Effects of dietary copper and molybdenum on copper status, cytokine production, and humoral immune response of calves.

Twenty-four male Holstein calves were used to determine the effects of dietary Cu and Mo on performance, Cu status, and immune function of calves. Calves were fed a milk replacer that was deficient in Cu for 8 wk and then were randomly assigned after weaning to one of four treatments: 1) control (no supplemental Cu or Mo), 2) 10 mg of Cu (from CuSO4)/kg of dry matter (DM) (Cu diet), 3) 5 mg of Mo (from Na2MoO4)/kg of DM (Mo diet), or 4) 5 mg of Cu (from CuSO4) and 5 mg of Mo (from Na2MoO4)/kg of DM (Cu + Mo diet). The basal diet was a semipurified diet that contained approximately 1.1 mg of Cu and 1.1 mg of Mo/kg of DM. Calves fed the Cu and Mo diets gained weight more efficiently than those fed the control and Cu + Mo diets during the 112-d study. By d 84 of the study, calves fed the Cu diet had higher plasma Cu concentrations and plasma ceruloplasmin activities than did calves fed the other three diets and had higher liver Cu concentrations on d 136. Plasma and liver Cu concentrations did not differ among calves fed the control, Mo, and Cu + Mo diets. At d 112, activity of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase was lower in calves fed the Mo diet than in calves fed the Cu diet. Serum total antibodies to porcine erythrocytes (primary response) were lower in calves fed the Mo diet than in calves fed the Cu diet at 7, 14, and 21 d postinoculation. Production of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 by isolated peripheral blood monocytes was not significantly affected by treatment. Although no differences were apparent in plasma or liver Cu concentrations among calves fed the control, Mo, and Cu + Mo diets, calves fed the Mo diet had a more severe Cu deficiency based on depressed humoral immune response and superoxide dismutase activity.