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Growth Hormone, Glucocorticoid and Thryoxine Response to Duration, Intensity and Wavelength of Light in Prepubertal Bulls^{1 , 2,}

Michigan State University⁵, East Lansing, 48824

⁴ Please address reprint request to H. Allen Tucker.

Abstract

Effects of duration, intensity and wavelength of light on growth hormone (GH), glucocorticoids, thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroxine (T₄) concentrations in serum were determined in prepubertal bulls maintained at 18 to 22 Cand 60 to 70% relative humidity. Mean GH was 8.3 ± .8, 9.5 ± 2.2 and 13.8 ± 2.2 ng/ml (P>.10) during 6 weeks of exposure to 8 hr of light: 16 hr of dark (8L:16D), 16L:8D and 20L:4D, respectively. However, concentrations of GH were more variable (P<.01) in bulls exposed to 16L:8D and 20L:4D than in bulls exposed to 8L:16D. Concentrations of GH averaged 10.6 ± 1.3 and 13.6 ± 2.6 ng/ml (P>.10) when intensities of light exposures were 22 and 540 lux. Variability of GH was greater (P<.01) in bulls exposed to 540 lux. Increase in the duration of light by the addition of 8 hr of red (550 to 750 nm) or 8 hr of blue (300 to 427 nm) light to 8 hr of white (300 to 750 nm) light did not affect (P>.10) mean GH concentrations. Among experiments, concentrations of glucocorticoids decreased by 29 to 58% (P<.05) when daily light exposures were increased from 8 to 15.7, 16 or 20 hours. Conversely, glucocorticoids increased by 118% (P<.05) when light was decreased from 15.7 to 8 hr daily. Duration of light exposures did not affect concentrations of TSH or T₄. Similarly, intensities of 22 and 540 lux and blue and red wavelengths of light did not affect average concentrations of glucocorticoids or T₄. Injection of 33 ng thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH)/100 kg body weight increased (P<.05) GH two- to fivefold above average basal values; however, duration, intensity and wavelength of light did not influence peak GH concentration or area of GH response curves after injection of TRH. We conclude that in comparison with 8 L, 16 L increased variance of GH without affecting average concentrations of GH, TSH or T₄. In contrast, 16 L suppressed serum glucocorticoids.

¹ Michigan Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal article 9281. This research supported in part by USPHS Grant HD-09883 and AM-15899.

² The authors extend sincere appreciation to Larry T. Chapin, Patricia A. Harkins, Barbara Irion and Robert Peters for help in data collection and in care of bulls used in these experiments. Dr. L. Machlin, Dr. J. G. Pierce and the National Institute of Health, Endocrinology study section generously donated bovine GH and TSH used in radioimmunoassays.

³ Present address: USDA, SEA, Southwestern Livestock and Forage Res. Sta., Route 3, El Reno, OK 73036.

⁵ Anim. Reprod. Lab., Dept. of Dairy Sci.