Metabolism of cows when feeding premixes based on forest biomass and natural minerals

Abstract

Natural plant and mineral renewable resources are a constant source of a complex of nutrients and biologically active substances necessary for the animal organism. In order to balance diets, it is important to use forest biomass and natural minerals in feeding farm animals. Studies on the influence of premixes based on forest resources (pine needles, pine nut shells, arabinogalactan) and natural minerals (bentonite clay, expanded vermiculite) on the metabolism of lactating cows were conducted in the EPF "Mikhailovskoye" branch of the FRC KSC SB RAS of the Krasnoyarsk region. According to the principle of analogues, 3 groups of Black-Motley breed dairy cows were formed at the age of the third calving, with a live weight of 530-550 kg (control and two experimental, 10 heads each). For 60 days, the control group of cows was fed the main diet, the cows of the 1st experimental group were fed coniferous flour (50 g/head/day), pine nut shell (50 g/head/day), arabinogalactan (5 g/head/day), vitamin and mineral complex (10 g/head/day) and bentonite clay (100 g/head/day) in addition to the main diet; 2nd the experimental group - coniferous flour (g/head/day), pine nut shell (g/head/day), arabinogalactan (g/head/day), vitamin and mineral complex (g/head/day), expanded vermiculite (g/head/day). The cows were kept in a tethered-walking way in the same conditions corresponding to the technology of dairy cattle breeding. Research and data processing were carried out according to generally accepted methods using modern equipment. As a result of the studies, it was determined that feeding the studied premixes does not have a negative effect on the metabolism of cows, all the studied blood and urine parameters corresponded to the norm for healthy animals. The most favorable biological effect on the body of cows was provided by feeding premix, which included expanded vermiculite (2nd experimental group), increasing the blood content of total protein by 14.4%, calcium by 23.8%, phosphorus by 16.8%, iron by 14.6% and contributing to an increase in the concentration of vitamin C in the blood by 6.0%.