Response of Blood Plasma Glucose, Free Fatty Acids, Triglycerides, Insulin and Food Intake to Bovine Insulin in Geese and Cockerels

The effects of insulin (5 u./kg. B.W.) injected intravenously were investigated in both geese and chickens, 1 hour, 3 hours and 6 hours after the injection. Food consumption, plasma insulin, plasma glucose, plasma FFA and plasma triglycerides were measured. Geese showed much more sensitivity to the same dose of insulin injected, despite the fact that the insulin injected was degraded or left the plasma at the same rate in both species. Plasma glucose levels decreased in response to the injection of insulin in both species but the depression was sharper in the geese. A sharper decrease in food consumption was also noticed in the geese. Insulin administration increased the plasma FFA levels in the geese and provoked a substantial rise in the plasma triglycerides 3 and 6 hours after the injection. No change in plasma triglycerides was noticed in the cockerels.