COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORENBURG BREED GOATS IN CASE OF FEED ADDITIVES INTRODUCTION INTO THE DIET

Abstract
Indicators of growth and development are important criteria for assessing the productivity of
Orenburg downy goats. The paper purpose is to study the effects of feed additives introduction into
the diet on the growth dynamics and features of the physiological development of Orenburg breed
goats. The control group received the basic diet, taking into account the season and age, the
experimental groups received the same diet plus feed additives in different dosages. Differences in
body weight and gains between the groups have been revealed. At 10 months, the live weight is
similar in all groups: I group – 15.8±0.17 kg, II group– 16.6±0.24 kg (+0.8 kg to I), III group –
16.9±0.13 kg (+1.1 kg to I). The largest mass is in group III. By the age of 19 months, all groups have
shown an increase, but with different intensity: I group – 33.2±0.37 kg, II group – 36.9±0.32 kg (+3.7
kg to I), III group – 36.6±0.31 kg (+3.4 kg to I, -0.3 kg to II). Groups II and III have outperformed
the control group (I), group II has had a slight advantage over group III. The authors have noted the
following growth rate (10-19 months): I group – 63.5±9.87 g, II group – 74.1±1.32 g (+10.6 g to I),
III group – 71.9±1.01 g (+8.4 g to I, –2.2 g to II). The greatest effect is achieved in case of adding 40
g of Felucene (group II), the combination of 25 g of Felucene with methionine (group III) is slightly
inferior, but also effective. In all groups of goats of at the age of 12 months the authors have detected
a high level of total amino acid content in down fibers (g/100 g of down), which indicates their good
preservation and ensures high physical properties of down (strength, elasticity). The analysis of the
morphological composition of the wool of goats aged 6, 10 and 19 months has been carried out. At
10 months, the proportion of coarse hair has made up: group I – 48 %, group II – 46 %, group III –
43 %; the proportion of down fibers has made up 51–56 %, 1 % of them – transitional hair. This fact
confirms Orenburg breed goat specificity with a high proportion of down fraction at 19 months. When
comparing biochemical parameters in two age groups (10 and 19 months) the following trends have
been revealed. Total protein (g/l): at 19 months, the values were on average higher than at 10 months:
group I: from 63.1±1.15 to 64.3±1.06; group II: from 65.5±1.11 to 69.5±1.79; group III: from
64.2±1.81 to 67.8±1.14 Albumins (g/l): the level increased at 19 months: group I: from 35.4±4.10 to
37.2±2.01; group II: from 36.8±4.15 to 38.1±2.12; group III: from 35.4±3.80 to 36.3±3.08.
Cholesterol (mmol/l): in the group of 19-month goats, the values were higher: group I: from 2.5±0.14
to 2.6±0.25; group II: from 2.7±0.11 to 2.8±0.19; group III: from 2.6±0.08 to 2.7±0.22. Creatinine
(mmol/L): levels were higher in the group of 19-month goats: Group I: from 68.2±1.04 to 70.1±1.02;
group II: from 70.0±1.01 to 74.5±1.06; group III: from 72.2±0.99 to 79.2±1.03. Urea (mmol/l): in
groups II and III it was higher at the age of 19 months, in group I it decreased. AST (units/L): levels were higher in groups I and III at the age of 19 months, and decreased in group II. ALT (units/L): in
groups I and II, the values were higher at the age of 19 months, and in group III there was a slight
increase. Glucose (mmol/l): in groups II and III it was lower at 19 months, in group I it was practically
unchanged. Alkaline phosphatase (units/L): higher in group I at 19 months, lower in groups II and
III. The received data indicate that feed additives introduction into the diet has an impact on these
indicators as a factor of intensive goats growing.

Keywords: morphophysiological, indicators, intensity, goats growing, diet, supplement,
felucene, goats