Ralgro

Non-hormonal Growth Stimulant on Pastured Calves

Abstract

Ralgro is not non-hormonal. It is a synthesized product. The original idea for Ralgro came from a microtoxin from corn. They noticed when it was fed to pigs they got an improvement in performance but also enlarged vulvas and mammary development.

Synthesizing this product has elevated these side-effects. It is non-hormonal in that effect and it does not have much estrogenic activity. That does not mean it does not have some, because it does give enlargement in uterine size in heifers, for example. I had ample opportunity to look at this last spring when some heifers were implanted just prior to spaying. These heifers had congested uteri and they were implanted just the day before they were spayed. So we know the effect takes hold quite rapidly. But it is not a real handicapped factor. In fact, as far as spaying heifers is concerned, it makes the uterus a little bit easier to pick up. In regard to hemorrhage, this was not any greater than we had observed in unimplanted heifers.