Effects of unilateral castration on serum luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and testosterone concentrations in one-, two-, and three-year-old stallions

Abstract

The endocrine control of compensatory hypertrophy was investigated in 12 Morgan stallions, four each at one, two and three years of age. Half were assigned to be unilaterally castrated (UC) in January and half to remain intact (IN). Nine blood samples were taken from each stallion at half-hour intervals 30, 90, and 150 d after unilateral castration for radioimmunoassay of serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone. Mean serum LH concentration was greater (P<0.06) in UC than IN stallions; however, the difference was greatest at 30 d and least at 150 d. Serum LH was greater (P<0.01) in two- and three-year-olds than in one-year-olds. The mean log 10 for serum FSH concentration was greater (P<0.06) in UC than IN stallions. Mean serum testosterone concentrations were similar in UC and IN stallions for all sample days, suggesting that the single testes of the UC stallions produced as much testosterone as the two testes of the IN stallions. Two- and three-year-old stallions had greater (P<0.01) serum testosterone than one-year-old stallions. Unilateral castration of stallions was associated with a significant increase in serum LH and FSH concentrations and, perhaps, higher intratesticular testosterone, which may explain, in part, the compensatory hypertrophy noted in the remaining testis.