Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T14:38:48.377Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of trenbolone acetate on growth rate and carcass composition of young female rabbits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

G. E. Lobley
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
A. Walker
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
Alexmary Connell
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
H. Galbraith
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB9 1UD
Get access

Abstract

1. Eighteen New Zealand White × Califomian young female rabbits (does) were paired by weight and age and, at 800 g live weight, placed on a restricted intake based on the mean body weight of each pair. On attaining 1 kg one of each pair was then given 10 mg trenbolone acetate by injection on days 1, 3 and 5 of each week. This continued until the animals reached 2·3 to 2·4 kg (5 to 6 weeks).

2. There were no differences in digestible or metabolizable energy intakes between treated and untreated rabbits. However, the treated animals showed small but significant increases in rates of gain for live and empty body weight compared with control does. Treated animals also had significantly more nitrogen (P < 0·001) and less energy (P < 0·05) per unit empty body weight than controls. Although the proportion of total nitrogen retention was 0·19 greater (P < 0·001) in treated does, total energy retention was only slightly less. Treated animals had approximately 40 g (200 g/kg) less fat and 50 g more protein (N × 6·25) than control does at the end of the trial.

3. Increases in liver weight and clitoral size were observed in treated animals.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. 1980. Official Methods of Analysis. 13th ed. Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, Washington DC.Google Scholar
Babikir, A. E. 1981. The effect of trenbolone acetate alone or combined with 17β-oestradiol on the growth performance and body composition of growing female rabbits. M.Sc. Thesis, Dep. Agric, Univ. Aberdeen.Google Scholar
Best, J. M. J. 1972. The use of trienbolone acetate implants in heifer beef production at pasture. Vet. Rec. 91:624626.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Donaldson, I. A., Hart, I. C. and Heitzman, R. J. 1981. Growth hormone, insulin, prolactin and total thyroxine in the plasma of sheep implanted with the anabolic steroid trenbolone acetate alone or with oestradiol. Res. vet. Sci. 30: 713.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galbraith, H. 1980. The effect of trenbolone acetate on growth, blood hormones and metabolites, and nitrogen balance of beef heifers. Anim. Prod. 30: 389394.Google Scholar
Galbraith, H. and Watson, H. B. 1978. Performance, blood and carcase characteristics of finishing steers treated with trenbolone acetate and hexoestrol. Vet. Rec. 103: 2831.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garrett, W. N. 1970. The influence of sex on the energy requirements of cattle for maintenance and growth. In Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals, Eur. Ass. Anim. Prod. Publ. No. 13 (ed. Schürch, A. and Wenk, C.), pp. 101104. Juris Druck and Verlag, Zurich.Google Scholar
Heitzman, R. J. 1980. Manipulation of protein metabolism, with special reference to anabolic agents. In Protein Deposition in Animals (ed. Buttery, P. J. and Lindsay, D. B.), pp. 193203. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heitzman, R. J. and Chan, K. H. 1974. Alterations in weight gain and levels of plasma metabolites, proteins, insulin and free fatty acids following implantation of an anabolic steroid in heifers. Br. vet. J. 130: 532537.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heitzman, R. J., Chan, K. H. and Hart, I. C. 1977. Live-weight gains, blood levels of metabolites, proteins and hormones following implantation of anabolic agents in steers. Br. vet. J. 133: 6270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoffman, B. and Oettel, G. 1976. Radioimmunoassays for free and conjugated trienbolone and for trienbolone acetate in bovine tissue and plasma samples. Steroids 27: 509523.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kielanowski, J. 1976. Energy cost of protein deposition. In Protein Metabolism and Nutrition, Eur. Ass. Anim. Prod. Publ. No. 16 (ed. Cole, D. J. A., Boorman, K. N., Buttery, P. J., Lewis, D., Neale, R. J. and Swan, H.), pp. 207215. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Lobley, G. E., Smith, J. S., Mollison, G., Connell, Alexmary and Galbraith, H. 1982. The effect of an anabolic implant (trenbolone acetate + oestradiol-17β) on the metabolic rate and protein metabolism of beef steers. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 41: 28A (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Partridge, G. G., Foley, S. and Corrigall, W. 1981. Reproductive performance in purebred and crossbred commercial rabbits. Anim. Prod. 32:325331.Google Scholar
Pullar, J. D. and Webster, A. J. F. 1977. The energy cost of fat and protein deposition in the rat. Br. J. Nutr. 37:355363.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reeds, P. J., Cadenhead, A., Fuller, M. F., Lobley, G. E. and McDonald, J. D. 1980. Protein turnover in growing pigs. Effects of age and food intake. Br. J. Nutr. 43:445455.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rodway, R. G. and Galbraith, H. 1979. Effects of anabolic steroids on hepatic enzymes of amino acid metabolism. Horm. Metab. Res. 11:491492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stollard, R. J. and Jones, D. M. 1979. The response to growth-promoting implants in finishing steers and heifers both in yards and at grass and the economic implications. Anim. Prod. 28: 415416 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Van Weerden, E. J. and Grandadam, J. A. 1976. The effect of an anabolic agent on N-deposition, growth and slaughter quality in growing castrated male pigs. In Anabolic Agents in Animal Production (ed. Lu, F. C. and Rendel, J.), pp. 115122. Georg Thieme, Stuttgart.Google Scholar
Vernon, B. G. and Buttery, P. J. 1976. Protein turnover in rats treated with trienbolone acetate. Br. J. Nutr. 36: 575579.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vernon, B. G. and Buttery, P. J. 1978a. Protein metabolism of rats treated with trienbolone acetate. Anim. Prod. 26: 19.Google Scholar
Vernon, B. G. and Buttery, P. J. 1978b. The effect of trenbolone acetate with time on the various responses of protein synthesis of the rat. Br. J. Nutr. 40:563572.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webster, A. J. F., Smith, J. S. and Mollison, G. S. 1977. Prediction of the energy requirements for growth in beef cattle. 3. Body weight and heat production in Hereford × British Friesian bulls and steers. Anim. Prod. 24: 237244.Google Scholar