Effect of Copper Status on Luteinizing Hormone Secretion in Dairy Steers

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of Cu status on neuroendocrine regulation of LH secretion in dairy steers. In Experiment 1, 18 Holstein steers were assigned randomly to treatment groups in a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of basal diet alone (control) or supplemented with 5ppm of Mo or with 20ppm of Cu. At 8 and 16 wk, Cu concentrations in liver were higher in the group receiving Cu and lower in the group receiving Mo than in the control. Pulse frequencies of LH were not affected by any treatment. Serum LH concentration at 16 wk tended to be lower in the group receiving Mo than in either the control or the group receiving Cu. The ability of the pituitary gland to release LH in response to GnRH was not affected at 17 wk. Concentrations of LH in the pituitary glands were lower in the group receiving Mo than in that receiving Cu or in the controls. No differences in Cu or Mo concentrations were observed in pituitary, median eminence, or hypothalamic tissues. In Experiment 2, 12 Holstein steers were assigned to treatment groups receiving the basal diet supplemented with either 20 pprn of Cu or with 10 pprn of Mo. Spontaneous and GnRH-induced secretion of LH were not influenced by treatments after 8 mo of experiment. Reduction in Cu status has little effect on the endogenous secretion of LH in dairy steers.