TABLE 4.

Comparison of VA status indicators in 3 groups of lactating sows on VA-replete or VA-free feed¹

Indicator	Deficiency cutoffs	VA-replete sows (PL1), n = 5	VA-depleted sows (L2), n = 8	VA-depleted sows (L3), n = 7
Liver reserves, μmol R/g	<0.07	0.73 ± 0.21a	—	0.23 ± 0.05b
Serum DR:R ratio	>0.0602	0.018 ± 0.013b	0.028 ± 0.017	0.069 ± 0.042a,*
Serum R, μmol/L	<1.053,4	0.94 ± 0.12	0.75 ± 0.23	0.86 ± 0.37
Milk R, μmol/L	<1.053	1.07 ± 0.34a	0.76 ± 0.17b	1.23 ± 0.33*
Milk 5-h DR:R ratio	Unknown	0.14 ± 0.12	0.30 ± 0.32	0.35 ± 0.32
Milk 7-h DR:R ratio	Unknown	0.20 ± 0.16b	0.47 ± 0.42	0.60 ± 0.49a

¹Values are means ± SD. Means in a row with different superscript letters are different using a one-tailed test (unpaired t test, P < 0.05). *Significantly higher value between L2 and L3 in the same sows (paired t test P < 0.05).

²The relationship of liver reserves and common indicators is in (9).

³Published cutoffs for the DR:R ratio, serum R (0.7 mol/L), and milk R are found in (24).

⁴A higher proposed value is 1.05 mol/L is found in (25).