A repartitioning effect was observed in young rats after a chronic treatment with a nonselective beta-agonist administered subcutaneously. An increase in carcass protein (P less than 0.05) accompanied by a reduction in fat stores (P less than 0.01) and an increase in back fat oxygen consumption (P less than 0.05) were found in treated animals. The muscle mass accretion should be attributed to a reduction in muscle protein degradation, based on lower activity of the proteolytic enzyme cathepsin A in treated rats, rather than to changes in protein synthesis, assessed by an amino-acid incorporation technique. The anabolic actions of this compound apparently involve changes in muscle prostaglandin E2 and reduction-oxidation state.