Effectiveness of use of different feed and technologies for fattening of steers

Beef is the only one of all types of meat, the volume of production of which in our country practically does not grow. The number of cattle in all categories of farms has been constantly declining in recent years. This downward trend in the number of cattle in the Russian Federation has not been overcome yet, which cannot adequately provide the country’s population with beef and its processed products in accordance with medical standards. The increase in beef production due to the effective use of dairy steers and dual cattle breeds is an urgent, not completely studied and demanded problem at the present time. The purpose of the research was to analyze the use of various feed and housing technologies when fattening steers of Black and White breed. The experimental part of the work was carried out at the Arkhangelskoye collective farm in the Staritsky district of the Tver region. At the age of 6 months the calves were divided into groups according to the technology of housing such as the 1st group of steers was housed in an open feedlot with free access to the barn. The 2nd group of steers was housed with tied up way during the fattening period. The 3rd group was housed in the stall period in the tied up way similar to the 2nd group, and in the pasture period it was grazed on pastures. During the pasture period steers were fed concentrates and mineral additives. Each technological group was divided into two subgroups A and B. In subgroup A the main feed of the ration was silage in winter, in summer it was herbage (grass). In subgroup B fattening was carried out with using fresh brewer’s grains. Under the conditions of the Tver region in order to increase the production of high-quality beef obtained during fattening of steers, it is necessary to use tied up way of housing in the stall (winter) period, in the summer pasture (graziery), including brewer’s grains in the ration, which contributes not only to an increase in live weight gains, but also reduces the cost of beef production.