Effects of ronnel on growth, endocrine function and blood measurements in steers and rats

Four feeding trials were conducted to determine (1) how the organophosphate ronnel affects thyroid and adrenal circulating hormone levels and blood profile measurements of beef steers and (2) whether the effects of ronnel observed in beef steers could be produced in growing rats. In trial 1, four groups of eight steers each were given either no ronnel or 4 mg ronnel/kg body weight daily in diets fed at either limited (1.8% of body weight) or ad libitum intake. After 7 weeks, intake levels, but not ronnel treatments, were reversed during a 1-week transition period, and feeding was continued for another 7 weeks. In trial 2, four groups of six steers each were given 0, 44, 88 or 176 ppm ronnel premixed in diets fed ad libitum for 18 weeks. Actual ronnel intakes averaged 0, 1.01, 2.12 and 4.73 mg/kg body weight daily in trial 2. In trials 3 and 4 , growth and intake were measured in 64 and 32 growing Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively, fed levels of ronnel ranging from 0 to 100 ppm in the diet. In trial 3, blood plasma was analyzed at various times for triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), cholesterol and total lipid content. In trial 1, the concentration of Plasma T4 was 1.31 times higher in steers fed ronnel that in control steers. In trial 2, plasma T4 was 1.30 times higher in steers fed 176 ppm ronnel, the level that improved growth, than in steers fed the lower ronnel levels. Circulating levels of T3, cortisol and aldosterone were similar for both control and ronnel-fed steers. Serum cholesterol concentrations were consistently higher in ronnel-fed steers. The data indicated that the growth-promoting effect of ronnel in steers may be associated with a shift in thyroid function. Effects of ronnel in steers were not observed in rats, demonstrating a species difference between steers and rats.