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Table 1
Cortisol, total protein and immunoglobulin concentrations of sows on gestation days −5, 24, 66 and 108
		Time					P-values
	Diet	GD − 5	GD24	GD66	GD108	SE	Diet	Time	Diet × Time
Cortisol	Adequate	64.8^a	63.3^a	86.8	95.8^b	6.9
(nmol/L)	Low	51.4^a	65.4^a	72.4^a	101.9^A,b	6.4	0.009	< 0.001	0.249
	High	52.5	50.0	62.3	73.9^B	6.8
Total protein	Adequate	77.7	75.1	79.2	76.6^A	1.3
(mg/mL)	Low	79.3^a	75.1^a	77.0^a	68.8^B,b	1.3	0.082	< 0.001	< 0.001
	High	79.5	75.1^a	80.4^b	78.5^A	1.4
IgG (mg/mL)	Adequate	15.9	12.9^a	17.1^b	14.4	0.8
	Low	14.4	13.5^a	17.7^b	16.4	0.7	0.697	< 0.001	0.241
	High	14.9	13.2^a	17.6^b	16.8	0.8
IgM (mg/mL)	Adequate	6.10	5.26^a	7.70^b	7.22	0.62
	Low	6.42	6.10^a	8.01^b	7.54	0.58	0.519	< 0.001	0.481
	High	6.44	6.89^a	8.48^b	7.98	0.64
IgA (mg/mL)	Adequate	1.15^a	0.63^b	0.83	1.03	0.12
	Low	1.21^a	0.85^b	1.11	1.10	0.12	0.517	< 0.001	0.012
	High	0.90	0.81	0.93	1.06	0.13

GD, gestation day.

Sows were fed diets with adequate (12.1%, n = 13), low (6.5%, n = 15) and high (30%, n = 14) protein levels throughout gestation.

Data are expressed as least-squares means (LS-means) ± standard errors (SE).

P values for effects of diet, time and diet × time interaction.

^A,BWithin parameter and time, LS-means with unlike capital superscript letters were significantly different between diets (P < 0.05; Tukey-Kramer test).

^a,bWithin a row, LS-means with unlike lower case superscript letters were significantly different between times (P < 0.05; Tukey-Kramer test).

Tuchscherer et al. BMC Veterinary Research 2012 8:232 doi:10.1186/1746-6148-8-232

Table 1