Local Intra-arterial Infusion of Growth Hormone into the Mammary Glands of Sheep and Goats: Effects on Milk Yield and Composition, Plasma Hormones and Metabolites

Abstract

Lactating goats and sheep were fitted with catheters in the external pudendal arteries supplying both mammary glands. Saline was infused continuously into one artery whereas the other artery received continuous infusions, over successive 4-day periods, of either saline or growth hormone (GH)-doses increasing twofold between successive periods from 100 to 400 ltg/day in goats and 400 to 3200 Itg/ day in sheep.