Endocrine Abstracts

The goal of this study was to determine whether ghrelin increase the mean plasma concentration of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), growth hormone (GH), milk amount and constituents in the dairy goats. Animals were anesthetized throughout the surgery for stereotaxic methods and jugular wein cannulations. Nine goats were randomly divide into 3 groups. Each group received daily infusion of either 1 or 2 or 4 ug gherlin for 7 days into their third ventricle. Blood samples were collected daily on day 1 before infusions until 3 days after the last infusion. Samples were assayed for plasma T3, T4 and GH concentrations by double-antibody RIA. Milk samples were daily collected from day 1 before infusions until 3 days after the last infusion. Milk samples were assayed for protein, fat and lactose constituents. The daily amount of milk were determined throughout the experiment. Infusions of 1 and 2 ug ghrelin did not change the plasma concentration of the T3, T4 and GH through out the treatment period. Infusions of 4 ug ghrelin significantly (P<0.01) increased the plasma concentration of GH but not T3 and T4 during the infusion period. Infusions of 1, 2 and 4 ug ghrelin did not change the amount and the protein, fat and lactose constituents of milk among all animals in the different groups. The result of these experiment indicated that ghrelin may increase the mean plasma concentration of GH, T3, T4 in the Sanan goats.