Cows feeding conditions and welfare should be emphasized among the numerous external factors affecting their milk productivity. High lactation performance of the cows requires the continuous presence in the blood of an animal of the substances needed for the milk production. This is provided by organization of quite abundant and continuous feeding of cows and the introduction in the animal rations of various components that allows balancing them in terms of all nutrients and bioactive substances needed by the body. Feeding cows with a complete feed should be carried out during the whole period of their economic use, because it is extremely difficult to correct the metabolic disorders caused by insufficient feeding as well as to get healthy calves in such a situation. In addition, metabolic disorders in the cow and calf due to improper diet increase the risk of developing non-communicable diseases.The primary method of determining the physiological status of dairy cows is body condition score. To determine the fatness of cows, analysis of the dairy herd condition at "Ossetia" livestock farm located in Prigorodny district of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania was carried out. Based on the primary zootechnical documentation, the following parameters were studied: productivity of cows of different lactations, the live weight of cows, fatness of cows, as well as the effect of fatness on milk production. Cow fatness evaluation technique developed by the All-Russian Institute of Animal Husbandry (VIZh) was used. The studies showed that the highest milk yields were observed in cows with fatness score of 3.6-4.0 points and amounted to 4584kg. The cows with the fatness score of 3.6-4.0 points were characterized by the longest duration of economic use. The best economic efficiency was noted in cows with the fatness score of 3.6-4.0 points.

An important problem in organizing full-fledged feeding of cows is to establish the optimal level of energy nutrition, taking into account productivity, age and lactation period. The studies were carried out in the conditions of the foothill zone of the North Caucasus. 45 first-calf cows of the Schwyz breed were selected, from which three groups (15 heads in each) were formed according to the principle of pairs of analogues, taking into account age, live weight and body condition. The animals of the first group were control animals, and they received a diet that corresponds to the detailed norms (2003) of the All-Russia Institute of Animal Husbandry (ВИЖ). The rations for first-calf cows consisted of leguminous-cereal hay, corn silage, herb haylage, and compound feed. The basic feeds of the diet were given in equal amounts to cows of all groups. The second and third experimental groups during the period of milking received rations in which the level of energy supply was increased by 10 and 20%, respectively. Corn fodder meal was used as additional feeding. In terms of nutritional value, this was 0.92 and 1.84 EFU (0.7 and 1.4 kg), respectively. It was found that the introduction of an additional dose of energy feed (10 and 20% of corn flour) into the feeding ration of experienced first-calf cows contributed to an increase in milk yield in the first 100 days of lactation by 11.5 and 14%, respectively, as well as to some improvement in the quality indicators of milk. For example, in terms of milk fat content, cows from the experimental groups exceeded the control group by 0.06–0.08%, and in terms of milk fat yield, the difference between the groups was 10.9–16.6 kg. The protein content is 0.04–0.08%. The difference in the yield of milk protein is 9.1–14.9 kg. The duration of the interbody period was 6–8 days shorter than in the control group. The introduction of an additional dose of energy feed into the diet reduced the service period by 10–12 days, the frequency of inseminations by 0.3–0.5, and an increase in calf yield by 2–3%.

The purpose of this work is to prove and develop the principal methods of increasing beef production on the basis of application of pasturing technology with subsequent intensive feeding of different breeds of bulls for two months and to calculate the relative economic efficiency of both cycles of summer keeping of the young cattle on the mountain pastures and in the conditions of the complex. During the whole time of grazing the bulls had an access to the water source. As well, they were given feeding concentrates in bad weather, when the animals grazed badly and did not eat till full. Salt in wooden feeders constantly lay in the cattle camp. The cattle received chalk together with the salt. Upon returning from the mountain pastures, those bulls of both breeds which were not intended for intensive feeding have been implemented at the meat in the amount of 40 heads and their average live weight was: the Kalmyk – 416 kg; brown Swiss Breed – 401 kg. The bulls in the amount of 42 heads that might not be sold for slaughtering were put on intensive feeding for two months in the conditions of the complex. It is established that the use of mountain-pasture keeping of young cattle is a very effective activity in cattle breeding. Carrying out the final intensive feeding in a complex or a farm for 2 months after not intensive feeding on mountain pastures is an economically - effective measure.