We tested the hypothesis that rapidly expressed inhibitory effects of estradiol (E) on luteinizing hormone (LH) release in the male are attributable, in part, to suppression of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) release. Hypophyseal-portal cannulated, castrated male sheep were infused with E (15 ng/kg/hr) or vehicle. Portal and jugular blood samples were collected at 10-min intervals for 4 hr before, and for either 12 hr (E, n = 4; vehicle, n = 4) or 24 hr (E, n = 8; vehicle, n = 3) after the start of infusion. In animals sampled for 16 hr, temporal changes in both LHRH and LH were assessed. In animals sampled for 28 hr, only LH data were analyzed. Before either the 12-hr or 24-hr infusion, LHRH and/or LH mean concentrations, pulse amplitude and interpulse interval (IPI) did not differ between E- and vehicle-infused animals. In animals sampled for 16 hr, no effects of time or steroid x time interactions were detected for mean LHRH and LHRH pulse amplitude; however, both were greater (P < 0.01) in vehicle-infused than in E-infused males. LHRH IPI was unaffected by infusion. In contrast, both mean LH and LH pulse amplitude declined (P < 0.01) within 4-8 hr after the start of E infusion, whereas mean LH IPI was unaffected. In animals sampled for 28 hr, an effect of time (P < 0.01) and a steroid x time interaction (P < 0.01) was detected for mean LH, and there was an effect of time (P < 0.01) on LH pulse amplitude. Mean LH IPI was not affected. Our results show that in male sheep E rapidly reduces LH release in the absence of a detectable change in LHRH release.