Introduction

The accelerated development of domestic livestock breeding as one of the priority sectors of agriculture requires a substantial increase in feed production for the near future. Improving and enhancing the effectiveness of traditional arable and pasture land fodder cropping need to be supplemented with feed production from alternative sources, in particular, from the richest resources of forests. The organization of feed production and feed additives from wood residues on the modern industrial basis will greatly enhance the forage base and ensure the livestock rationing with mineral elements and vitamins [1].

The scientific research in the involvement of forest resources into the feed balance is intensifying in our country. The results of the ambitious research program have shown the promising use of feed from non-traditional raw materials in animal husbandry of our country, with its enormous forest resources. The new technologies of production and use of unconventional feed are developed, the practical use of a number of new effective feed means is organized, the principles of environmental management are implemented on this basis, a number of economic, environmental and social problems are solved. In non-traditional feed means, the contents of nitrates and nitrites, which can be virtually eliminated in the process of applying appropriate technologies and their improving, are minimized. Thus, in traditional feed, they are usually contained in dozens and hundreds of milligrams per 1 kg, and the decrease in their concentrations is often a formidable agrotechnical task, as their sources may be soil, water and air, that is, non-traditional feed is environmentally friendly.

In recent years the considerable experimental data on the use of biologically active preparations from residues of wood processing for feeding farm animals and poultry has been accumulated. To date, however, there is no sufficient information on the effect of coniferous-energy feed additive on metabolic and productive factors of heifers and cows in the zootechnical science, therefore, studying the effect of different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive on the morphological and biochemical indicators and mineral composition of blood, dynamics of live weights and average daily weight gains of heifers and milking ability of cows is very relevant and is of particular interest to science and industry.

Methods

To fulfill this goal, a scientific and economic experiment has been conducted on the heifers and cows in the open joint stock company “Poultry Farm Atemarskaya” of the Lyambirsky District of the Republic of Mordovia.

For this purpose, according to the principle of pairs-counterparts taking into account age, body weight, origin and pregnancy period 4 groups of heifers aged 21 months at the 2-3 month of pregnancy by 10 animals in each group, the average live weight of 430.25 kg were formed. The experiment was conducted on the heifers, then it was continued on the cows-heifers before they reach physiological condition dry cows. All animals were apparently healthy and were kept in the same conditions. The heifers and cows of all groups were kept on the leash with daily active exercise, the feeding was three-time daily during the experiment.

The diets for experimental animals were developed in accordance with the standards of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences taking into account the chemical composition of feed available in the farm [2, 3]. The basic diet consisted of hay, haylage, silage, concentrates, molasses, salt, salts of mineral elements. By energy nutrient density and contents of basic nutrients the diets of even-aged animals of all groups were the same, passed the zootechnical standards.

The heifers and cows in the control group received the diet without coniferous-energy feed additive. The counterparts of the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd experimental group in addition to the basic diet receieved coniferous-energy feed additive, at the rate of 12; 17; 22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter respectively. The coniferous-energy feed additive (TU 9759-011 4240035713) produced by LLC RDC (research and development centre) “KHIMINVEST” contains: vitamins B1 – 0.17 mg/kg, B2 – 13 mg/kg, B3 – 2.3 mg/kg, B5 – 0.29 mg/kg, B6 – 0.1 mg/kg, folic acid – 0.7 mg/kg; carotinoids – 12-15 mg/100 g; energy value – 250 kcal/100 g.

In whole blood the level of hemoglobin and concentrations of erythrocytes and leukocytes were studied.

The biochemical studies of blood serum of heifers were carried out using a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer Humalyzer 2000 applying proprietary techniques Human. The following biochemical indicators were determined: total protein, albumins, globulins and protein fractions.

For the purpose of studying the quality indicators of milk the common methods were used:

– acidity of milk – titrimetrically;

– density –using the instrument Klever – 1M;

– fat content in milk –using the instrument Klever – 1M;

– milk solids non-fat (MSNF) – using the instrument Klever – 1M;

– protein – using the instrument “Laktan”.

