EFFECT OF CORTISOL OR ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIN ON RELEASE OF LUTEINIZING HORMONE INDUCED BY LUTEINIZING HORMONE RELEASING HORMONE IN THE DAIRY HEIFER

Abstract

During treatment with cortisol or ACTH, dairy heifers were given two doses of LH releasing hormone (LH-RH) spaced 1·5 h apart. Serum concentrations of cortisol and LH were monitored during each treatment. Treatment with both ACTH and cortisol raised plasma cortisol levels above the respective saline controls (P<0·001). Neither treatment affected basal LH concentrations. A slight depression in LH response was seen in the cortisol-treated animals after the first LH-RH injection, as shown by a statistically significant depression at three of the sample times. There was no significant difference between treated and control LH values after the second LH-RH administration. Treatment with ACTH resulted in significantly reduced LH values at all sample times after both injections of LH-RH.