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Intermittent Versus Continuous Diethylstilbestrol in Lambs: Effects on Plasma Urea Nitrogen and Nitrogen Retention^{1, 2,}

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana 61801⁴

Abstract

Lambs weighing approximately 30 kg were divided into three groups of four animals each and subjected to no diethylstilbestrol (O DES or control), continuous DES (C DES), or intermittent DES (I DES) treatment. Lambs in the C DES group received 2.2 mg DES/kg food throughout the experiment and the I DES group received the same amount of DES during the first 3 and the last 3 weeks of the experiment, with DES being removed during the fourth week. The effects of the treatments were evaluated by determination of the plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) levels, nitrogen retention and the percent nitrogen absorbed which was retained.

DES treatment (both I DES and C DES) resulted in a significant depression (P<.05) of PUN levels as compared to the O DES group. The maximum depression was observed after about 3 weeks of treatment, after which PUN levels began to increase. This increase in PUN corresponded to a plateau in the stimulation of nitrogen retention. DES treatment also resulted in a significant (P<.05) increase in the percent of the nitrogen absorbed which was retained. I DES produced a further increase over C DES in total nitrogen retention and retention of absorbed nitrogen during week 6 of the experiment. Although not statistically significant, the effect of I DES on average daily gain, nitrogen retention, or gain: feed ratio was greater than that observed for the C DES treatment.

¹ Supported in part by federal funds Hatch 20–346 and by grants-in-aid from Moorman Manufacturing Company, Quincy, Illinois.

² Statistical evaluation of these data by Dr. H. W. Norton and R. J. Condon is gratefully acknowledged.

³ Present address: Department of Pathology, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey.

⁴ Animal Science Department.