The reproductive ability of cows was studied according to the data of zootechnical record keeping (fertility percentage, insemination index, service period length, lactation persistency, duration of drying and non-milking period).

We processed the digital data for research by methods of variation statistics using the standard software package.

Results

One of the primary objectives of animal breeding is to maintain resistance of farm animals to exposure of adverse environmental factors during critical periods of ontogenesis, among which special emphasis is laid on gestation of animals, at a high level.

The creation of adequate ecological and physiological conditions for the existence of the organisms of mother and fetus in these periods is very important because it largely determines their further reactivity. For normal life of animals the correction of a multistage system of regulation and coordination of redox homeostasis, implemented with biologically active substances, the need for which is greatly increased under various stress states, is necessary in this case. The deficiency of these substances leads to numerous failures in the animal body functions, which is primarily manifested by impaired function of the immune system, both in its cellular and humoral components, and reduced organism resistance to infectious diseases [4, 5].

In order to control the physiological state and biochemical processes in animal organisms under the effect of different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive, we conducted a study of morphological and biochemical indicators of blood of heifers.

The conducted research found that different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of heifers had a definite impact on the morphological and biochemical indicators and mineral composition of blood. The analysis of the data obtained showed that in the blood of heifers of the 2^nd experimental group, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive, there was increase in the contents of hemoglobin and erythrocytes by 7.0% and 10.9% compared to the counterparts in the control group, and they were higher by 4.7% and 5.7% respectively than in the 1^st experimental group.

The increase in the dosage of coniferous-energy feed additive to 22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter in the diets of heifers led to a slight decrease of the studied indicators, but they were higher than in the counterparts of the control group. There was a slight increase in the number of leukocytes in the blood of heifers of the control group, compared to the counterparts of the experimental groups. All this testified to a more intensive course of redox processes in animal organisms.

The determination of total protein and its fractions in blood serum is of great diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic value [6].

An important indicator of the condition of protein metabolism in the body is the protein content in blood, protein basic fractions and their ratio. The use of coniferous-energy feed additive in different dosages in feeding heifers changed the content of total protein in blood serum slightly.

During our research in the blood of heifers of the 2^nd experimental group, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive, there was increase in the level of total protein by 5.3% compared to the counterparts in the control group, and – by 4.7% respectively in comparison with the 1^st experimental group. As to the interrelationship between the dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive and fractional composition of blood serum protein, we should note their positive influence on the concentrations of albumins and globulins. It was found out that in the blood of heifers of the 2^nd experimental group the contents of albumins increased by 11.9% and the contents of globulins – by 0.8% compared to the herdmates in the control group. The amount of alpha- and beta-globulins in the 2^nd experimental group was also higher, by 14.9% and 10.6% respectively in comparison with experimental animals of the control group. Of globulin fractions gamma-globulins dominated, and the intergroup difference was negligible. The inclusion of coniferous-energy feed additive in different dosages in the diets of heifers had an impact on the mineral composition of blood of the animals. Thus, the contents of calcium and phosphorus in blood serum of heifers, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive, were higher by 11.7% and 10.0% than in blood serum of the counterparts in the control group, and they were higher by 11.3% and 9.5% than the indicators of the 3^rd experimental group.

Analyzing the morphological and biochemical indicators and the mineral composition of blood, we can conclude that the metabolic processes in the organisms of heifers, treated with coniferous-energy feed additive, helps to normalize blood composition.

One of the main conditions of breeding heifers is to give high energy to their productivity, i.e. to implement the genetically determined body’s ability to effectively transform nutrients of feed into elements in tissues and organs [7]. The evaluation criterion of the factors under study is the development of the animal body, characterized by the indicators of changes in body weight, absolute, relative and average daily weight gains.

