Arginine infusion stimulates prolactin, growth hormone, insulin, and subsequent lactation in pregnant dairy cows.

L-Arginine or saline was administered intravenously by rapid infusion into 16 late-pregnant Holstein cows to study changes of prolactin, growth hormone, insulin, total protein, urea nitrogen, and subsequent lactation. Arginine was infused daily at .1 g/kg body weight starting about 7 days prior to predicted calving until calving. Blood was sampled via a jugular cannula at 0700, 0715, 0730 (infusion immediately followed 0730 h sample), 0745, 0815, 0845, 1100, 1300, 1500, 1700, and 1900 h. Arginine infusion evoked dramatic but transient increase of concentrations of blood serum prolactin, growth hormone, and insulin. Urea nitrogen also was elevated in blood serum but not total protein. The secretory response of prolactin, growth hormone, and insulin to daily arginine infusion during the entire prepartum period was not diminished. Milk production for the first 22 wk of lactation tended to be higher (by about 10%) for cows infused with arginine as compared to cows infused with saline. Therefore, repeated arginine infusion in late-pregnant cows dramatically increased prolactin, growth hormone, and insulin and tended to increase subsequent milk yield.