Growth hormone response to growth hormone releasing hormone in calves that differ in genetic merit for milk yield

Holstein heifer, steer, and bull calves from control (CL) and select (SL) lines of cows that differed by more than 4000 kg of milk during a 305-d lactation (SL > CL) were used to determine growth hormone (GH) response to 5 doses of GH releasing hormone (GHRH) and how this response was affected by gender, period (age), and genetic merit for milk yield. Doses (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 μg/100 kg of BW) of a GHRH analog were assigned randomly to each heifer (4 CL, 4 SL), steer (4 CL, 4 SL), and bull (3 CL, 3 SL) calf and administered on consecutive days at approximately 3, 6, and 10 mo of age (periods; P1, P2, and P3). Jugular blood samples (n = 15) collected between -30 and 240 min relative to GHRH administration were used to quantify area under the GH response curve (AUC) after subtracting mean prechallenge GH concentrations. Estimates of maximum response (R_max) and sensitivity (ED ₅₀) to GHRH were obtained from the hyperbolic dose response curves (AUC vs. dose). Data were analyzed for effects of dose, line, period, gender, and their interactions with period as the repeated effect. Prechallenge GH concentrations were not affected by genetic line, gender, or period. The AUC was not affected by line, but decreased with period and increased with GHRH dose. The R_max did not differ between lines or among genders, but decreased with period. The ED₅₀ did not differ between lines or among periods, but heifers were more sensitive to GHRH than steers or bulls. Although GH response to GHRH has been identified as a potential indicator of genetic merit, it did not differ between these substantially different genetic lines.