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Effect of copper status, supplementation, and source on pituitary responsiveness to exogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone in ovariectomized beef cows^1,2,3

J. K. Ahola^*,4, T. E. Engle^* and P. D. Burns^,5

^* Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523; and and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley 80639

⁵ Correspondence: 2536 Ross Hall, Campus Box 92 (phone: 970-351-2695; fax: 970-351-2335; e-mail: patrick.burns{at}unco.edu).

The effect of Cu status, supplementation, and source on pituitary responsiveness to exogenous GnRH was evaluated using nine multiparous, nonpregnant, nonsuckling, ovariectomized Angus cows (7.1 ± 3.3 yr; 622.9 ± 49.8 kg; BCS = 6.0 ± 0.5). Cows were considered Cu-deficient based on liver Cu concentrations (<30 mg of Cu/kg of DM) after receiving a low-Cu, forage-based diet supplemented (DM basis) with 5 mg of Mo/kg and 0.3% S for 216 d. Copper-deficient cows were stratified based on age, BW, BCS, and liver Cu concentration and assigned randomly to repletion-phase treatments. Treatments included 1) control (no supplemental Cu); 2) organic (ORG; 100% organic Cu); and 3) inorganic (ING; 100% inorganic CuSO₄). Treatments were formulated to meet all NRC recommendations, except for Cu, which was supplemented to ORG and ING cows at 10 mg of Cu/kg of dietary DM. During the 159-d repletion phase, Cu status was monitored via liver biopsy samples, and all cows received exogenous progesterone. A controlled intravaginal drug-release device (replaced every 14 d) was used to maintain luteal phase progesterone as a means to provide negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. During the repletion phase, liver Cu concentrations did not differ between ORG and ING cows at any time. By d 77 of the repletion phase, all supplemented cows were considered adequate in Cu, and liver Cu concentrations were greater in supplemented than in nonsupplemented control cows on d 77 (P < 0.05) and throughout (P < 0.01) the repletion phase. Beginning on d 99, exogenous GnRH was administered to all cows at low (0, 3, and 9 µg; Exp. 1) and high doses (0, 27, and 81 µg; Exp. 2) at six different times. Cows were catheterized every fifth day, and blood samples were collected every 15 min for 1 h before and 4 h after GnRH administration and analyzed for LH concentration. In Exp. 1, Cu status and supplementation did not affect basal or peak LH concentrations, but total LH released tended (P < 0.07) to be greater in Cu-supplemented vs. control cows when 3 µg of GnRH was administered. In Exp. 2, there was no effect of Cu supplementation or source on basal, peak, or total LH released, regardless of GnRH dose. Pituitary LH concentrations did not differ across treatments. In conclusion, Cu status, supplementation, and source did not affect GnRH-induced LH secretion or pituitary LH stores in ovariectomized, progesterone-supplemented cows in this experiment.

Key Words: Beef Cattle • Copper • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone • Pituitary • Reproduction