Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVII, Issue 2
Written by Iryna HONCHAROVA, Oksana SHEVCHENKO, Liubov LІAKHOVICH, Yuliia MASLAK, Anna FEDIAIEVA
The influence of different intensities of rearing heifers of the Znamenskaya type of Polissya beef cattle breed on their growth, development, and reproductive capacity was studied. The coefficients for determining the level of heifer feeding were developed and used: 1.75 - high; 1.57 - normal. It has been experimentally established that intensively reared heifers, compared to animals in the control group, reached the optimal live weight for mating of 384 kg much earlier. From birth to mating age, they consumed 17.2% less feed units and 15.7% less digestible protein. They had better reproductive performance, the age of fertile mating was 146 days shorter and fertility rates were 6% higher than in the control group. Intensively reared heifers were 4-5 months younger at fertile mating than animals in the control group, indicating their higher early maturity. Intensive heifer rearing shortens the period from birth to calving, reduces labour and rearing costs, and increases the reproductive capacity of animals.
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