The aim of the experiment was to study the effect of milk replacers differing in sugar source on growth performance, body mass index of calves and nutrient digestibility of feed. For the study, 20 newborn calves of black-and-white breed at 30-day-old were selected and divided into 4 groups (control and three experimental), 5 heads each. The control group was fed according to the feeding scheme adopted on the farm, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd experimental groups were fed with glucose, dried whey and corn starch as carbohydrate milk replacers, respectively. During the experiment, calves were weighed on the 30th, 45th, 60th and 75th days, body measurements were taken, and the signs of diarrhea were recorded every day. The experiment was carried out in two stages in the age period of 35–43 and 65–73 days. So, at the final stage of the study the average daily gain in all experimental groups increased, but the best result was shown by the animal group, fed with dried whey, while the changes in the control group were insignificant. The apparent digestibility of nutrients at the initial stage of the study also tended to change within the experimental groups. However, at the second stage of the study, these indicators in all experimental groups were significantly increased, in contrast to the control. The frequency of diarrhea in calves was higher at the initial stage of the study, but after 45 days of age, this indicator gradually declined, and at the later stage of the study, it reached the minimum threshold value. Thus, in the experiment, dried whey became the best carbohydrate milk replacer, followed by glucose. The corn starch showed a poor effect at the initial stage of the study, but the effect gradually improved as the calf grew older.

Maksimov Nikita I., Lashin Anton P., Siraziev Romazan Z.

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