A NOTE ON THE INFLUENCE OF ESTRADIOL-17-BETA IMPLANTS ON SERUM HORMONE AND METABOLITE CONCENTRATIONS IN RESPONSE TO AN EPINEPHRINE CHALLENGE IN LAMBS

Eight wether lambs were used to determine effects of an oestradiol-17beta (E2beta) implant on metabolic responses to an epinephrine challenge. Blood was sampled before and after an epinephrine challenge, on days 0 and 21 of E2beta implantation. Oestradiol-17beta implants increased pre-injection (basal) serum insulin (INS), growth hormone and free fatty acids (FFA), and decreased basal serum urea nitrogen. After 21 days of E2beta implantation, total concentrations of FFA decreased and INS increased in response to the epinephrine challenge compared with pre-implantation values. It is concluded that E2beta implants alter metabolic responses to an epinephrine challenge in wether lambs.