2007 Volume 69 Issue 1 Pages 69-72
To evaluate the energy condition of cattle with growth retardation, propionate (PTT) and arginine tolerance tests (ATT) were carried out. The insulin/glucagon concentration ratio immediately before PTT or ATT in the cattle with growth retardation was lower than in the control. In the growth-retarded cattle, insulin-AUC0-120min during PTT was lower than in the control, while glucagon- AUC0-120min was the same as in the control. Insulin-AUC0-120min during ATT in the cattle with growth retardation tended to be lower than in the control, whereas glucagon-AUC0-120min was the same. Therefore, insulin-AUC0-120min/glucagon-AUC0-120min in the cattle with growth retardation was lower than in the control during both tolerance tests. The growth-retarded cattle showed lower insulin/glucagon ratio similar to that found in starved and lactating cattle, a suggesting lack of energy.