A combination of flaxseed cake and the mineral-vitamin supplement Calphostonic, along with a phytobiotic feed supplement, was studied in the diet of suckling calves to assess the digestibility and utilization of dietary nutrients. It was found that both the phytobiotic from the herb mix of burnet, chamomile and plantain taken separately and with Calphostonic had a positive effect on the digestibility of dry and organic matter in the calves' diet. The phytobiotic from a set of herbs of burnet, chamomile and plantain was administered as a 10% aqueous solution, combined with dairy feed and concentrates, in 10-day courses. Calphostonic was administered at a dose of 40 g/head per day, supplemented with 40 g of flaxseed cake, replacing 10% of the concentrates in the diet daily. It was determined that of all the experimental groups, Calphostonic and flaxseed cake increased the digestibility of crude protein to a greater extent by 5.3 and 5.6%, crude fat – by 2.7 and 1.1%. Feed additives stimulated rumen digestion, reflected in an increase in the digestibility of crude fiber in calves of the experimental groups by 2.7–4.0%. The nitrogen balance was the highest in the group with flaxseed cake and exceeded the control group by 15.4%, other experimental groups – by 2.7–7.6%. The metabolizable energy of the diet of calves on the phytoadditive with flaxseed cake was higher than analogs of the control group by 1.9%, with the phytoadditive alone – by 1.1%, with Calphostonic – by 1.3%. The net energy gain of calves receiving the phytobiotic exceeded that of the control group by 5.9%, with Calphostonic – by 8.4%, with flaxseed cake – by 4.3%.

Matrosova Yulia V., Ovchinnikov Alexander A., Babich Elena A., Shvetsova Tatyana V.

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