis, MO, USA), especially Gregg Bogosian, for generous donation of bST. Dr Lloyd Moore of AgResearch, New Zealand, is thanked for his generous donation of cervine IGF-1. Omega Amoafo, Victoria Barrell, Long Cheng, Alastair Nicol and Craig Trotter are thanked for their help with the milking procedure. We are indebted to Alastair Nicol for his knowledgeable advice on the conduct and interpretation of these studies. This project was funded as a subcontract to AgResearch Contract C10X0202 from the Foundation of Research, Science and Technology, New Zealand.


References


Aaron DK, Ely DG, Deweese WP, Fink E, Garrett JL (1998) Effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin administration on production characteristics of lactating ewes. Journal of Dairy Science 81(Suppl. 1), 281. open url image1

Arman P, Kay RNB, Goodall ED, Sharman GAM (1974) The composition and yield of milk from captive red deer (Cervus elaphus L.). Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 37, 67–84.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Asher GW, Scott IC, O’Neill KT, Littlejohn RP (2005) Influence of level of nutrition during late pregnancy on reproductive productivity of red deer. (2) Adult hinds gestating wapiti × red deer crossbred calves. Animal Reproduction Science 86, 285–296.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Audigé L, Wilson PR, Morris RS (1998) A body condition score and its use for farmed red deer hinds. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 4, 545–553. open url image1

Breier BH, Gluckman PD, McCutcheon SN, Davis SR (1991) Physiological responses to somatotropin in the ruminant. Journal of Dairy Science 74(Suppl. 2), 20–34.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Collares FP, Goncalves CV, Ferreira JS (1997) Creamatocrit as a rapid method to estimate the contents of total milk lipids. Food Chemistry 60, 465–467.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Davis SR, Gluckman PD, Hart IC, Henderson HV (1987) Effects of injecting growth hormone or thyroxine on milk production and blood plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factors I and II in dairy cows. The Journal of Endocrinology 114, 17–24.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Davis JJ, Sahlu T, Puchala R, Herselman MJ, Fernandez JM, McCann JP, Coleman SW (1999a) The effect of bovine somatotropin treatment on production of lactating Angora does with kids. Journal of Animal Science 77, 17–24.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Davis SR, Breier BH, Gluckman PD, Ball GJ, Moore DG, MacDonald KA, Bryant AM (1999b) The effect of bovine somatotropin in a sustained release preparation (Somidobove) on milk production of cows at pasture in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 42, 315–323.
CAS |
open url image1

Disenhaus C, Jammes H, Hervieu J, Ternois F, Sauvant D (1995) Effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin on goat milk yield, composition and plasma metabolites. Small Ruminant Research 15, 139–148.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Dohoo IR, Leslie K, DesCôteaux L, Fredeen A, Dowling P, Preston A, Shewfelt W (2003) A meta-analysis review of the effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin. 1. Methodology and effects on production. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 67, 241–251.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Fernandez N, Rodriguez M, Peris C, Barcelo M, Molina MP, Torres A, Adriaens F (1995) Bovine somatotropin dose titration in lactating dairy ewes. 1. Milk yield and milk composition. Journal of Dairy Science 78, 1073–1082.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Fernandez N, Molina MP, Balasch S, Torres A, Adriaens F (2001) Bovine somatotropin dose titration in lactating dairy ewes. 3. Treatment interval. Journal of Dairy Science 84, 2170–2176.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Hammond KA, Lloyd KCK, Diamond J (1996) Is mammary ouput capacity limiting to lactational performance in mice? The Journal of Experimental Biology 199, 337–349.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Krzywinski A, Krzywinska K, Kisza J, Roskosz A, Kruk A (1980) Milk composition, lactation and the artificial rearing of red deer. Acta Theriologica 25, 341–347.
CAS |
open url image1

Landete-Castillejos T, Garcia A, Molina P, Vergara H, Garde J, Gallego L (2000) Milk production and composition in captive Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus): effect of birth date. Journal of Animal Science 78, 2771–2777.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Laurien-Kehnen C, Trillmich F (2003) Lactation performance of guinea pigs (Cavis porcellus) does not respond to experimental manipulation of pup demands. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 53, 145–152. open url image1

Loudon ASI, McNeilly AS, Milne JA (1983) Nutrition and lactational control of fertility in red deer. Nature 302, 145–147.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Loudon ASI, Darroch AD, Milne JA (1984) The lactation performance of red deer on hill and improved pasture species. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 102, 149–158.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Molento CFM, Block E, Cue RI, Petitclerc D (2002) Effects of insulin, recombinant bovine somatotropin and their interaction on insulin-like growth factor-1 secretion and milk protein production in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 738–747.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Morgan JE, Fogarty NM, Nielsen S, Gilmour AR (2007) The relationship of lamb growth from birth to weaning and the milk production of their primiparous crossbred dams. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, 899–904.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Rattray PV (1992) Nutrition of the ewe during gestation and grazing. In ‘Progress in sheep and goat research’. (Ed. AW Speedy) pp. 85–106. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)

Sallam SMA, Nasser MEA, Yousef MI (2005) Effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin on sheep milk production, composition and some haemato-biochemical components. Small Ruminant Research 56, 165–171.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Treacher TT (1983) Nutrient requirements for lactation in the ewe. In ‘Sheep production’. (Ed. W Haresign) pp. 133–153. (Butterworths: London)

Walstra P , Wouters JTM , Geurts TJ (2006) ‘Dairy science and technology.’ 2nd edn. (CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group: Boca Raton, FL)

Ward JF, Archer JA, O’Neill KT, Littlejohn RP (2007) Comparison of suckling frequency of red and F1 wapiti-red calves reared on red hinds. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 67, 237–241. open url image1