Since the conditions of feeding and keeping animals during the experiment were the same ones in all experimental groups, we tend to explain the changes in live weights of the experimental heifers by the impact of different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive on these indicators.

Our findings show that the heifers of the 2^nd experimental group, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive, were distinguished by the most intensive growth in the research period. The highest live weight at the end of the period was that of heifers in the 2^nd experimental group – 564.80 kg, which was higher by 17.05 kg or 3.1% than the live weight of heifers in the control group, and was higher by 8.76 kg or 1.6% than in the 3^rd experimental group.

Feeding heifers in the 2^nd experimental group with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive made the absolute gain, higher by 14.1 kg and 10.2 kg than in the control and 1^st experimental groups.

The increase in the dosage of coniferous-energy feed additive to 22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter did not contribute to further increase of live weight, although this figure was higher than in the control group.

A similar tendency was found in average daily gains in live weight of heifers. For the experiment period the animals of the 2^nd experimental group, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive, on average gave gains of 726.23 g, which was higher by 55.74 g than in the control group, and by 41.31 g than in the 3^rd experimental group.

During the studied period the heifers were dynamically developing in all experimental groups, but the highest growth ratios were identified in animals, in the diets of which the coniferous-energy feed additive was added in the dosage of 17 g/kg of dry matter.

Based on the analysis of the obtained results we can conclude that the coniferous-energy feed additive, used in the composition of feed mixtures at the rate of 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter, contributes to the increase in live weight by 11.9% and to more active development of the heifer organisms which meet the requirements for their further productive and technological use.

The control over full feeding of cows is an essential condition of zootechnical requirements for the system of animal husbandry. The unbalanced diets, the low and excessively high levels of feeding, the low quality forages are the major causes of metabolic disorders in animals. Blood plays a very special role in the body implementing the most important property of living matter – metabolism. It delivers nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body organs, removes metabolic products and carbon dioxide. Hormonal regulation and protective functions are provided through it, the balance of electrolytes in the body is maintained [8].

The chemical composition of blood in a healthy organism is relatively constant, and all random fluctuations in it are quickly compensated through nervous and humoral systems. However, under the influence of different procedures on the body (feeding, keeping, selection, culling, etc.) within the physiological range there are slight biochemical changes in blood which reflect desirable or undesirable side of metabolism, and hence there is a possibility of evaluating the tested factor.

Blood picture is symptomatic reflection of the processes occurring in the animal organism. The more metabolism in the animal organism changes, the stronger and deeper changes take place in it.

Therefore, the study of the blood composition is critical in assessing health and extent of exposure of various factors to the organism.

In order to control the metabolic processes in the organisms of cows, receiving different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive, we studied the morphological and biochemical indicators of blood of the experimental animals.

The analysis of the data obtained showed that in the blood of cows of the 2^nd experimental group, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of coniferous-energy feed additive, there was increase in the contents of erythrocytes by 13.5% compared to the control group, by 1.6% – to the counterparts of the 1^st experimental group, by 2.6 % – to the indicator of the 3^rd experimental group.

A similar law was observed by the analysis of the hemoglobin level. In cows of the 2^nd experimental group hemoglobin was higher by 21.0% than in cows of the control group, and it was higher by 5.2% and 3.2% respectively than in the animals of the 1^st and 3^rd experimental groups.

The inclusion of different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of experimental animals changed the contents of total protein in blood serum. Our studies found that in cows of the 1^st experimental group the level of total protein in blood was higher by 21% than in their counterparts of the control group, and it was higher by 3.2% and 5.2% than in the ones of the 1^st and 3^rd experimental groups. By increasing dosage of coniferous-energy feed additive to 22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter, there was reduction in the level of total protein in the blood of cows, but this ratio was higher than in cows of the control group.

Our research has shown that the use of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of cows had a positive impact on the fractional composition of protein and blood serum, some impact of this feed additive on the concentration of albumins was observed. Thus, in the blood of cows of the 2^nd experimental group, the albumin level was 45.4%, which was higher by 1.6% than in the blood of counterparts of the control group.

