Table 1.

P values related to alpha diversity measures in vaginal samples based on pregnancy status^a

	Comparison		Change in diversity	P value
Shannon index	1 Bred	1 Open		0.243
	2 Bred	2 Open		0.445
	3 Bred	3 Open		0.626
	1 Bred	2 Bred		0.119
	1 Bred	3 Bred	Increase	0.0005*
	1 Bred	4 Bred		0.146
	1 Open	2 Open		0.140
	1 Open	3 Open	Increase	0.001*
	2 Bred	3 Bred	Increase	0.018*
	2 Bred	4 Bred		0.935
	2 Open	3 Open	Increase	0.033*
	3 Bred	4 Bred	Decrease	0.047*
Observed OTUs	1 Bred	1 Open		0.158
	2 Bred	2 Open		0.962
	3 Bred	3 Open		0.437
	1 Bred	2 Bred		0.625
	1 Bred	3 Bred	Increase	0.002*
	1 Bred	4 Bred		0.876
	1 Open	2 Open		0.110
	1 Open	3 Open	Increase	0.002*
	2 Bred	3 Bred	Increase	0.003*
	2 Bred	4 Bred		0.419
	2 Open	3 Open	Increase	0.046
	3 Bred	4 Bred	Decrease	0.001*

^* Pair-wise comparisons between stage and pregnancy status were determined to be statistically significant at P < 0.05

^a Vaginal samples were obtained from 72 beef heifers. Individuals that established a pregnancy (n = 56) were samples before breeding (stage 1) and at 3 time points during gestation (stages 2, 3, and 4). Individuals that failed to establish a pregnancy (n = 16) were sampled before breeding (stage 1) and during the first and second trimesters of gestation (stages 2 and 3)