Blood Biochemical Indices of Seed Bulls When Using Mineral Supplement Based on Maral Antler Press-Cake

Abstract

The seed bulls used for artificial insemination should be in good health, have outstanding genetic characteristics, have high sexual activity, and the biological products ob-tained from them should have high quality indices. One of the possible methods of increasing semen production is the introduction of dietary supplements into the diet. The intro-duction of new feed and biologically active supplements into the diet may cause both positive and negative changes in metabolic processes. Monitoring the biochemical status of blood allows detecting not only metabolic disorders in highly productive animals but also a lack of vitamins, mac-ro-and microelements. The research goal was to study the effect of a natural biostimulant (mineral supplement) made from maral antler press-cake on the blood biochemical indices ofBlack Pied seed bulls in the breeding company AO “Plempredpriyatiye Barnaulskoye”. Along with the basic diet, the seed bulls of the trial group received the natural biostimulant (mineral supplement) based on maral antler press-cake; the daily dose -15.0 g per head, for 30 days with 10 days’ interval after each application. The supple-ment was thoroughly mixed with compound feed before feeding. The mineral supplement is of powder form and contains a complex of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other biologically active substances. The use of a mineral supplement increased the amount of total protein and al-bumin by 7.15% and 18.3%, respectively. The blood glu-cose level in the seed bulls of the trial group was higher by 12% and cholesterol by 17.1% than in the blood of the con-trol group animals. Cholesterol of the seed bulls may be used as a structural material or a precursor in the synthesis of sex steroid hormones. The level of total calcium, alkaline reserve at the end of the experiment increased in the seed bulls when using the mineral supplement made from maral antler press-cake in the diet by 4.8% and 8.1%, respective-ly, as compared to the control group.