Formation of rumen digestion in calves when use White lupin beans in complete feed recipes

In order to achieve food security by 2030, milk production in the Russian Federation must exceed 38 million tons, which requires increasing the efficiency of rearing replacement heifers. A key factor in this process is the early development of rumen digestion, which is ensured by the use of pre-starter and starter compound feed, as well as bulky feed that promote average daily live weight gains of 700–850 g or more. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of extruded White alkaloid-free lupine beans on the development of rumen digestion in heifers of Black-and-White. The study was carried out at the Collective farm named after Gorin in the Belgorod district of the Belgorod region. The experimental animals were fed similar rations. The feeding of the young animals varied as follows: animals in the first control group received the farm-standard ration, while animals in the second, third, and fourth experimental groups were fed compound feed containing 10 %, 20 and 30 % extruded White lupine beans, respectively. The ration for heifers up to 2 months of age consisted primarily of whole milk, mixed grass-legume hay, and prestarter compound feed. During the second period of the experiment all animals received hay, corn silage, and starter compound feed. Rumen fl uid indices were analyzed at 2 and 6 months of age. It was found that the inclusion of up to 30 % White lupine beans in the compound feed accelerated the development of rumen metabolism. Thus, pH and butyrate levels increased statistically significantly (p < 0.05), stimulating papilla development and improving nitrogen metabolism. These results demonstrate the potential of using extruded lupine in replacement heifers rations to intensify their growth and productivity.