* 4.


Everglades Station Mimeo Report 61-20 June 22, 1961

 The Value of Different Levels of Resernine
 For Steers Fattened on Pasture / _/

 H. L. Chapman, Jr. and C. E. Hainesl/


 Reserpine is a tertiary alkaloid, isolated from Rauwolfia serpentina,
and possesses the sedative and hypotensive activity obtained in the crude
root. Pharmacological studies with reserpine have demonstrated that
administration of the drug results in parasympathetic activity, manifested
by increased tone of the gastro intestinal tract, increased gastric secretion,
a bradycardia and miosis.

 Interest in the use of various tranquilizing drugs, derived from the
Rauwolfia plant, in cattle feeding has been exemplified in recent studies.
However, results from these have been variable. A review of these studies
suggest that the level of dose may not be sufficiently well defined. The
purpose of the two studies reported in this paper was to determine the effect
of different levels of reserpine intake upon cattle, being fattened on pasture.


 Exerimental Procedure

 In the first experiment, initiated July 27, 1959, forty two-year-old
Brahman x Angus steers having an average initial weight of 742 pounds were
divided into 5 lots of 8 animals each on the basis of weight and condition.
The steers were allotted to treatment randomly, within weight group. All
groups were full fed a concentrate ration, on pasture, for 98 days. The
pasture forage was Roselawn St. Augustinegrass. The concentrate ration was
comprised of 48.7 percent ground snapped corn, 40 percent dried citrus pulp,
10 percent 36% cottonseed meal, 0.8 percent Urea-262 and 0.5 percent of a
complete mineral mixture. Reserpine (Serpasil, CIBA Pharmaceutical Company)
was administered in the feed at the rate of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg. per
animal daily.

 During the second experiment 46 Brahman x Angus yearling steers, having
an average initial weight of 664 pounds were divided into three groups, on
the basis of weight and condition. This study was initiated May 25, 1960
and conducted for a period of 128 days. The concentrate ration and pasturery
forage was the same as during the first study. Levels of 0, 0.25 and O-'aimg '
of reserpine (Serpasil, CIBA Pharmaceutical Company) were fed per anil .a
daily to the three groups.

L/ Acknowledgement is made to L. V. Morris, Tom Swager, J. V. Mc da
 others who assisted in the conduction of these experiments. \cs\

2/ These studies were supported in part by a grant-in-aid furnished by, CIBA
 Pharmaceutical Company, Summit, New Jersey.

/ Associate Animal Nutritionist and Assistant Animal Husbandman, Everglades
 Experiment Station, Belle Glade, Florida.