The protein, vitamin and mineral supplements have been developed and it was studied the efficiency of feeding with them the young cattle in the composition of the grain production.
The scientific and farm experiment has been carried out during 62 days. The study was conducted in four groups of bulls with 12 heads in each. The initial live weight at the beginning of the study was about 300–310 kg.
Differences in feeding were in the fact that the grain forage for young animals of group I included PVMS No. 1, II – PVMS No. 2, III –PVMS No.3, IV – PVMS No 4. The grain feed is represented mainly by barley. The protein, vitamin and mineral supplement replenished 20 % of the deficient protein.
It was discovered that concentration of hydrogen ions was practically at the same level in the rumen contents of steers of different groups. As for level of ammonia, VFA, total nitrogen, ciliates in the young cattle of I, II and III groups, the differences were insignificant. The concentration of ammonia of group IVcompared to I, II and III group was higher by 15.58, 23.61 and 21.9 %, VFA – by 6.7, 19.4 and 11.1 %, total nitrogen – by 3.32, 31.44 and 24.03 %, ciliates – by 4.35, 14.29 and 9.09 %, respectively.
The research results showed that digestibility of protein, fiber and BEV was higher in the fourth group by 1–7 % compared with the rest groups (P>0.05).
A slight increase in nitrogen deposition was found in IV group of young animals (by 4.7–11.9 %) receiving PVMS with AFA as a source of protein. The use of calcium and phosphorus by animals was almost at the same level.
The research helped to determine that the average daily weight gain of animals of all the groups was within the range 629–710 g. The highest was in the fourth group consuming PVMS No. 4 with AFA as a protein component; the second place in terms is occupied by group I – 660 g, consuming PVMS No. 2, which included lupine, AFA and standard DKMK No. 1; PVMS No. 3 with depleted phosphate used as a source of phosphorus, took the last place in terms of this indicator – 629 g. Feed cost per 1 kg of weight gain was the lowest in IV group – 8.77 feed units, in I, II and III groups, it was higher by 8.32 %; 13.68 and 10.83 %, respectively.
The cost of sold products from one animal during experiment turned out to be higher for steers that received PVMS No. 4 as compared to I, II and III groups by 6.82, 11.36 and 9.1 %, respectively.
Keywords: feed additive, additives, steers, growth energy, digestibility, hematological parameters, live weight, productivity, cost price.