Effects of Sometribove on Performance, Carcass Composition, and Chemical Blood Characteristics of Dairy Calves

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Abstract
Ten intact male Holstein calves averaging 75 kg of BW and 59 d of age were used to study the effects of daily injections of 0 (control) or 10 mg of sometribove (recombinant methionyl bST) for 6 wk on performance, health, carcass composition, N metabolism, chemical blood characteristics, and hormone profiles. Average daily gain, feed intake, feed:gain ratio, and height at withers, hip, and hock were not influenced by bST. Carcasses from bST-treated calves contained 5% more protein and 36% less lipid than controls. Circulating concentrations of Ca, P, glucose, urea N, alkaline phosphatase, creatine phosphokinase, insulin-like growth factor-I, and insulin were not affected by bST. Packed cell volume was decreased about 7% (29.9 vs. 32.4%) in the bST calves. Hormone injection did not adversely affect health of the calves as measured by body temperature and by pulse and respiration rates. The most profound effects of sometribove were a reduction in carcass lipid and an increase in body proteins. These effects may be of some practical importance when leanness of carcass is desirable.