EFFECTIVENESS OF GROWING AND FATTENING OF YOUNG SIMMENTAL CATTLE WITH DIFFERENT HOUSING AND FEEDING TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of influence of the feeding level on
growth, development and meat productivity of young Simmental cattle. Correct choice of diet
has a beneficial effect on the processes of growth, development and, consequently, increase of
meat productivity of cattle. The study was conducted on young bulls of Simmental breed,
which were bred in APC breeding farm “Zaria-1” in Karachay-Cherkessia Republic. The aim
of the research was to study the influence of different feeding levels of young Simmental
bulls by periods of growing, fattening, duration of production cycle on growth, exterior traits
and meat productivity, as well as to determine the chemical composition of meat. During the
entire breeding period, young bulls of group I received 28% more nutritious feed than young
bulls of group II. With this feeding level, the young bulls of group I grew more intensively.
The live weight of young bulls of group I exceeded group II at 6, 12 and 18 months of age by
21, 26 and 20%, respectively. By all measurements, young bulls of group I were ahead of
young bulls of group II at all ages. There were differences between young bulls of group I and
group II in the yield of the main slaughter products in all periods. At 18 months of age young
bulls of group I exceeded young bulls of group II in carcass yield by 0.92% and in slaughter
yield by 1.46%. The differentiated deboning of carcasses revealed that the relative flesh
weights (muscle and fat) in both groups increased with age, while the weight of bones and
tendons decreased. However, young bulls of the experimental group had a higher percentage
of bone content in comparison to young bulls of the control group, which is especially noticeable in the lumbar and thoracic parts. When studying the chemical composition of meat, it
was found that the meat of young bulls of group I contained 1.5 times more fat than the meat
of young bulls of group II. The fat content in the dorsal part of the carcass of young bulls
from group I was 2.2 times higher than in the dorsal part of young bulls from group II, and in
fillet – 1.6, in rump – 1.8, in beef round – 1.7 times higher, respectively. It follows that the
increased feeding level has a beneficial effect on the growth and exterior of young bulls of
Simmental breed, meat productivity, as well as on the chemical parameters of the meat products of Simmental breed.