Microelements effect on the general sheep performance

Our research shows that the content of microelements (cobalt, copper, iodine) in local feed (alfalfa grass, corn silage, barley and wheat straw, etc.) is very low, and in some cases completely absent. This negatively affects animal productivity. Taking this into account, in 2022-2023 we studied the effect of microelements cobalt, iodine and copper on the overall productivity of sheep. During the experiments, each head of sheep was given daily 10 mg of cobalt chloride, 10 mg of potassium iodide and 10 mg of copper sulfate. The results of a 120-day experiment and our observations show that sheep receiving these microelements had 5,7% more wool and 10,3% greater lamb birth rate compared to sheep that did not receive microelements. Microelements had a positive effect on sheep wool yield, wool length, live weight of the animal, and the development of the lamb in the womb. In the sheep of the experimental group that received micronutrient nutrition, the wool yield was 78 g, and the length of the wool was 0,8 cm longer than in the control group. The live weight of sheep and lambs receiving micronutrients was 3,92 kg at birth and 26,55 kg at weaning, and the live weight of sheep lambs not receiving micronutrients was 3,70 kg and 24,65 kg. Thus, in the conditions of Nakhchivan AR, it is considered advisable to widely use microelements to increase the overall productivity of sheep.