Table 2.

Blood glucose, total protein (TP), calcium (Ca), phosphorus P, magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and triiodothyronine (T3) during late pregnancy and postpartum periods and in nonpregnant crossbred dairy cows. Results are expressed as mean ± SD.

Group
Parameters	Late pregnancy	Postpartum period (PPP)	Nonpregnant	p value
Glucose, mg/dl	67.89 ± 6.52a	65.88 ± 5.94a	57.40 ± 7.90b	∗∗∗
Total protein (TP), g/dl	6.42 ± 0.55a	6.93 ± 0.98b	7.18 ± 0.40b	∗∗
Ca, mg/dl	8.69 ± 0.50	8.39 ± 0.91	8.42 ± 1.19	NS
P, mg/dl	6.44 ± 1.19	6.33 ± 1.38	6.05 ± 1.57	NS
Mg, mg/dl	2.10 ± 0.30b	2.15 ± 0.38ab	2.38 ± 0.25a	NS
Fe, µg/dl	158.51 ± 36.50a	124.76 ± 33.50b	142.93 ± 40.07ab	∗∗
T3, ng/dl	4.96 ± 0.64b	4.27 ± 0.85a	5.58 ± 0.97b	∗∗