Growth Hormone-Induced Ketosis in the Cow

Crystalline bovine growth hormone (GH) in daily doses of 1 mg/kg was injected intranmscularly into two lactating cows for ten days starting 2 wk after parturition. In both cows, plasma concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and acetone-plus-acetoacetate rose dm~ing the period of GH administration, and fell after GH administration ceased. Decreased incorporation of acetate-C ~' (injected intracisternally) into milk fat during GH-induced ketosis resembled that seen previously during spontaneous ketosis. Since exogenous Gtt can induce ketosis in the cow, excessive secretion of endogenous GH could conceivably play a role in the pathogenesis of naturally occurring bovine ketosis.