COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF MINERAL SUBSTANCE UTILIZATION BY RUMINANTS UNDER VARIOUS NUTRITION TYPES
To carry out the experiment, 3 comparable groups of 7 saigas at the age of 4 months and 3 groups of 20 young sheep were formed; the age, body condition, live weight, and state of health was taken into account. The nutrition regime and animal housing technology during the experiment were similar for all groups. During fattening, the animals of Group I had hay (dry) type of nutrition, Group II - haylage (wet) type, and Group III - green forage type. The physiological (balance) experiment was carried out with 3 animals from each group at the age of 7 months. High calcium deposition in saiga body was found (2.39-2.47 g); calcium utilization percentage made 37.90-39.43% of consumed with forages. The animals of Group III at the age of 7 months had better phosphorus utilization - greater by 1.39% than in Group II fed haylage type diet. As opposed to saigas, young sheep utilized calcium better from haylage type diets; Group II had greater calcium utilization percentage: by 5.62% as compared to Group I, and by 2.39% as compared to Group III fed green forage diet. Regardless of nutrition type, the sheep deposited more calcium (by 1.85-2.41 g) in their bodies as compared to saigas. The sheep had the highest phosphorus utilization when fed haylage type of diet.