INFLUENCE OF FEEDING WITH ZOOPHYTOPLANKTON SUPPLEMENT ON THE METABOLISM AND REPRODUCTIVE INDICATORS OF LACAUNE SHEEP

Problem. The milk yield of sheep depends on many factors. The most influential of them are: fertility, feeding and maintenance, age of the animal, month of lactation, number of lambs fed by the mother. Solving this issue is possible only if there is a high culture of animal breeding and maintenance. The main link of keeping animals is their complete feeding. Unfortunately, nowadays the general level of feeding is low, and its completeness cannot withstand any criticism. The flora and fauna of reservoirs can be an important reserve for replenishing the need for high-protein feed, feed protein and biologically active substances these days. Purpose – to study the reproductive properties of ewes and the digestibility of feed after the introduction into the diet of compound feed containing in its composition a protein-mineral supplement from the aquaculture of the Dniester river. Research methods. The study is based on conducting a scientific and economic experiment on ewes of the milk-meat Lacaune breed one month before mating, which allows us to state that when feeding a protein-mineral supplement from aquaculture in the diets of ewes of the experimental groups, the fertility of ewes at the first insemination improved. The method of the principle of analogy was used in the study, which made it possible to divide the animals into 4 groups – a control group and three experimental groups of 12 heads each. The main results of the research. The results of the research indicate that the live weight of the ewes changed in different periods of the experiment. It was established that during the period of preparation for insemination, the live weight of the ewes of the control group increased by 3,11 kg, and that of the first and second experimental groups by 3,67 kg and 3,94 kg, respectively, which is 18% more than the control group of animals (Р<0,05) and 26,6% (Р<0,01). It was noted that the live weight of ewes of the control group decreased by 9,0 kg, or 11,79%, during the lactation period, of the first experimental group – by 7,27 kg, or 8,9%; the second trial – by 5,5 kg, or 7,57% and the third trial – by 8,24 kg, or 11,5%. Scientific novelty of the research results. The possibility and expediency of introducing a 3–12% protein-mineral supplement from the aquaculture of the Dniester River instead of barley into the compound feed of Lacaune ewes was established. Conclusions: According to a comprehensive assessment, the highest efficiency was noted at doses of PMDA in the compound feed of queens within 7% by weight of the compound feed.