Influence of feeding on intensity of growth of replacement heifers and their future milk productivity

The basis for a cow’s future milk production is laid during the period of active growth and development of replacement heifers. Therefore, many scientists and specialists studying the productivity of current dairy herds worldwide emphasize the need for a meticulous approach to feed selection and rearing techniques for heifers planned for subsequent integration into the main production herd. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effectiveness of using the complex functional additives Rumenfit 100 and Rumenfit 50 in a replacement heifer feeding program and their subsequent impact on the milk production of first-calf heifers. The results of a scientific and economic experiment carried out on animals of Holstein breed from birth to the end of their first lactation at a modern livestock complex have been presented in the article. The active phase of the experiment involved the formation of one control and two experimental groups of 10 animals in each. in each. The housing, microclimate system and care of the experimental animals were identical, the only difference was that in the period from 2 to 6 months of age, the heifers of the 1st experimental group received a complex functional additive Rumenfit 100 as part of the starter compound feed at a rate of 10 g/head day, and the heifers of the 2nd experimental group received a complex functional additive Rumenfit 50 at a rate of 5 g/head/day. At the same time, the growth and development indicators of the heifers were monitored, and the future reproduction indicators were assessed. Finally, the milk productivity of fi rst-calf heifers at the end of lactation was assessed. It was found that first-calf heifers of the control group were inferior in milk yield for 305 days of lactation to their herdmates in the 1st and 2nd experimental groups by 945.5 and 579.5 kg.