Polymorphonuclear leukocyte function was evaluated in vitro after in vivo administration of a single dose of dexamethasone to cattle. Purified polymorphonuclear leukocytes from dexamethasone-treated cattle displayed enhanced random migration under agarose but impaired ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus, Nitro Blue Tetrazolium reduction, chemiluminescence, iodination, and antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The depression of iodination may have been related to a drop in the proportion of eosinophils present in the polymorphonuclear leukocyte preparations after dexamethasone administration.