Publications > Animal Science > 2003 > Volume 77 Part 3 > View abstract

Animal Science Abstract

Relationships between blood hormonal concentrations and secondary fibre shedding in young cashmere-bearing goats at their first moult

P. Celi^1,A, E. Seren², R. Celi³, A. Parmeggiani² and A. Di Trana¹

^AE-mail: celi@unibas.it

¹Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, via Nazario Sauro, 85-85100 Potenza, Italy
²Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università di Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy
³Diparimento di Progettazione e Gestione dei Sistemi Agro-Zootecnici e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Bari, via Amendola, 165/A-70126 Bari, Italy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate secondary fibre shedding in relation to seasonal hormonal changes in young cashmere-bearing goats reared in southern Italy. We used 14 cashmere-bearing kids, seven males and seven females, of a Scottish breed-population of goats specialized in cashmere production. Monthly, a hair patch of 4 cm2 was clipped from both left and right mid sides alternately and cashmere length and its yield were determined. Blood samples were taken every 2 weeks and plasma was assayed for prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), tri-iodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), progesterone and testosterone. With the same frequency, animals were monitored for onset of moult. Our data indicate that in young cashmere goats at their first moult, secondary fibre shedding is a seasonal event that is strictly related to changes in photoperiod and that PRL has a pivotal rôle in regulating this phenomenon. This corresponds with findings in adults. The observation that both thyroid hormones and sex steroids varied seasonally suggests that they are involved in the regulation of the moult cycle, but their precise rôle remains to be elucidated. Our data also indicate that GH seems to be implicated in the control of the moult cycle. The finding that maximal fibre shedding occurred earlier in males than females could be ascribed to differences in GH levels and to the earlier increase in plasma concentration of PRL observed in males.

Keywords: cashmere, hormones, kids, moult

Full Text

Return to Volume 77 Part 3

Search for papers on a specific subject
	MEDLINE and PubMed are registered trademarks of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.