The efficiency of growing Holstein calves in different ways of keeping under conditions of sharply continental climate of the south-east of Kazakhstan

P. Zh. Sailaubek¹, N. V. Sivkin¹, A. A. Baisabyrova^2
1Ernst Federal Science Center for Animal Husbandry, pos. Dubrovitsy, 60, Podol’skii r-n, Moskovskaya obl., 142132, Russian Federation
²Kazakh Research Institute of Livestock and Fodder Production, ul. Zhandosova, 51, Almaty, 050035, Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract. The research aimed to determine the effectiveness of growing Holstein calves in outdoor houses and premises built using sandwich panel technology under the conditions of sharply continental climate of the southeast of Kazakhstan. In the experiment, calves born in winter in the first 10 days of life were in individual cages in the farm. Subsequently, the experimental group (n=10) was kept in the "open" air: from 11 to 70 days in individual houses placed on raised wooden boards (pallets) with straw bedding 25-30 cm thick, from 71 to 90 day – in cages of 5 animals under a sun-windproof canopy. The control group (n=10) was kept in individual cages in the farm during this period. Upon reaching the age of 3 months, the calves of both groups were kept indoors, in cages. In both cases, heifers by the age of 12 months reached a live weight of 324.0-336.4 kg. When keeping calves outdoors, compared with indoors, the intensity of live weight gain was higher: up to 6 months – by 4.7-10.7% (р≤0.05), up to 12 months – by 3.8%. At the same time, the development of exterior features improved: the height at the withers and hips increased by 4.6-7.4% (p≤0.01...0.001), the oblique body length increased by 3.8-6.0% (p≤0.01-0.001). The concentration of total proteins in the blood increased by 4.47 g/l (p≤0.05), calcium – by 0.17 µmol/l (p≤0.05), zinc – by 1.8 µmol/l (p≤ 0.001). The number of leukocytes in the blood, the content of which indicates the intensity of immunity, increased by 1.24 thousand mm3 (p≤0.05). In general, in the sharply continental climate of Kazakhstan, rearing calves in houses on the site, compared with cages in the premises, is more economically profitable, since the cost of heifers reduces by 5.3%.

Keywords: method of keeping calves; Holstein breed; calf houses; live weight; blood biochemistry.

Author Details: P. Zh. Sailaubek, post graduate student; N. V. Sivkin, Cand. Sc. (Agr.), academic secretary (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); A. A. Baisabyrova, research fellow.

For citation: Sailaubek PZh, Sivkin NV, Baisabyrova AA. [The efficiency of growing Holstein calves in different ways of keeping under conditions of sharply continental climate of the south-east of Kazakhstan]. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2022;36(11):69-74. Russian. doi: 10.53859/02352451_2022_36_11_69.