A complex mineral additive for feeding of steers of Black-and-White breed

Abstract

The need for minerals is so high that without their additional introduction into the ration it is impossible to ensure the normal growth and development of young animals. The purpose of the research was the use of diff erent doses of a complex mineral additive in the rations of steers in diff erent rearing periods. The research was carried out on steers of Black-and-White breed under the conditions of LLC “Sever” in the Kurtamyshsky district of the Kurgan region. The possibilities of increasing the productivity of steers with the use of a complex mineral additive including 11 mineral components that compensate for the rations of steers for phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt and selenium, which contributes to an increase in live weight and average daily gain of steers. It was found as a result of the conducted studies that feeding the complex mineral additive when rearing of steers together with the main ration in the age period of 6–9 months contributed to a greater increase in live weight by 2,38 and 5,22 kg per head. The average daily gain in live weight of steers during this period in the 1st and 2nd experimental groups was higher by 4,22 and 8,87 %, compared with herdmates of the control group. The live weight of the control group steers at the age of 12 months was 306,25 kg, in the experimental groups 311,40 and 324,10 kg, the superiority was 5,15 and 17,85 kg (p < 0,05). The average daily gain in live weight during the rearing period of 9–12 months in the experimental groups of steers was higher than 3,15 and 14,39 % compared with the steers of the control group.