We defined methods for use of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL) and superoxide anion (O2-) production as parameters of the oxidative metabolism of neutrophils isolated from 1.5- to 5-week-old neonatal calves. We determined how variations in blood sample handling, agonist preparation, individual variability, and age of calves influenced the LDCL and O2- responses to certain agonists, and defined concentrations of soluble and particulate agonists that maximally stimulated the oxidative metabolism of bovine neutrophils. Oxidative responses, particularly LDCL, were characterized by marked dayto-day variability, differed greatly within and between calves, were partially age-dependent, and were partially dependent on the individual agonist. Superoxide anion production had substantially less variability. We compared the in vitro oxidative (LDCL and O2-) responses of neutrophils isolated from neonatal calves stimulated by defined concentrations of the agonists-latex, phorbol myristate acetate, calcium ionophore, and opsonized zymosan-with responses to formylated oligopeptides and zymosan-activated serum, and to live, dead, live opsonized, and dead opsonized Pasteurella haemolytica organisms. Opsonization of particulates, pathogenic or nonpathogenic, enhanced the LDCL and O2- responses of stimulated neutrophils although P haemolytica was a less potent stimulant of oxidative functions than were nonbiological agonists. We conclude that the generation of reactive oxygen species by bovine neutrophils in response to P haemolytica is highly dependent on the presence of opsonins and is greatly enhanced in live vs killed bacteria. Futhermore, the in vitro generation of reactive oxygen species, including O2- by stimulated neutrophils, may be of biologic importance if similar events occur in vivo, and could have a major role in the pathogenesis of the acute lung injury associated with pneumonic pasteurellosis.