Adding the coniferous-energy feed additive to the diets of the cows contributed to the changes in the mineral composition of blood. Thus, the content of calcium and phosphorus in blood serum of the animals, treated with 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter of the studied additive, was higher by 13.31% and 2.79% than in blood serum of the animals of the control group.

Our findings show that in order to maintain normal physiological processes it is necessary that to the diet the cows should receive the optimal amount of coniferous – energy feed additive of 17g/kg of the dietary dry matter.

One of the main conditions of intensifying dairy cattle husbandry and increasing milk productivity of cows is improving the feeding system based on the use of highly effective methods of balancing diets, mainly, due to the reduction of deficit in nutrients and minerals in them which will greatly reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of milk production. To achieve high yields and keep stability of lactation the biologically-active preparations are used in the diets of milkers, which leads to improved digestion, increased metabolism in animals [9, 10].

The different levels of feeding of the experimental cows had a determining influence on the milk productivity.

The conducted research found that the inclusion of different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of cows, had a positive impact on the quantitative and qualitative indicators of milk. It was established that during the first lactation of cows in the 2^nd experimental group 5960.5 kg of milk was received, which was more by 9.07%; 3.68% and 1.19% in comparison with the counterparts in the control, the 1^st experimental and 3^rd experimental groups respectively. Totally, during the lactation of cows in the 2^nd experimental group 226.5 kg of milk fat was received, which was more by 12.6% compared to the counterparts in the control group and by 1.7% – to the 3^rd experimental one. A similar tendency was observed in the number of milk protein from cows: during the lactation of cows in the 2^nd experimental group 202.66 kg was received, and of the herdmates in the control group – less by 11.7% and 5.55% than of the animals in the 1^st experimental group.

The significant differences in the qualitative composition of milk were already observed after the first days of feeding the animals in the 2^nd experimental group with coniferous-energy feed additive. Thus, the amount of dry matter increased by 0.81%, MSNF (milk solids non-fat) – by 0.34%, ash – by 0.04%, milk sugar – by 0.27%, the calorific value was higher by 8.36 J compared to the counterparts in the control group. A slight change in the contents of calcium and phosphorus in milk, depending on the dosage of this preparation, was recorded. In the colostrum period the milk of cows of the 2^nd experimental group contained more calcium by 1.5 mmol/l and phosphorus by 2.65 mmol/l than the milk of counterparts of the control group. The inclusion of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of the animals had no significant effect on milk density and acidity – these indicators were within the technological range in all experimental animals.

So, the obtained data allow us to conclude that feeding cows-heifers with coniferous-energy feed additive during the lactation period enhances the biological value of milk and increases milk productivity of the animals.

Feeding heifers and cows-heifers with coniferous-energy feed additive in different dosages reduces postpartum gynecological complications significantly. The inclusion of coniferous-energy feed additive at the rate of 12, 17, 22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter in the diets of the experimental animals contributed to reduction in the incidence of endometritis and retention of placenta. In particular, in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd experimental groups, the incidence of fresh cows with endometritis was not found, however, in the control group it was 10%. A similar tendency is observed in the retention of placenta of the experimental heifers. It was established that different dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive had a positive impact on the development of the embryo during animal gestation. The calves, obtained from the cows-heifers, the diets of which contained the studied additive, at birth had live weights more by 0.1; 2.7; 2.1 kg than live weights of the calves in the control group.

The data obtained allow us to state that feeding heifers with coniferous-energy feed additive at the rate of 12; 17; 22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter has a positive effect on the growth and development of their fetuses and contributes to postpartum rehabilitation of their bodies.

