Whole milk substitute "Optilak-16" application in feeding calves of milking period

The purpose of research is to study the use of whole milk replacer (WMS) "OPTILAK-16" in feeding calves of the dairy period. Objectives: to study the feeding rations of calves, the physiological state of calves, the dynamics of live weight, the economic efficiency of using a whole milk substitute in feeding calves of the dairy period. Scientific research was carried out in the Krasnoyarsk Region. According to the method of pair-analogues, 2 groups of Holsteinized Black-and-White heifers were formed, 5 heads each, close in live weight, at the age of 30 days, with a group cage content. Calves were weighed ten days on electronic scales. The main diet of calves consisted of legume hay, corn silage, oat grain, common salt and chalk. Milk feed was fed twice a day. The calves of the experimental group received milk replacer 79.8 liters more than the whole milk of the calves of the control group. The physiological state of the body of calves was positively affected by the use of milk replacer, all calves of the experimental group were healthy, while one calf of the control group had diarrhea, but it recovered, the safety of calves in both groups was 100 %. The absolute and average daily gains of the calves of the experimental group were higher than that of the calves of the control group by 12.2 kg and 204 g, respectively. In the experimental group, more than in the control group, the cost of raising calves is 1165.04 rubles and the cost of growth is 2074 rubles. The profitability of the experimental group compared to the control group is higher by 10.8 %.