Fig. 1

Gene copy numbers of fecal microbiota analysed by quantitative PCR in samples collected 7 d prepartum (relative to the expected calving date) as well as 21 d postpartum. Groups differed in SARA susceptibility during the first 3 postpartum weeks. *Mutually different means P ≤ 0.05. Postpartum grouping: susceptible group (SU; n = 10): mean or median of time below pH 6 of at least 180 min/d; moderately susceptible group (MS; n = 7): 60 min/d < mean time of pH below 6 < 180 min/d and median time of pH below 6 < 180 min/d; moderately unsusceptible group (MU; n = 11): 10 min/d < mean time of pH below 6 < 60 min/d and median time of pH below 6 ≤ 30 min/d; unsusceptible group (UN; n = 10): median time pH below 6 = 0 min/d and mean time pH below 6 < 10 min/d. Due to early calving, the prepartum groups included 10 cows from the SU group, the UN-group only contained nine animals and the MS (n = 3) and MU (n = 7) cows were merged into a single group (MO, n = 10)