Scientific substantiation of the application of infrared radiation while calves growing

The study was carried out to study the influence of infrared radiation on the microclimate of the calf-shed in the winter-spring period, physiological state, growth and evolution of calves. It was established that in the calf-shed built with the use of industrial constructions and building materials with low heat-shielding qualities (reinforced concrete, expanded-clay concrete), in winter there is a negative thermal and radiation balance, that is, the average temperature of the air and surrounding animal fences is lower than the temperature of the animal's body surface. This affects negatively the vitality and growth energy of the calves. The cases of gastrointestinal diseases and diseases of the upper respiratory tract are registered in 75% of the calves received on the farm. The use of the day-and-night intermittent IR radiation of the calves of the prophylactorium period in the winter-spring season according to the scheme of 1 hour of irradiation - 30 min break had a positive effect on the formation of the indoor climate. The average air temperature in the experimental section of the calf-shed (16.7±0.4°С) was 5.9°С higher than in the control one and corresponded to the norms. The relative humidity of the control section of the calf-shed (without the use of IR radiation) increased up to 92.6% and averaged 87.2±2.3%, which is 7.7% higher than in the experimental one. The ammonia concentration in the control section of the calf-shed was 3.1 mg / m3 higher than the experimental section, 0.03% carbon dioxide and 0.3 mg / m3 hydrogen sulfide, and air velocity 0.04 m / s. When comparing the microclimate of two isolated sections for keeping calves, the prophylactic period shows that the actual values of the studied parameters in the control section were farther from the optimal ones than in the experimental one. The average live weight of calves at the age of 4 months old in the experimental section was 95.1 kg, which is 7.5% higher than in the control (P function show_eabstract() { $('#eabstract1').hide(); $('#eabstract2').show(); $('#eabstract_expand').hide(); }