Shivering and non‐shivering thermogenesis during summit metabolism in young lambs

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Abstract
1. Summit metabolism of lambs declined steadily from about 3·5 l. O2/kg.hr during the first day of life, to about 2·0 l. O2/kg.hr at 2 months of age. 2. The contributions of shivering and non‐shivering thermogenesis to these changes were estimated by three independent methods; non‐shivering thermogenesis was stimulated by catecholamines in a thermoneutral environment, shivering was suppressed by curariform drugs during summit metabolism, and an attempt was made to suppress non‐shivering thermogenesis during summit metabolism by use of the sympatholytic drugs phentolamine and propranolol. Drugs were given by intravenous infusion during measurement of oxygen consumption in a closed circuit respiration chamber. 3. ‘Resting’ metabolic rate of lambs during the first day of life was increased two to three‐fold, from 1 l. O2/kg.hr, by either adrenaline or noradrenaline infused at 1‐10 μg/kg.min. The increase declined with increasing age of lamb and was virtually absent by 3 weeks. The response to catecholamines appeared maximal at the dose levels used. 4. Muscular paralysis induced by suxamethonium or gallamine reduced summit metabolism by about 2 l. O2/kg.hr in all lambs examined within the first 2 months of life. The residual metabolic rate, and the metabolic response to catecholamines under thermoneutral conditions, declined with age in the same manner, and their magnitudes were similar. 5. Summit metabolism in lambs aged up to 2 months was depressed to varying degrees by the sympathetic inhibitors phentolamine, propranolol and hexamethonium. The depression with propranolol was greater, and the decline with age clearer, than with phentolamine. Hexamethonium and phentolamine depressed blood pressure, propranolol decreased heart rate and phentolamine and propranolol each suppressed shivering in some experiments. 6. In 1 day‐old lambs estimates of non‐shivering thermogenesis, by the various methods, ranged from 0·8 to 1·4 l. O2/kg.hr (mean 1·1 l. or 31% of summit metabolism), and the estimates of shivering ranged from 1·3 to 1·9 l. O2/kg.hr (mean 1·6 l. or 46% of summit metabolism). However, in lambs 1‐month old, estimates of non‐shivering thermogenesis from sympathetic inhibition (0·6 and 0·8 l. O2/kg.hr) were considerably higher than estimates from muscular paralysis or stimulation by catecholamines (0·2 and 0·1 l. O2/kg.hr). It is suggested that the depression of summit metabolism by the sympathetic inhibitors is not solely due to specific inhibition of non‐shivering thermogenesis, at least in the older lambs. 7. The possession of a non‐shivering thermogenic mechanism in addition to shivering is of clear survival value to new‐born lambs.