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Factors Modifying the Excretion of Fecal Androgens in the Cow

Division of Animal Husbandry, University of California, Davis

ABSTRACT

Studies were made on the fecal androgen excretion by dairy cows in various physiological and pathological states.

The accuracy of the assay method was determined with duplicate tests on 18 samples. Sixteen of the 18 tests showed no statistical difference between the mean comb weights of duplicate assays on the same sample.

In four trials, diet was shown to have a marked effect on the androgenic activity of cow feces; the 24-hour excretion of androgens on a roughage diet (alfalfa hay and straw, or alfalfa hay alone) was three to four times greater than on a diet of concentrates alone. The androgenic activity per gram of feces and the total feces excreted in 24 hours both were greater on roughage than on concentrates.

The feces of normal cows, incorporated as 10 per cent of a chick diet, produced an average comb weight per 100 g. body weight of 295.2 as compared to an average comb weight of 80.1 mg. for control chicks receiving no feces. In the small number of animals studied, there was no indication that the fecal androgen level was influenced significantly by lactation or stage of gestation.

The feces of cows with cystic ovaries contained less androgenic activity than the feces of normal animals in four of six cases. In fact, in two cases no evidence of androgen could be detected by the method employed. Thus, it appears that in certain reproductive abnormalities, the fecal androgen level is decreased.

Bilateral ovariectomy of a cow caused an apparent increased androgen excretion. Feces collected 4, 10 and 39 days following ovariectomy produced average comb weights per 100 g. body weight of 157.2, 270.6 and 239.4 mg., respectively, as compared to the average comb weight of 183.2 mg. produced by feces collected before the operation.

Ovarian stimulation with equine gonadotrophin produced increased excretion of androgen in two experiments and decreased excretion in one experiment.

Unilateral adrenalectomy of an ovariectomized cow was followed by an increase in androgen excretion. Feces collected 3, 7, 11 and 14 days post-operative produced average comb weights per 100 g. body weight of 419.9, 357.5, 318.9 and 468.3 mg., respectively, as compared to 248.0 mg. for feces collected pre-operatively. As the gonads were absent, a plausible explanation of the results obtained is that the remaining adrenal was stimulated to increased secretory activity.