Production and technological justification of calves growing with the introduction of improved feeding equipment

The purpose of the study is to investigate the duration of technological operations and economically useful traits of Holstein calves using different types of feeders for roughage. Monitoring the duration of technological operations and analysis of the productive qualities of Holstein calves during the milk period of rearing using different options of feeders for roughage were carried out. The animals of group I were fed from a common feeder for roughage according to the technology adopted on the farm, which provided for its daily filling, the animals of group II were fed from an improved feeder for rolled hay with limited access for adult livestock, located in a common pen (3-fold filling with rolls during 6 months of growing). It was found that the use of a common feeder, traditionally used for feeding hay to calves on dairy farms, in contrast to the improved one - for rolled hay to all age and sex groups of animals, turned out to be less effective. The large mass of hay eaten by the calves of group II is probably explained by the design elements of the improved feeder, allowing it to be loaded in the form of a roll, ensuring feed consumption over a longer period of time than from the feeders used on the farm. Thus, the differences in the amount of hay consumed amounted to 122 kg. The use of a new version of a hay feeder in the technology of growing calves during the milk period also ensured a decrease in losses and residues in it by an average of 68 and 54 kg, respectively. As a result of testing the new feeding equipment in the milk period of growing calves, it provided a number of advantages: the frequency of filling feeder decreased by 164 times, the total duration of technological operations (loading and cleaning) by 58.3 minutes, the palatability of feed (hay) increased by 122 kg and the growth rate - by 22 g per day.