Fig. 1

Study timeline in days relative to calving. At d 1, postpartum cows were classified according to their combined rumination and eating time (CRET) as normal or having reduced time (CRET < 489 min/d; n = 88). Cows diagnosed with reduced CRET were assigned randomly into 1 of 2 treatments: (1) Calcium supplemented (CA) received 1 Ca oral capsule (Bovikalc bolus, Boehringer Ingelheim, St. Joseph, MO) once per day, for 3 consecutive days; and (2) Control (CON) that did not receive any supplementation. A third group consisting of cows with normal levels of CRET (≥489 min/d) were enrolled as unaffected controls that remained untreated (NOR)