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Original Articles

Effects of dietary zilpaterol hydrochloride (β2-agonist) supplementation on finishing castrated male goats: metabolic endocrine, blood constituents, plasma volume, respiratory rate and cardiac changes

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Pages 447-453 | Received 17 Mar 2015, Accepted 23 Jun 2016, Published online: 21 Jul 2016
 

ABSTRACT

The effects of consumption of β2-agonist zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) were evaluated on hormonal blood metabolites (insulin, cortisol and thyroids), haemoglobin, haematocrit, plasma volume, heart rate and respiratory changes in male goats in the finishing phase. For this, 16 Mahabadi castrated male goats were used in a completely random design to evaluate the effects of treatments. Goats which were fed a finishing basal diet for 60 days prior to start the experiment were subsequently supplemented during 30 days with ZH at a dosage of 0.0 or with 20 mg ZH/kg LW. Haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit levels were recorded at 10-day intervals of experiment. Plasma volume was calculated using the haematocrit value. Heart and respiratory rates were recorded at 10-day intervals of experiment. Rates were recorded at 1-h intervals between 06:00 and 18:00 h. Hormonal profiles were measured at days 1 and 30. Plasma volume, heart and respiratory rates increased (P < .001) in the ZH group. Zilpaterol supplementation increased (P < .04) plasma insulin, and thyroids hormones, but decreased (P < .01) haemoglobin, haematocrit value and cortisol hormones. It can be concluded that zilpaterol supplementation of 0.20 mg ZH/kg LW significantly influences blood metabolic hormones concentrations, plasma volume, and cardiovascular and respiration rates.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the assistance rendered by following persons: Salman Nasrollahi and Adel Moftakharzadeh aiding in the rearing, slaughtering and preparing laboratory reports of experimental animals, Zeinab Shamani and Seyed Mohammad Taghi Gharibzahedi for their assistance in writing the technical report.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.