Natural biologically active additive in feeding calves

Abstract

Studies on the effectiveness of the inclusion of sodium humate in the diet of young cattle were conducted on four groups of animals. Installed improvement in the consumption of hay by the bulls of the experimental groups by 12.5–20 % compared with the control young was found, as a result of which they consumed more feed units by 1.5, 2.3, and 3.5 %, exchange energy – by 2.4, 3.9 and 5.1 %, digestible protein – by 1.2, 2.1 and 3.7 %. As a result of the inclusion of sodium humate in the diet as part of the KR-2 compound feed, the amount of hemoglobin in the blood of animals of the II experimental group increased by 5.8 %, in III – by 6.8, in IV – by 7.8 % compared to control analogs. With the growth of calves in the blood, the bactericidal activity of blood serum increased by 1.3, 1.9, and 2.5 %, lysozyme activity increased by 0.1 %, 0.2, 0.3 %, which indicates an increase in natural resistance in animals whose diets were injected with the studied peat and sapropel preparation. The use of sodium humate in the feed of bulls in the composition of compound feed KR-2 has a positive effect on the feed consumption, physiological condition, resistance of animals, which provides an increase in the average daily increase in live weight by 3.2–9.4 % while reducing the cost of its production by 2.9–8.5 percent.

The Effect of Sodium Humate Feed Additives in Diets for Holstein Breed Heifers

“…Haematological and biochemical tests on the blood of farm animals are necessary to obtain information about their ongoing processes and general physiological state of health. Some research studies have found that humic substances derived from sapropel stimulate haematopoiesis and improve metabolism and immunity [55]; sodium humate possesses antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and growth-promoting properties, as well [79]. Overall, the blood test parameters of the breeding heifers tested were within the reference intervals [80,81].…”

“…During this period, the heifers were fed a small amount of NaHum at an intake rate of 0.3 mL of NaHum per kg of live weight. At the beginning of the experiment-at stage 1 of each replication-the heifers were fed 0.4 mL of NaHum per kg of live weight, gradually increasing it to 0.6 mL at stage 3 (Table 2), which was in line with the methodology for dietary experiments conducted by scientists from other countries [55]. During the experiment, the rate of intake of NaHum was adjusted every 5 days according to the daily live weight gain of the heifers in the previous period and the expected live weight.…”

“…For example, a study conducted by Trckova et al (2012) [67] found that NaHum extracted from peat had similar effects on growth and immune function in broiler chickens as NaHum extracted from lignite [68]. Additionally, NaHum has been shown to improve growth performance in various animal species, including pigs, chickens, and cattle [55,69,70]. These findings suggest that NaHum extracted from freshwater sapropel could potentially have effects similar to other sources of NaHum as a feed additive.…”

“…In several research studies, it is mentioned that the growth rate of breeding heifers is essential for reproduction of the cow herd, as it accelerates the onset of puberty in breeding heifers and the possibility of insemination at an earlier age which, after calving, results in additional milk production and therefore contributes to food security, incomes, and employment. During our dietary research, the breeding heifers were fed according to the strategy developed on the farm of starting artificial insemination of heifers at 12 months [55]. In our research, the breeding heifers of the research group achieved a significantly higher live weight gain at the final stage, receiving NaHum at an intake rate of 0.6 mL/kg of live weight; this confirmed the finding of Radchikov et al (2021) that the highest live weight gain was achieved while feeding heifers 0.6 mL of NaHum per kg of live weight [55].…”

“…During our dietary research, the breeding heifers were fed according to the strategy developed on the farm of starting artificial insemination of heifers at 12 months [55]. In our research, the breeding heifers of the research group achieved a significantly higher live weight gain at the final stage, receiving NaHum at an intake rate of 0.6 mL/kg of live weight; this confirmed the finding of Radchikov et al (2021) that the highest live weight gain was achieved while feeding heifers 0.6 mL of NaHum per kg of live weight [55]. The greater increase in live weight in the breeding heifers NaHum group is explained by the fact that sapropel and humic substances improve the animals' appetite, and the smell of sapropel promotes the animals' willingness to eat it.…”