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Effects of Administration of Glucocorticoids on Pancreas and Growth of Dairy Calves^1,2,

Agriculture Canada Research Station, Lennoxville, Québec J1M 1Z3

J. Dunnigan

Centre de Recherche sur les Mécanismes de Sécrétion, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbooke, Québec J1K 2R1

ABSTRACT

The possibility of reducing calf weaning age by accelerating development of the pancreas of dairy calves with hormone administration was studied. Hydrocortisone acetate or dexamethasone was injected at 3 or 17 days of age to determine their effects on the pancreas. Hydrocortisone acetate injections (50 mg/kg body weight) to 3-day-old calves increased within 4 days the pancreas weight, amylase and chymotrypsin activities, and proteins, ribonucleic acid, and deoxyribonucleic acid contents. However, the glucocorticoid injection had no effect on activities of digestive enzymes of the 21-day-old calves. The pancreas hypertrophied in the 7-day-old calves following hormonal treatment. In the 21-day-old calves administration of glucocrticoids brought about hyperplasia of the pancreas but no hypertrophy of the tissue. This response of the pancreas to injections of glucocorticoids in the 7-day-old calves was interpreted as an acceleration of normal development of the tissue. Hydrocortisone acetate injection to 3-day-old calves had no effect on feed consumption but had a small depressive effect on growth of calves at 14 and 21 days of age.

¹ Data from dissertation by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

² Contribution from the Agriculture Canada Research Station, Lennoxville, Québec. No. 134.