Abstract
TREATMENT with exogenous oestrogen is known to influence growth in ruminants, for example the retention of nitrogen, the rate of weight gain and ossification of bone are increased. The effect is considered to occur by way of the anterior pituitary gland, oestrogens facilitating the synthesis of growth hormone1. It has been claimed, however, that, while causing a general increase in somatic growth, treatment with oestrogens decreases the rate of wool synthesis in sheep, possibly by means of a lowered thyroid activity or a pituitary or adrenal effect2. In view of this apparent anomaly, and the fact that most of the evidence to support it was obtained using gross methods of measurement such as fleece weight, the following work was undertaken.
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References
For refs. see Hammond, J., Proc. Univ. Nottingham Eighth Easter School in Agric. Sci., edit. by Morgan, J. T. M., and Lewis, D., 18 (Butterworths, London, 1961).
Slen, S. B., and Connell, R., Canad. J. Anim. Sci., 38, 38 (1958).
Downes, A. M., and Lyne, A. G., Nature, 184, 1884 (1959).
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DRAPER, S., HAYNES, N. & LAMMING, G. Effect of Plane of Nutrition on Changes in the Rate of Wool Growth in Sheep induced by Hexoestrol. Nature 210, 222–223 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/210222a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/210222a0
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