The luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing activity of two distinct chicken luteinizing hormone releasing hormones ([Gln8]-LHRH and [His5, Trp7, Tyr8]-LHRH) were evaluated in white Leghorn cockerels. In the first study, thirty birds were randomly allotted to five groups and injected, i.v., with 0.9% saline, [Gln8]-LHRH (cLHRH I, 1 microM or 10 microM) or [His5, Trp7, Tyr8]-LHRH, (cLHRH II; 1 microM or 10 microM). Blood samples were drawn prior to and through 60 min following the injection, and plasma was collected for LH determination. In the second study, anterior pituitary cells from cockerels were dispersed and preincubated for 1 hr. Approximately 1.5 X 10(5) cells per tube were incubated with either Medium 199 buffer (control), 8-bromo-cAMP or various doses of cLHRH I or cLHRH II at final concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 100.0 nM. At the end of a two hour incubation, supernatant was collected and the concentration of LH determined. Injection of cLHRH I or cLHRH II at 1 microM and 10 microM levels caused a significant increase in blood LH concentrations which peaked 5 min following injection. There were, however, no differences between the stimulatory effect of cLHRH I compared to cLHRH II at either dose. On the other hand, cLHRH II was found to be 4.7 times more potent than cLHRH I in stimulating LH release from dispersed pituitary cells. It is suggested that cLHRH II may have greater affinity for the gonadotroph receptor, greater uptake by the cell, and/or that it may be more resistant to in vitro degradation than cLHRH I. On the other hand, an extra pituitary site of degradation may be more effective in metabolizing cLHRH II, resulting in its equipotency with cLHRH I, in vivo.