Factors Modifying the Excretion of Fecal Androgens in the Cow

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Studies were made on the fecal androgen excretion by dairy cows in various physiological and pathological states. The accuracy of the assay method was detd. with duplicate tests on 18 samples. 16 of the 18 tests showed no statistical difference between the mean comb wts. of duplicate assays on the sample sample. In 4 trials, diet was shown to have a marked effect on the androgenic activity of cow feces; the 24-hr. excretion of androgens on a roughage diet (alfalfa hay and straw or alfalfa hay alone) was 3-4 times greater than on a diet of concentrates alone. The androgenic activity per gram of feces and the total feces excreted in 24 hrs. both were greater on roughage than on concentrates. The feces of normal cows, incorporated as 10% of a chick diet, produced an avg. comb wt. per 100 g. body wt. of 295.2 mg. as compared to an avg. comb wt. of 80.1 mg. for control chicks receiving no feces. In the small number of animals studied, there was no indication that the fecal androgen level was influenced significantly by lactation or stage of gestation. The feces of cows with cystic ovaries contained less androgenic activity than the feces of normal animals in 4 of 6 cases. In fact, in 2 cases no evidence of androgen could be detected by the method employed. Thus, it appears that in certain reproductive abnormalities, the fecal androgen level is decreased. Bilateral ovariectomy of a cow caused an apparent increased androgen excretion. Feces collected 4, 10 and 39 days following ovarietomy produced avg. comb wts. per 100 g. body wt. of 157.2, 270.6 and 239.4 mg., respectively, as compared to the avg. comb wt. of 183.2 mg. produced by feces collected before the operation. Ovarian stimulation with equine gonadotrophin produced increased excretion of androgen in 2 expts. and decreased excretion in 1 expt. Unilateral adrenalectomy of an ovariectomized cow was followed by an increase in androgen excretion. As the gonads were absent, a plausible explanation of the results obtained is that the remaining adrenal was stimulated to increased secretory activity.