Growth Promoting Agents and Season Effects on Blood Metabolite and Body Temperature Measures

Authors

Terry L. Mader, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Wanda Kreikemeier, Northeast Research and Extension Center, Concord

Date of this Version

January 2006

Comments

Published in 2006 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. Copyright © 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.

Abstract

To assess growth promoting agents efficacy among seasons, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, blood metabolites, and tympanic temperature were measured in summer and winter studies. Within each season, pens of heifers were assigned to one of six growth promotant treatments. Season by growth promotant treatment interactions (P < 0.05) indicated that the combination of estrogen and trenbolone acetate increased triiodothyronine in the winter, whereas trenbolone acetate alone decreased both triiodothyronine and thyroxine in the winter. Maximum tympanic temperature was greater (P < 0.01) in the summer than in the winter, while minimum tympanic temperature was lowered (P < 0.01) in the summer. Changes in blood metabolite levels resulting from the use of growth promotants do not appear to substantially influence seasonal changes in body temperature.