Plasma glucose and insulin levels in genetically lean and fat sheep

This study investigated whether genetically lean and fat sheep displayed differences in insulin and glucose statuses. Lean genotype sheep had significantly (P < 0.05) greater basal glucose concentrations than fat genotype sheep (4.78 versus 4.52, SED = 0. 104 mmol/l), although basal plasma insulin was not significantly different (mean 304, SEM = 37.3 pmol/l) between the genotypes. During glucose tolerance tests (GTT), carried out at 4 levels of injection: 0, 0.28, 1.39 or 2.78 mmol glucose/kg liveweight, the area under the plasma insulin curve was significantly (P < 0.05) greater for fat than lean genotype sheep, although there were no differences in any glucose parameters. There were no significant differences between genotypes in insulin or glucose concentrations during or following glucose infusion (GINF) experiments at 0, 0.09, 0.46 or 0.93 mmol glucose/kg live-weight/h over 3 hours. Elevated plasma insulin concentrations after a glucose tolerance test are concluded to be associated with increased fatness in this genetically selected line of sheep. However, the differences in insulin and glucose levels between the lean and fat genotype sheep are minor, relative to the differences in carcass composition.