Table 1.

Estimated means (SE) (pooled by journey and source) of baseline physiological and health parameters during transport of young calves (n = 66) at four locations between Ireland and the Netherlands.

	Source farm/mart	Assembly center	Lairage	Veal farm	P-value	Reference range
Glucose (mmol/L)	5.02 ± 0.15a	6.24 ± 0.17b	3.39 ± 0.09c	3.55 ± 0.07c	< 0.0001	3.9–8.4	(21)
Beta-hydroxy butyrate (mmol/L)	0.11 ± 0.06a	0.1 ± 0.08a	0.34 ± 0.06b	0.37 ± 0.05b	< 0.0001	0–0.13	(22)
Non-esterified fatty acids (mmol/L)	0.2 ± 0.01a	0.21 ± 0.02a	0.62 ± 0.02b	0.65 ± 0.02b	< 0.0001	0.04–0.27	(23)
Potassium (mmol/L)	5.53 ± 0.06a	5.28 ± 0.07b	6.9 ± 0.1c	5.67 ± 0.06a	< 0.0001	4.13–5.41	(21)
Sodium (mmol/L)	140.4 ± 0.27a	141.3 ± 0.27b	144.6 ± 0.26c	142.9 ± 0.3d	< 0.0001	133.3–140.2	(21)
Magnesium (mmol/L)	0.66 ± 0.01a	0.72 ± 0.02bc	0.68 ± 0.01ab	0.73 ± 0.01c	< 0.0001
Corrected chloride (mmol/L)	95.4 ± 0.26a	96.5 ± 0.24b	96.2 ± 0.23c	98.5 ± 0.17d	< 0.0001
Strong-ion difference (mmol/L)	48 ± 0.26a	46.9 ± 0.27b	49.8 ± 0.29c	45.7 ± 0.21d	< 0.0001	39.4–48.8	(21)
Urea (mmol/L)	1.87 ± 0.06a	3.29 ± 0.05b	3.51 ± 0.05bc	3.68 ± 0.05c	< 0.0001	0.4–3.4	(22)
Haematocrit (%)	32.81 ± 0.82a	31.45 ± 0.86b	37.73 ± 0.96c	34.24 ± 0.9d	< 0.0001	25–43	(21)
Total protein (g/L)	58.4 ± 0.72a	60.4 ± 0.79b	56.4 ± 1.1a	60 ± 0.81b	< 0.0001	40–90	(24)
Creatine kinase (u/L)	155 ± 0.07a	177.3 ± 0.06a	185.2 ± 0.06a	225.4 ± 0.06b	< 0.0001	90–120	(22)
L-lactate (mmol/L)	2.14 ± 0.03a	1.54 ± 0.06b	1.47 ± 0.05c	1.76 ± 0.03d	< 0.0001	0.33–1.37	(25)
Cortisol (ng/ml)	8.55 ± 0.12a	10.85 ± 0.11b	14 ± 0.09c	10.37 ± 0.11d	< 0.0001	0–2	(22)
White blood cell count (109/L)	10.3 ± 0.04a	10.8 ± 0.06a	9.6 ± 0.04a	8.2 ± 0.04b	< 0.0001	2.55–23.73	(24)
Neutrophil count (109/L)	3.83 ± 0.07a	4.37 ± 0.1a	3.93 ± 0.06a	2.96 ± 0.07b	< 0.0001	0.38–15.78	(24)
Lymphocyte count (109/L)	4.09 ± 0.07a	4.7 ± 0.05b	3.53 ± 0.05c	3.49 ± 0.05d	< 0.0001	0.17–9.45	(24)
Monocyte count (109/L)	0.82 ± 0.06a	0.79 ± 0.06a	1.48 ± 0.05b	1.15 ± 0.05c	< 0.0001	0.01–2.11	(24)
Serum amyloid-A (mg/L)	59.3 ± 0.12a	75.3 ± 0.1b	81.3 ± 0.11b	76.8 ± 0.09ab	0.006	< 0.178	(26)
Haptoglobin (mg/ml)	1.68 ± 0.06a	1.8 ± 0.06b	1.24 ± 0.07c	1.71 ± 0.06ab	< 0.0001	0.07–0.46	(23)
Skin tent (% of calves)	1.59 ± 1.59ab	8.93 ± 3.85ab	21.21 ± 5.07a	41.54 ± 6.16c	< 0.0001
Eye discharge (% of calves)	18.2 ± 4.78	37.5 ± 6.53	22.7 ± 5.20	31.8 ± 5.78	0.0766
Nose discharge (% of calves)	3.0 ± 2.13	0 ± 0	0 ± 0	16.7 ± 4.62	0.1552
Navel inflammation (% of calves)	28.8 ± 5.62	33.9 ± 6.38	40.9 ± 6.10	33.3 ± 5.85	0.4972
Body weight (kg)	55.9 ± 0.17a	55.6 ± 0.18b	52.3 ± 0.17c	53.4 ± 0.17d	< 0.0001

P-value reflects the main effect of time between the four sampling locations. Reference ranges are taken from previously published research.

Mean values without a common superscript (^{a, b, c, d}) differ significantly (P < 0.05).