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Table 1 Developmental parameters and blood biomarkers at birth in calves born to cows offered a control diet (CON, n = 39) or CON supplemented with ethyl-cellulose rumen-protected Met (MET, n = 42; Mepron® at 0.09% of diet DM; Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Germany) during the last 28 d of pregnancy

From: Maternal supply of methionine during late-pregnancy enhances rate of Holstein calf development in utero and postnatal growth to a greater extent than colostrum source

Item Maternal diet Sex P value1
CON MET Bull Heifer SEM M S M × S
Body weight, kg 42.1b 44.1a 44.9a 41.3b 0.70 0.04 < 0.01 –
Hip height, cm 79.6b 81.3a 81.0 79.8 0.53 0.02 0.11 –
Hip width, cm 16.3b 16.5ab 16.7a 16.1b 0.24 0.74 0.05 0.03
Wither height, cm 75.9b 77.8a 77.1 76.6 0.47 < 0.01 0.38 –
Body length, cm 110 112 112a 109b 1.0 0.30 0.04 –
Blood biomarkers, mmol/L
 Glucose 4.54 4.85 4.82 4.57 0.68 0.72 0.78 –
 Cholesterol 0.59 0.67 0.64 0.62 0.03 0.09 0.69 –
 NEFA 0.94 1.20 1.03 1.11 0.10 0.07 0.55 –
 Urea 5.63 6.31 6.47 5.47 0.39 0.19 0.06 –
 BHBA 0.07 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.01 0.11 0.48 –
 Creatinine 206 225 197 234 17.0 0.42 0.11 –
Amino acids, μmol/L
 His 8.81a 6.51b 7.59 7.73 0.61 0.01 0.86 –
 Ile 3.95 3.92 4.78a 3.08b 0.51 0.97 0.02 –
 Leu 7.51 6.74 8.43a 5.82b 0.80 0.47 0.02 –
 Lys 3.49a 2.54b 3.37 2.66 0.35 0.05 0.14 –
 Met 2.41 1.80 2.21 2.01 0.24 0.06 0.54 –
 Phe 4.63 4.20 4.40 4.44 0.32 0.30 0.93 –
 Thr 4.72 3.69 4.66 3.75 0.66 0.24 0.30 –
 Val 14.22 13.11 15.60a 11.74b 1.11 0.45 0.01 –
 Ala 69.71 50.40 70.81a 49.30b 7.79 0.07 0.05 –
 Arg 6.79 6.29 7.01 6.07 0.55 0.49 0.21 –
 Asn 2.10a 1.60b 2.08 1.62 0.18 0.04 0.06 –
 Asp 1.00 1.06 1.09 0.96 0.11 0.63 0.35 –
 Glu 3.04 3.37 3.68a 2.73b 0.26 0.33 0.01 –
 Gln 43.35 37.60 45.24 36.03 3.95 0.22 0.06 –
 Gly 46.18 44.84 47.75 43.27 3.66 0.78 0.36 –
 Pro 10.87 10.96 12.14a 9.69b 0.92 0.94 0.05 –
 Ser 7.30 7.52 8.57a 6.25b 0.80 0.84 0.04 –
 Tau 2.51 2.39 2.65 2.25 0.37 0.81 0.42 –
 Tyr 3.40 2.78 2.96 3.22 0.25 0.08 0.44 –
 Orn 0.26 0.22 0.27 0.21 0.02 0.18 0.06 –
 3-methyl-His 0.35 0.31 0.32 0.33 0.04 0.48 0.79 –
  1. 1M, maternal diet effect; S, bull or heifer effect
  2. a,bMeans on the same row differ (P ≤ 0.05).
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