EFFECTIVENESS OF INFLUENCE OF MINERAL PHYTOBIOTIC ADDITIVE ON AGE DYNAMICS OF LINEAR GROWTH OF SHEEP

Abstract

The article presents the results of research on the linear growth of young sheep grown on diets enriched with a mineral phytobiotic additive. Indexes of body structure have been determined, which make it possible to establish the relative development of individual parts of the animals’ body. Body structure indexes characterize the sex, age and constitutional characteristics of animals and their typical differences and have a great importance for the animals characteristic. In order to determine certain patterns of linear growth, coefficients of variability were calculated. The study of the linear growth of control and experimental animals in our experiments allowed us to reveal the peculiarities of the body structure of the best constitutional types, sexual characteristics, productivity nature and evaluate the principles of the formation of meat qualities of the sheep. In particular, it was established that the growth rate of live mass is accompanied by significant changes in the axial skeleton. The height measurements and body length of experimental sheep and rams were higher than the control ones accordingly on 4,30-5,92 % and 5,52-5,28 %. The body length of the experimental ones were higher on 6,05 % in sheep and 6,76 % in rams. When determining the width and depth of the chest and the width at the hips, the difference between the control and experimental ones was 13,00-13,10 %, and these indicators increased with age. The determination of volumetric measurements proves a more stable regularity of age changes. According to the girth of the chest behind the shoulder blades, the experimental sheep exceeded the control ones on 10,96-13,73 %, and the rams on 7,37-12,14 %. In the rams, compared to the sheep, both in the control and in the experimental ones, the diameters of the parts of the body were higher. They were characterized by a higher height, long enough, wide and deep body and well-defined meat forms of the exterior. Therefore, our research revealed that according to the parameters of linear growth, the young animals of the experimental group significantly exceeded the animals of the control group of sheep. These advantages are characterized in detail the indexes of body structure, which emphasize the relative proportionality and compactness of individual parts of the body and reflect important productive qualities of animals, especially the meat qualities. Age-related changes experience the indexes in stretch, chest indexes, and body mass development. In particular, the sheep of the experimental group had an advantage over animals of the control group of 9,81-10,3 7 %. The massiveness index according to scientist Durst experienced more significant age changes between experimental and control young sheep.