Application of new roughage feeder into the calves’ growing technology

The article presents a comparative analysis of the duration of technological operations in feeding and eating hay to Holstein calves from different designs of feeders, the manifestation of ethological and productive characteristics, as well as the establishment of feed payment by live weight gain introduction of different technological methods of growing youths. Three groups of Holstein calves were formed with 10 heads in each one, which were grown up to 6 months of age. The differences were in the technological process of growing the experimental groups of calves that the control group was fed hay in a common feeder for calves and adult livestock, the 1-st experimental group is according to the classical technology (in a separate paddock (canteen)), where only calves could get, the 2-nd experimental group is in a feeder for roughage for all sex and age groups of cattle with limited access for adults, which was located in a common pen. It was found that during the milk period of growing calves in the control group, the total duration of operations required to load hay and clean the feeders was 73.6 hours, which is significantly higher than in the feeders of other options. All other things being equal, the smallest number of fillings, and accordingly, cleaning of feeders with hay and the duration of technological operations were required in using a new feeder in the calves’ group of the 2-nd experimental group. The same provision of calves with roughage in terms of using different feeder modifications contributed the unequal consumption of hay, which is explained by the differences in feeders’ design and the possibility of separate and joint consumption. Thus, the consumption of hay by calves of the 2-nd experimental group was 87.8% of its provision, the1-st experimental group is 81.7%, which is 12.0 and 5.9 abs.%, respectively, higher than peers of the controlled group.