Twenty-four-hour profiles of metabolic and stress hormones in sheep selected for a calm or nervous temperament

Even in the absence of stressors, temperament is associated with changes in the concentration of stress-responsive hormones and, possibly because of such changes, temperament can affect metabolism. We tested whether, in sheep bred for temperament for 14 generations, “nervous” females have greater concentrations of stress-responsive hormones in the absence of stressors than “calm” females, and whether these differences are associated with changes in the concentrations of metabolic hormones. In resting “calm” (n = 8) and “nervous” (n = 8) sheep, concentrations of cortisol, prolactin, leptin, and insulin were measured in blood plasma sampled via jugular catheter every 20 min for 24 h.

Source: Domestic Animal Endocrinology - June 8, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Authors: S.E. Rietema, M.A. Blackberry, S.K. Maloney, G.B. Martin, P.A.R. Hawken, D. Blache Source Type: research