Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing factor in selected and control Holstein heifer calves

Holstein heifer calves from selected and control lines were treated with growth hormone-releasing factor to determine whether the magnitude of the pituitary growth hormone response is associated with genetic potential for milk yield. Cows in the selected line were bred to highest Predicted Difference milk sires available each year, while control line cows were bred to bulls that were average for 1964 milk production. Eight calves from each line of similar age (206 to 210 days) and weight (205 kg average) were injected intravenously with .1 microgram/kg growth hormone-releasing factor. Dams' first lactation 305-day mature equivalent records were 10,192 +/- 495 kg for selected calves and 6,908 +/- 376 kg for control calves. Before treatment, GH tended to be higher in selected than control calves (mean +/- SE: selected = 7.5 +/- 1.8, control = 4.6 +/- .4 ng/ml). After injection, peak GH were reached within 20 min and were similar in selected and control calves, averaging 66 +/- 16 and 73 +/- 13 ng/ml, respectively. Results indicate that the magnitude of the growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing factor is not related to future performance of dairy calves.