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Effects of Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia and Hypoacetoemia on Eating Behavior in Goats¹

Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

ABSTRACT

Severe hunger and eating are caused by hypoglycemia induced by insulin injections in monogastric animals. Two experiments were done to test for this response in ruminants. Protamine zinc insulin injections were given to goats for a period of 14 days in Experiment I and on one day in each of three one-week tests in Experiment II. The first experiment tested for long-term changes in feeding behavior, while the second tested for short-term changes during an induced hypoglycemia. In both experiments the goats suffered from hyperinsulinemia and severe hypoglycemia, although no convulsions or coma were observed. Hypoglycemia was accompanied during its initial stages by a low serum acetate concentration. There was no trend for goats to eat to correct the hypoglycemia. Thus the response of goats differs from that of intact monogastric animals. Ruminants apparently do not have the response of other mammals of eating to correct hypoglycemia. It has previously been inferred that hypoacetoemia would cause increased feed intake in ruminants; this response did not occur, although the serum acetate concentration decreased to only one-third of normal levels.

¹ This study was supported in part by grants-in-aid from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness (NB 01941) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases (AM 02911), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; the National Science Foundation (GB 4594); and the Fund for Research and Teaching, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health.