Table 2. Least squares mean (±SE) serum NEFA, BHBA, cholesterol and calcium concentrations in grazing cows relative to health outcome during the first 3 wk after calving.

Analyte and health outcome		Period relative to calving
	n	wk 1	wk 2	wk 3
NEFA (mmol/L)
No event	153	0.60 ± 0.05	0.59 ± 0.06	0.46 ± 0.10
Clinical mastitis	14	0.68 ± 0.10	0.69 ± 0.10	0.49 ± 0.12
Mild metritis	54	0.58 ± 0.06	0.57 ± 0.08	0.42 ± 0.10
Severe metritis	22	0.76 ± 0.09*	0.70 ± 0.10	0.51 ± 0.10
Multiple events	45	0.70 ± 0.06†	0.58 ± 0.08	0.49 ± 0.12
BHBA (mmol/L)
No event	153	0.65 ± 0.04	0.72 ± 0.04	0.66 ± 0.04
Clinical mastitis	14	0.64 ± 0.09	0.73 ± 0.09	0.68 ± 0.04
Mild metritis	54	0.73 ± 0.05	0.73 ± 0.06	0.65 ± 0.05
Severe metritis	20	0.96 ± 0.08***	0.88 ± 0.08	0.60 ± 0.05
Multiple events	45	0.74 ± 0.05	0.74 ± 0.06	0.64 ± 0.05
Cholesterol (mmol/L)
No event	153	2.15 ± 0.17	2.70 ± 0.20	3.18 ± 0.20
Clinical mastitis	14	2.20 ± 0.20	2.39 ± 0.20†	3.12 ± 0.20
Mild metritis	54	2.21 ± 0.18	2.42 ± 0.20**	2.96 ± 0.20*
Severe metritis	20	2.29 ± 0.20	2.18 ± 0.20**	2.83 ± 0.20*
Multiple events	45	1.94 ± 0.18*	2.25 ± 0.20***	2.81 ± 0.20**
Calcium (mmol/L)
No event	153	2.29 ± 0.04	2.34 ± 0.04	2.38 ± 0.04
Clinical mastitis	14	2.28 ± 0.08	2.22 ± 0.06†	2.29 ± 0.06
Mild metritis	54	2.26 ± 0.06	2.34 ± 0.04	2.38 ± 0.04
Severe metritis	20	2.17 ± 0.08†	2.26 ± 0.06	2.38 ± 0.06
Multiple events	45	2.08 ± 0.06***	2.30 ± 0.05	2.36 ± 0.04

^a No event = cows that did not develop any clinical disorder of interest (retained placenta, clinical hypocalcemia, clinical mastitis, mild or severe metritis) by 22 DIM.

^b Multiple events = cows that developed 2 or more clinical disorders (retained placenta, clinical hypocalcemia, clinical mastitis, mild or severe metritis) by 22 DIM.

†P ≤ 0.1

*P ≤ 0.05

**P ≤ 0.01

***P ≤ 0.001 indicate differences in these analytes between No event cows and cows with one event (clinical mastitis, mild metritis or severe metritis only), and between No event cows and cows with Multiple events.