The growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene in cattle is expressed as multiple GHR mRNA variants that differ in the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR). Three GHR mRNA 5'-UTR variants (named 1A, 1B, and 1C) were isolated in previous studies. Six additional GHR mRNA 5'-UTR variants (named 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, and 1I) were discovered in the present study by using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Ribonuclease protection assays (RPA) indicated that variant 1A was exclusively expressed in liver, variant 1F was expressed in liver and muscle, and most of the remaining GHR 5'-UTR variants were expressed in a variety of tissues including liver and muscle. The RPA also indicated that in liver and skeletal muscle, two important GH target tissues, the most abundant GHR mRNA 5'-UTR variants were 1A and 1B (liver) and 1B and 1C (muscle), respectively. In vitro translation assays indicated that the GHR 5'-UTR variants also differed in their effects on the translation of a luciferase reporter mRNA. Notably, the GHR 5'-UTR 1B, which is a highly expressed GHR 5'-UTR variant in vivo, strongly inhibited translation of the luciferase reporter mRNA. The observations in the present study suggest that GHR expression in the bovine may be controlled by translational mechanisms in addition to complex transcriptional mechanisms.