α-Tocopherol and β-carotene concentrations in feed, colostrum, cow and calf serum in Swedish dairy herds with high or low calf mortality

Table 3 Distribution of variables analysed in collected samples and results of univariable analyses

Model/variable	High mortality (HM)			Low mortality (LM)			P value^a
Model/variable	25 pct.	Median	75 pct.	25 pct.	Median	75 pct.	P value^a
Model feed (nHM = 27; nLM = 30)
α-Tocopherol (mg/kg DM)	30.30	46.41	70.95	44.98	63.81	75.18	0.50
β-Carotene (mg/kg DM)	15.3	28.3	35.1	20.6	36.6	42.2	0.33
Number of days from collection of sample until arrival at lab	1	1	2	1	2	3	0.75
Model colostrum (nHM = 80^b; nLM = 87^b)
α-Tocopherol (µg/mL colostrum)	1.58	2.62	5.68	0.91	2.25	4.37	0.085
β-Carotene (µg/mL colostrum)	0.47	0.75	1.74	0.29	0.74	1.45	0.14
Total solids (Brix%)	21.20	23.35	26.05	19.90	22.40	25.10	0.20
Fat^c (%)	3.44	4.95	7.30	2.65	3.82	6.56	0.10
Lactose^c (%)	2.82	3.10	3.31	3.01	3.21	3.50	0.003
Protein^c (%)	12.39	13.65	15.48	11.07	13.02	14.77	0.21
Number of days from collection of sample until arrival at lab	1	3	5	1	3	4	0.61
Model cow (nHM = 90; nLM = 99)
α-Tocopherol (µg/mL serum)	1.75	2.34	2.75	1.98	2.59	3.00	0.17
β-Carotene (µg/mL serum)	2.17	2.95	4.09	2.40	3.37	4.46	0.39
Number of days from collection of sample until arrival at lab	1	1	2	1	2	3	0.74
Model calf (nHM = 89; nLM = 98)
α-Tocopherol (µg/mL serum)	0.59	0.90	1.19	0.72	1.07	1.44	0.030
β-Carotene (µg/mL serum)	0.07	0.11	0.17	0.08	0.15	0.20	0.18
Total protein (g/L)	53	57	61	53	57	62	0.77
Age (days) of the calf at sampling	3	4	6	3	4	5	0.32
Number of days from collection of sample until arrival at lab	1	1	2	1	2	4	0.77

^aTested with univariable logistic regression with cluster on herd of its association with type of herd (HM/LM)
^bSamples with blood in colostrum omitted (n_HM = 3; n_LM = 8)
^cFive missing values

ISSN: 1751-0147