Leukocytic Response to Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone as Influenced by the Infectious History of the Mammary Gland

Abstract

Twenty-two cows were divided among three groups by mammary gland in- fection: Corynebacterium bovis-infected (nine cows), pathogen-irffected (six cows), and uninfected (seven cows). All cows were given four daily intra- muscular injections of adrenocorticotro- phic hormone (250 IU). Despite eleva- tions in circulating leukocytes for all groups, there were no significant in- creases in milk somatic cells that could be attributed to exogenous hormone.