Table 2 Blood plasma biomarkers at d 2 of age in Holstein calves (n = 6/group) born to cows randomly assigned to receive a basal control (CON) diet from − 28 ± 2 d to parturition [1.47 Mcal/kg dry matter (DM) and 15.3% crude protein (CP)] with no added Met or CON plus ethyl cellulose Met (MET, Mepron®, Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Germany)

Glucose (mmol/L)

9.34

8.12

0.35

0.08

Cholesterol (mmol/L)

0.96

0.89

0.07

0.64

Urea (mmol/L)

3.32

3.56

0.24

0.62

Ca (μmol/L)

3.08

2.89

0.07

0.22

P (μmol/L)

2.39

2.27

0.05

0.29

Mg (μmol/L)

1.00

0.96

0.03

0.59

Na (μmol/L)

145.98

147.10

0.87

0.55

K (μmol/L)

4.82

5.44

0.19

0.12

Cl (μmol/L)

99.38

98.92

0.72

0.76

Zn (μmol/L)

10.32

9.78

1.84

0.89

Ceruloplasmin (μmol/L)

0.99

1.01

0.12

0.93

Albumin (g/L)

26.64

27.86

0.47

0.21

AST (U/L)

112.85

128.47

10.49

0.49

GGT (U/L)

1,344.67

1,406.67

145.77

0.84

Bilirubin (μmol/L)

14.73

16.89

1.71

0.55

NEFA (mmol/L)

0.28

0.34

0.05

0.60

Hydroxybutyrate (mmol/L)

0.05

0.09

0.01

0.08

CREA (μmol/L)

107.92

111.67

4.81

0.72

Paraoxonase (U/mL)

12.27

13.02

1.15

0.76

ROM (mg H₂O₂/100 mL)

13.14

12.86

0.75

0.87

FRAP (μmol/L)

164.50

171.50

8.31

0.70

NO_x (μmol/L)

194.00

239.33

22.31

0.33

NO₂⁻ (μmol/L)

16.87

10.33

2.56

0.26

NO₃⁻ (μmol/L)

156.50

229.00

24.06

0.14

Insulin (μg/L)

1.05

0.70

0.16

0.29