FEATURES OF THE FORMATION OF LIVE WEIGHT OF LIMOUSIN BULLS OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN SELECTION

Improving the efficiency of beef production in Ukraine is impossible without the use of highly productive specialised breeds, among which Limousin occupies a leading position. However, the realisation of the genetic potential of animals largely depends on their breeding origin. The aim of the study was to conduct a comparative assessment of the dynamics of live weight and growth intensity of Hungarian, Polish and Ukrainian Limousin bulls to identify the most promising genotypes. The research was conducted at LLC ‘Lvivske’ in the Lviv region. It was established that the country of selection origin is a reliable factor influencing the growth energy of young animals. Bull calves of Hungarian selection were characterised by the highest live weight at birth (36.3 kg) and maximum growth intensity in the period up to 15 months, reaching a weight of 578.1 kg at 18 months of age. Their average daily gain for the entire rearing period was 990 g. Animals of Polish selection, having a lower birth weight (32.1 kg), demonstrated the highest relative growth rate and weight increase (17.6 times). It was found that animals of Polish selection belong to the late-maturing type: at the age of 15–18 months, they provided the highest average daily gain – 1031.7 g, significantly (P < 0.001; P < 0.01), surpassing their Hungarian (834.9 g) and Ukrainian (803.6 g) peers. Domestic bulls lagged behind their imported counterparts at all stages of growth: their live weight at 18 months of age was 492.8 kg, which is 85.3 kg less than their Hungarian counterparts. The superiority of imported genotypes over domestic ones in terms of growth and development has been proven. Bulls of Hungarian selection are most effective for intensive technologies with a short fattening cycle (up to 15 months), while animals of Polish selection, due to their high growth energy at an older age, are suitable for obtaining heavy conditions with prolonged fattening. The use of the gene pool of Hungarian and Polish selection is recommended to improve domestic herds of Limousin beef cattle.