Effect of mineral additives supplementation on Holsteinized Russian Black Pied calves

In this study, the mineral supplementary nutrition complexes Mustala and Mustala-T, based on natural or thermally processed shungite minerals, were used in a mixture with compound feed for Holsteinized Russian Black Pied calves of the preweaning and post-weaning rearing periods as additives in the amount of 1% by weight of concentrates. To obtain the feeding efficiency data for Mustala and Mustala-T, three analogue groups of calves aged 2–5 months were formed. The control group calves were fed the basic diet: whole milk substitute, hay andconcentrates in the preweaning period and hay and concentrates in the post-weaning period. The calves of the 1st and 2nd experimental groups were additionally fed 1% Mustala and Mustala-T to the mass of concentrates, respectively. The use of Mustala and Mustala-T contributed to increased body weight gain by 14.1 and 4.2%, respectively. The results of this study were subjected to the calculation of bioconsolidation indices and a neural network analysis based on the biochemical parameters of the blood of calves additionally fed the shungite preparations. Neural network analysis confirmed the high correlation of bioconsolidation indices with indicators of calf productivity and the economic efficiency of the use of shungite preparations in animal feeding.