Growth Hormone-Induced Ketosis in the Cow

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Abstract
A crystalline bovine growth hormone preparation (GH) was injected intramuscularly into 2 lactating cows in daily doses of 1 mg/kg for 10 days starting 2 weeks after parturition. In both cows, plasma concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and acetone-plus-acetoacetate rose during the period of GH administration, then fell after it ceased. Decreased incorporation of acetate-C14 (injected intracisternally) into milk fat during GH-induced ketosis resembled that seen previously during spontaneous ketosis. Since exogenous GH can induce ketosis in the cow, excessive secretion of endogenous GH could conceivably play a role in the pathogenesis of naturally occurring bovine ketosis.