GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CATTLE OF THE HOLSTEIN BREED IN THE POST-MILK PERIOD AND THEIR REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY

The article describes the results of the research and provides the characteristics of growing replacement heifers of the Holstein breed from 10 to 18 months of age, the body weight of replacement heifers at the first insemination, the age of the first insemination and studied reproductive abilities: the number of inseminations per one fruitful insemination, uninseminated heifers older than 18 months and older, the characteristics of bulls growing. A comparative assessment of production indicators with minimum requirements for the Holstein breed is carried out. The composition of mono-feed in the diets for feeding young cattle in all age periods of growing is analyzed. As a result of the studies positive results were obtained for their growing. So at the age of 10 months, the average body weight of heifers was 276.0 kg, which is 16.0 kg or 6.2 % higher than the minimum requirements for the breed (260.0 kg), at the age of 12 months, heifers already weighed 311.0 kg, which is also 11.0 kg or 3.7 % higher, and at the age of 18 months, the body weight was 434.0 kg, which is 34.0 kg (400.0 kg) or 8.5 % higher than the minimum requirements for heifers of the Holstein breed. At the age of 10 months the bulls weighed 323.0 kg, which is 33.0 kg (290.0 kg) or 11.4% higher, at the age of 12 months - 384.0 kg, which is also 44.0 kg or 12.9 % (340.0 kg) higher than the minimum requirements for Holstein bulls. The studied reproductive abilities of heifers showed that the body weight of replacement heifers at the age of 16 months at the first insemination was 388.0 kg which is also within the established norms.