Impact of copper deficiency in cows on immune system function in offspring: a study using lymphocyte immunophenotyping

Parameter	Reference range (19)	Normocupraemic cows, subgroup Ia	Normocupraemic calves, subgroup Ib	Hypocupraemic cows, subgroup IIa	Hypocupraemic calves, subgroup IIb
Cu (μmol/L)	12–20	13.35 ± 1.50^a	13.45 ± 0.66^a	10.25 ± 1.18^b	11.83 ± 1.68^ab
Fe (μmol/L)	21.5–35.8	27.50 ± 1.33^a	23.70 ± 1.66^b	31.90 ± 3.98^a	25.25 ± 4.33^ab
WBC ×10⁹/L	6.25–9.5	9.50 ± 3.89^a	10.03 ± 1.34^a	6.60 ± 1.61^b	9.70 ± 3.97^a
GP (%)	0–2	3.00 ± 1.00	1.50 ± 0.71	3.67 ± 3.79	2.00 ± 0.00
GS (%)	23–37	44.50 ± 15.80	31.50 ± 15.59	39.50 ± 10.85	35.67 ± 24.54
L (%)	53–67	49.00 ± 13.34	64.00 ± 15.01	52.25 ± 9.64	60.67 ± 21.46
M (%)	0–4	2.00 ± 0.00	2.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00
RBC (×10¹²/L)	5.0–7.0	7.23 ± 0.46^a	9.24 ± 0.93^b	7.08 ± 0.57^a	8.50 ± 1.91^ab
HGB (g/L)	105–140	114 ± 1.83^a	110.00 ± 1.83^a	101.75 ± 8.22^b	101.00 ± 1.84^b
HCT (L/L)	0.3–0.4	0.35 ± 0.01^a	0.31 ± 0.02^ab	0.29 ± 0.02^b	0.29 ± 0.07^b
MCV (fL)	40–60	48.75 ± 2.99^a	36.00 ± 3.46^ab	46.00 ± 6.98^ab	36.00 ± 1.73^b
MCH (fmol/L)	0.9–1.5	0.98 ± 0.06^a	0.71 ± 0.05^b	0.87 ± 0.10^c	0.70 ± 0.03^b
MCHC (mmol/L)	16–21	20.06 ± 0.31	19.81 ± 0.62	19.40 ± 0.22	19.59 ± 0.57
PLT (×10⁹/L)	200–800	635 ± 164.04^a	807.25 ± 253.80^b	856.00 ± 83.63^b	815.00 ± 145.66^b

1 GP – granulocytes; GS – segmented granulocytes; L – lymphocytes; M – monocytes; concentrations are given as means ± SD;

1a, b and c – values in a row with different superscript letters differ significantly at α = 0.05

Table 2.

Lymphocyte immunophenotypes in cow and calf serum

	Normocupraemic cows, subgroup Ia	Normocupraemic calves, subgroup Ib	Hypocupraemic cows, subgroup IIa	Hypocupraemic calves, subgroup IIb
TCD8%	8.99 ± 0.72^a	7.45 ± 0.12^a	13.35 ± 2.61^b	13.18 ± 4.73^b
TCD4%	23.19 ± 2.85^a	16.12 ± 1.54^b	27.60 ± 5.03^ac	19.31 ± 3.91^b
CD4⁺:CD8⁺ ratio	2.58 ± 0.23^a	2.16 ± 0.17^a	2.14 ± 0.56^a	1.54 ± 0.36^b
BCD21%	26.35 ± 2.04^a	26.5 ± 4.72^a	24.88 ± 6.27^a	17.01 ± 14.30^b
MHC II%	45.12 ± 4.38^a	45.35 ± 16.99^a	36.15 ± 5.87^b	29.74 ± 16.20^b

1 TCD4⁺ – CD4 T helper cells; TCD8⁺ – CD8 T helper cells; MHC II – major histocompatibility complex class II; BCD21 – CD21 B cells; values are given as means ± SD;

1a, b and c – values in a row with different superscript letters differ significantly at α = 0.05

Representative flow cytometric dot plots of peripheral blood lymphocytes in cows with hypocupraemia and healthy control animals. A – healthy cows; B – cows with hypocupraemia. SSC – side scatter; A – pulse area; MHC II – major histocompatibility complex class II; PE – phycoerythrin

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2026-0040 | Journal eISSN: 2450-8608 (formerly 2300-3235)

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Language: English

Submitted on: Feb 13, 2026

Accepted on: Aug 7, 2026

Published on: Aug 12, 2026

Published by: National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

immunity,

flow cytometry,

hypocupraemia,

lymphocyte subpopulations,

maternal nutrition

Related subjects:

Life sciences,

Molecular biology,

Microbiology and virology,

Life sciences, other,

Medicine,

Veterinary medicine

© 2026 Beata Abramowicz, Łukasz Kurek, Urszula Lisiecka, Katarzyna Żarczyńska, Anna Szczotka-Bochniarz, published by National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Impact of copper deficiency in cows on immune system function in offspring: a study using lymphocyte immunophenotyping

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