Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-46).

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-169).

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-139).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1963. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [55]-58).

Thesis (M.Eng.)--University of Louisville, 2006. / Title and description from thesis home page (viewed Jan. 11, 2007). Department of Industrial Engineering. Vita. "December 2006." Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-42).

M.Tech.

Sixteen lactating regularly cycling dairy cows (14 primiparous, 2 multiparous) were used to determine the effects of somatotropin administration on basal, peak, and pulse luteinizing hormone concentrations during the breeding period. In addition, the effects of somatotropin administration on the pituitary response to a gonadotropinreleasing hormone challenge was studied. The experimental group received daily somatotropin treatments (25mg) for 24 days. The control group received a daily placebo. All animals were treated with three injections of prostaglandin F2-alpha (25 mgjtreatment) for estrus synchronization. Somatotropin and placebo treatments began with the second prostaglandin injection. Sixty hours following the final prostaglandin injection, all cows were catheterized via a jugular vein. Blood samples were collected at 15-minute intervals for 24 hours. The estimated mean time to the preovulatory luteinizing hormone peak was 62.5 +/- 1.8 (SE) hours among 6 of 16 animals responding. Mean plasma peak luteinizing hormone concentration (regardless of treatment) was 13.49 +/- 4 .18 (SE) ng/ml. On Day 10 of the subsequent estrous cycle, blood samples were collected at 20-minute intervals for 6 hours to determine basal levels of luteinizing hormone. Immediately fo llowing this collection period, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone challenge (100 ug) was administered intravenously. Blood samples were collected at 15-minute intervals for an additional 8 hours. BST did not affect basal, peak, or pulse luteinizing hormone concentrations . There were no differences in basal luteinizing hormone concentration, pulse amplitude, pulse interval, or pulse frequency. BST did not affect the pituitary response to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone challenge. Time to peak, time to return to basal, peak concentration, peak width, and peak luteinizing hormone amplitude were not different among treatment groups following the gonadotropin-releasing hormone challenge. Milk production of BST-treated cows was increased 7% (2.1 kg/d) over controls.

Milk serum proteins have been shown by other workers to be partially protected from heat denaturation by the presence of milk solids (8, 15, 16) and whole caseinate (14). This study revealed that some serum proteins (B-lactoglobulin), as shown by the Harland-Ashworth test (14, 17), were more readily denatured in skimmilk than in rennet whey. A comparison of the heat denaturation rate of serum proteins in whey as opposed to those in whey containing 2.5 percent isoelectric casein was also studied. A striking protection of serum proteins seemed apparent in the presence of isoelectric casein. However, it was learned that isoelectric casein interferes with results of the Harland-Ashworth test, and by taking this interference into account, that isoelectric casein has no affect on the heat denaturation rate of serum proteins. Some proteins are more sensitive to heat in the presence of miceller casein than in the presence of isoelectric casein or no casein at all. The addition of sulfhydryl-group blocking agents (P-chloromercuribenzoic acid and N-ethylmaleimide) inhibited serum protein denaturization in both skimmilk and rennet whey. Reactions of sulfhydryl groups following their liberation by heat resulted in much of the physical instability measured by the Harland-Ashworth test. The complex between B-lactoglobulin and K-casein, if it had any affect at all, was not one of the significant sulfhydryl-group reactions involved in the heat denaturation of the serum proteins.

Thirty-six dairy calves were observed for four months to determine the effect of three housing methods, group, individual and isolated on body weight gain, feed consumption, age when started to consume grain, daily activity patterns, open field test of behavior and social rank. Six calves were assigned to each of the three treatments in two separate trials of eighteen calves. These calves were raised in their treatment for approximately two months and then weaned and placed together in a group of eighteen for two more months. Treatments ranked in order from high to low according to least squares means for weight gain over four months were: group, individual and isolated. The differences were, however, not significant (P>.05). There was a significant difference in weight gain from weaning until four months between the group calves and the isolated calves, with the group calves gaining weight faster during this weaned period (P<.05). Group calves began consuming grain at a younger age (P<.Ol) than the calves on the other two treatments, but total feed consumed over the first 10 weeks was not significantly different (P>.05). Isolated calves tended to spend a greater portion of the time lying down than calves in the other two treatments but the difference was not significant (P>.05). In the open-field test isolated calves entered more squares than the group or individual calves, but the group calves were the most vocal of the calves in the three treatments (P<.Ol). The group calves placed higher in the social order and won a higher percentage of encounters (P<.Ol) than the individual or isolated calves during the weaned period.

One hundred sixteen third- and fourth-service lactating dairy cows from five cooperating herds were used to compare the pregnancy rate of cows given Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone five minutes following insemination with pregnancy rate of control cows. In addition, milk production level, age at service and days in milk at time of service were used to compare pregnancy rates. Milk production level was expressed as relative value (percent of herd mature equivalent production). There were no differences between treated and untreated control cows in pregnancy rate. In addition, there were no differences between service number (3 or 4), relative value group, age at service, days in milk at time of service, treatment by service, treatment by relative value, service by relative value, age squared and days in milk squared in pregnancy rate.