2006 Volume 59 Issue 9 Pages 603-606
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between growth and the concentration of insulin -like growth factor (IGF)-1 in Japanese black cattle with growth retardation. The body weight and height ofthe cattle with growth retardation (eight males, eight females, and one castrated) were lower than the control, and the rate of compliance with the Japanese standard for beef cattle were approximately 30% for body weightand approximately 80% for height. The mean daily gain in body weight was approximately 0.3kg, and they didnot show any “catch-up growth”. In addition, serum IGF-1 concentrations at the beginning and end of theobservation period were low. The growth-retarded cattle showing low serum IGF-1 concentration would notbe able to grow, even though they exhibited normal appetite and were in good physical condition. Thus, determinationof serum IGF-1 concentration might be an index of the subsequent growth of the cattle with growthretardation.
