Plasma LH concentrations after single or double injections of synthetic LH-RH in dairy cows

Milked Friesian dairy cows were given 1 or 2 i.v. injections of synthetic LH-RH. The second of 2 injections of LH-RH given 1.5 h apart induced a significantly greater release of LH than did the first. The response to this injection was also significantly greater than that caused by injections given 6 h apart. There was no significant difference between the LH responses to the two injections given 6 h apart. The total LH release produced by the two injections of 100 microgram synthetic LH-RH given 1.5 h apart was significantly greater than that produced by single injection of 200 microgram synthetic LH-RH. It is concluded that there is a short-term increase in the responsiveness of the bovine pituitary gland to LH-RH after an initial LH-RH stimulus.