Influence of colostrum oil on the livability of newborn calves

Formation of immunity in calves is the most important component for further their development and growth. After birth, it is important to give the calf colostrum within the fi rst hour of life to form passive immunity, it is also necessary to take into account the health of the pregnant cow, the conditions for storing and defrosting colostrum, the process and control of feeding. The use of a growth stimulator based on fortified colostrum oil from the fi rst milking will allow creating a product highly concentrated in its content of vitamins, fatty acids and immune bodies, which can be stored for a long time. The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of colostrum oil on the livability of newborn calves. The experiment was carried out at the LLC Ushtaganskoye Agricultural Enterprise in the Chelyabinsk Region. During the experiment vitaminized colostrum oil was introduced into the diet of newborn calves at a dosage of 10–30 mg per animal for 10 days, which improved their survival rates. The average daily live weight gain in calves of the experimental groups significantly exceeded the control indicators. In spring, the gain in the experimental group was by 1.9 times higher, and in autumn by 2.6 times (p < 0.05). The superiority of calves of the experimental groups in relative growth rate was also noted by 9.9 abs.% in spring and 4.2 abs.% in autumn. It was proven that the introduction of f vitaminized colostrum oil into the calf diet in the tested quantities had a positive effect on the livability of young animals. The addition of purifi ed vitaminized colostrum oil to the calf diet contributed to an increase in natural resistance and a decrease in the mortality rate. This oil provided the calves with passive immunity for the entire observation period. For effective use of the beneficial properties of summer colostrum in the winter-spring period, we recommend producing a biologically active additive as – vitaminized colostrum oil.