Discussion

At the present stage of development of animal husbandry to increase the productivity of heifers and cows it is necessary to have, first of all, healthy young animals and stable forage base for their balanced feeding [11, 12]. Due to the chronic shortage of feed, low quality and unbalanced diets on major nutrients livestock production in many regions of Russia is characterized by low productivity and profitability. Due to the chronic shortage of feed, its low quality and unbalanced diets by major nutrients the animal husbandry in many regions of Russia is characterized by low productivity and profitability. Besides, the composition of domestic feed-stuff traditionally includes large amounts of grain (up to 60-70 percent or more), the consumption of concentrated feed per unit of animal products remains rather high for many years. With this feeding system the unique abilities of ruminants to maximize the use of bulky forage are not fully implemented. The partial replacement of forage grain to feed additives, made from the local forest resources, is becoming an objective necessity. While the forest resources, as a naturally renewable and virtually inexhaustible source of energy and nutrients, draw the attention of domestic and foreign science increasingly. The forage resources of forests are rich in biologically active substances, which provide normal metabolism in animal organisms and perform functions of biological catalysts. These substances are part of various enzyme systems and hormones, they are necessary for normal digestion of essential nutrients, thus have a beneficial effect on health and increase the productivity and reproductive ability [13].

In the present scientific and economic experiment the coniferous-energy feed additive in the optimal dosage of 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter, less by 40% than the optimal dosage (12 g/kg of the dietary dry matter), more by 40% than the optimal dosage (22 g/kg of the dietary dry matter) was used in breeding heifers and milk production. The diets of the experimental groups contained the same amount of nutrients. The main difference of the diets is the amount of coniferous-energy feed additive. The study of hematological indicators confirmed the positive effect of optimal and high dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive on the organisms of the experimental animals, which is consistent with the data of other researchers [14, 15].

It was established that the growth power of the experimental animals was dependent on the dosage of coniferous-energy feed additive. Over the study period the absolute weight gain in the 1^st experimental group amounted to 122.70 kg, in the 2^nd experimental group – 132.90 kg, in the 3^rd experimental group – 125.34 kg. A similar tendency was marked in relation to average daily gains in live weights of heifers: on average, during the experiment the highest average daily gains were of animals of the 2^nd and 3^rd experimental groups – 726.23 g and 684.92 g, the obtained data is statistically reliable [16, 17].

Feeding the experimental cows with coniferous-energy feed additive of different levels during the first lactation period contributed to the increase in the annual average milk yield. In addition, the tendency in the increased amounts of milk fat, protein and milk mineral composition was evidenced in these cows. The resulting data indicated that the inclusion of coniferous-energy feed additive in different dosages in the diets of heifers and cows-heifers had a beneficial impact on the growth and development of the embryo and the reproductive function, which is noted by other researchers in their studies [18, 19].

Summary

Thus, using the coniferous-energy feed additive at the rate of 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter in feeding heifers of black and motley breed stimulates metabolism, has a positive effect on the overall clinical status of the animals, stabilizes the mineral metabolism and contributes to the increase in live weight and more active formation of the heifer organisms.

Conclusions

1. Among the tested dosages of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of heifers the dosage of 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter proved to be the most optimal. It provides a more intensive course of metabolic processes in the animal organisms which are characterized by the increase in the contents of erythrocytes in blood by 10.9%, of hemoglobin – by 7.0%, of total protein – by 5.3%, calcium – by 11.7% and phosphorus – by 10.0%.
2. Using the coniferous-energy feed additive in the optimal amount in the diets of heifers contributes to the increase in live weights by 11.9%, and average daily weight gains – by 11.6% compared to the counterparts of the control group.
3. Thanks to the coniferous-energy feed additive in the dosage of 17 g/kg of the dietary dry matter the productivity of the experimental cows is higher by 9.07% than the one of their herdmates.
4. Using the coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of lactating cows improves the quality of milk. In the milk of the experimental cows the dry matter content is higher by 0.81%; fat – 0.12%; protein – 0.08%; ash – 0.06% than in the milk of cows in the control group.
5. The inclusion of coniferous-energy feed additive in the diets of heifers and cows improves their reproductive qualities.

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