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C L Ferrell

Publications and source records attributed to C L Ferrell.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Plasma growth hormone, prolactin and thyrotropin secretory patterns in Hereford and Simmental calves.

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that bull calves of a larger, faster growing breed of cattle exhibit greater secretory activity of anabolic pituitary hormones than bull calves of a smaller, slower growing breed. Calves of both breeds were raised under similar conditions and maintained on the same diet for approximately 4 weeks before the blood sampling period. Simmental bull calves had higher (P less than .01) average daily gains and a heavier (P less than .01) mean body weight than Hereford bull calves. Overall plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations were higher (P less than .01) in Simmental bull calves than in Hereford bull calves. Mean baseline GH was also higher (P less than .05) in Simmentals. Overall and baseline concentrations of prolactin (PRL) were similar for both breeds. Mean amplitude of PRL secretory spikes was higher (P less than .05) for Simmental than for Hereford bull calves. There was no breed effect on any variable of thyrotropin secretion. These data suggest that representatives of a larger, faster growing breed of cattle (Simmental) exhibit greater secretory activity of GH and PRL than do representatives of a smaller, slower growing breed (Hereford).

Animals↗

Testosterone influences on growth, performance, carcass characteristics and composition of young market lambs.

Ram lambs, wethers and wethers implanted with Silastic capsules containing crystalline testosterone were placed on test at 14.9 +/- 1.1 kg and evaluated for differences in growth, performance, carcass characteristics and composition. Silastic implants that were able to maintain physiological concentrations of serum testosterone provided appropriate replacement therapy in wethers. Growth rate, efficiency of feed utilization and carcass yield of intact ram lambs and testosterone-implanted wethers were superior to the corresponding traits of wethers. Wethers had greater backfat thickness and percentage kidney and pelvic fat, and their carcasses graded higher than those of ram lambs or wethers implanted with a high dosage of testosterone. Empty body composition was significantly affected by treatment. Thus, intact rams contained more water and protein but less fat and gross energy than wethers. Testosterone-implanted wethers were intermediate in composition. Carcass water and protein were not significantly affected by treatment; however, carcass fat and gross energy were highest for wethers and lowest for intact rams. The relationship between testosterone and carcass fat and energy was dose dependent; i.e., decreased fat and energy were associated with increased serum testosterone. In conclusion, testosterone appears to be the principal testicular hormone responsible for the superior performance and preferred carcass traits characteristic of young market rams.

Animals↗

The difficult airway: mechanisms for effective dissemination of critical information.

The perioperative management and dissemination of critical information regarding a patient with an unexpected difficult intubation, including successful application of a difficult airway algorithm (Figure 1), are described. Documentation and dissemination of critical information include entry of patient data into an in-hospital computerized Difficult Airway/Intubation Registry, simultaneous application of a highly visible Difficult Airway/Intubation Patient Wrist Band (coded for access to computer registry), summary reports distributed to health care providers, and enrollment of the patient in the Medic Alert Foundation International's newly established category difficult airway/intubation for 24-hour access. We postulate that the widespread use of the procedures described in this report may reduce the contribution of unexpected difficult airway/intubation to anesthetic morbidity and mortality.

Algorithms↗