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Background and Aim: Ensuring the genetic potential of ruminants through nutrition studies using medicinal plants and trace element metals is an urgent task. This study aimed to study the effect of Artemisia absinthium L. (Asteraceae) herb plant separately and in combination with cobalt (II) chloride (CoCl2) chelate compounds on the course of metabolic processes in the rumen, methane concentration, and biochemical blood parameters in bulls. Materials and Methods: Control group (BD: Basal diet); experimental Group I – BD + A. absinthium herb at a dose of 2.0 g/kg dry matter (DM), experimental Group II – BD + A. absinthium herb at a dose of 2.0 g/kg DM + CoCl2 (1.5 mg/kg), and experimental Group III – BD + CoCl2 were set (1.5 mg/kg). The study was conducted on 16 beef bulls (Kazakh white-headed breed) aged 13–14 months, with an average live weight of 330–335 kg. Enzymatic processes in the rumen were studied, including the level of volatile fatty acids (using the gas chromatography method), nitrogen and its fractions (using the Kjeldahl method), methane concentration, and morphological and biochemical blood composition. Results: There was a decrease in the concentration of acetic acid in experimental group I (15.9%) (p < 0.05) and in the III group (60.3%) and propionic acid in all experimental groups by 5.6%–47.3% (p < 0.05). Feeding A. absinthium herb as part of the diet of experimental Group I contributed to a decrease in methane concentration by 17.8% (p = 0.05) and the lowest methane concentration was noted for experimental Group III. It was less than in control by 59.1% (p < 0.05). An increase in the concentration of glucose, total protein, and creatinine was found in the experimental groups (p < 0.05). The digestibility of organic matter (3.5%), crude fiber (3.6%), and hemicellulose (11.0%) increased with the feeding of A. absinthium herb. Conclusion: Thus, using biocomplexes based on A. absinthium herb and CoCl2 do not harm the rumen fermentation of cattle. Still, further microbiome studies are required to evaluate the effects of A. absinthium on cattle properly.

The paper considers the biological effect of probiotic, enzyme and antibiotic agents on metabolism, efficiency and the element status of chickens. Joint inclusion of soybean-bifidum (0.7 ml/kg of feed), Tselloviridin G20x and Biovit-80 resulted in the increase of the egg weight by 9.8 and 9.0%, respectively in comparison with other groups. The group receiving Sporobacterin (10 ml/kg of feed) with feed was characterized by high fat availability (68%). The greatest conversion of feed gross energy was observed in groups in case of joint inclusion of Tselloviridin with probiotic and antibiotic agents (2.8 and 3.0%) and crude protein (6.2 and 7.0%). The spectral microelement analysis showed that the additional inclusion of biologically active agents caused their redistribution towards the increase of the need for main micronutrients for metabolism. All groups were characterized by a reliable increase of essential and conditional-essential elements such as Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Cr, Cu, Fe, I, With, Mn, Se, Zn against the background of decrease such toxic elements as As, Al, Ag, Sr, Pb, Cd. The received results confirm the modeling role of probiotics, enzymes and antibiotics in the exchange of micro- and macronutrients.

Article presents results of study on effect of various vegetable fats on digestibility of the main nutrients in young cattle. We obtained new data on effects of fats on absorption of amino acids, analyzed blood of experimental animals, depending on source of lipids. We found that use of native form of fat contributes to less intensive digestion of raw fat, in contrast to prepared. In this case, fatty acid composition plays significant role. Transformation of amino acids showed slight difference between the samples. As result of our research, thanks to unique surgical operation on transplantation of the pancreatic duct into isolated segment of intestine, new knowledge was obtained about exocrine function of pancreas, absorption of nutrients, and biochemical parameters of blood in cattle when exposed to fats in animals. Thus, obtained the data reflect body’s response to various types of fats, administered in doses that can be digested by body, without disrupting metabolism of other substances.

The degree of the dry matter (DM) digestibility of the diet and the effect of additional administration of linseed oil on the composition of the rumen microbiome of cattle were studied. The in vitro method was used using the incubator "ANKOM Daisy II "(modifications D200 and D200I) according to a specialized technique. Microflora analysis was performed using MiSeq ("Illumina", USA) by the new generation sequencing method (NGS) with a set of MiSeq reagents. With the introduction of linseed oil, an increase in the digestibility of DM feed by 2.3% relative to the control (wheat bran) was noted. In the experimental group the level of species diversity was 45% higher than in the control group. The Simson dominance index in the control group was 0.44, in the experimental group it is 0.54. The Shannon index was equal to E=0.3, which shows a greater alignment of the microbial community in the ruminal fluid when flaxseed oil was included. There was an increase in the number of bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes (64.2 %) and a decrease in Firmicutes (19.3 %)., There was an increase in the number of microorganisms belonging to the classes Saccharibacteria, Spirochaetia, Mollicutes, Lentisphaeria, Elusimicrobia in the experimental group, relative to the control. Also it is an increase in representatives of all classes of the phylum Proteobacteria in comparison with the control by 44 % (p < 0.05).

The study presents the results of the influence of coconut and flaxseed oils by the in-vitro method on the microbiome of scar fluid in young cattle. During the experiment, a decrease in the number of bacteria for Firmicutes phylum by 37.2 and 35.2 % using vegetable oils with the control sample and growth for the large phylum Bacteroidia, the bacterial abundance was higher than in control by 28.1 and 25.1 % for coconut and flaxseed oils, respectively. Also, the use of coconut and flaxseed oils has led to an increase in the number of bacteria for filum Candidatus Saccharibacteria and phylum Verrucomicrobia.

Relevance. On the processes of fermentation in the rumen of ruminants depends, how much final metabolites and their derivatives will be formed, which are necessary for the full development of the body, thehigh level of productivity, those processes also affect the level of formation of endogenous substances, in particular greenhouse gas emissions. These facts lead us to the search for new feed products that improve the metabolic processes in the rumen and the digestive system as a wholePhytochemicals can serve as an alternativeto traditional feed additives. The purpose of the article was to study the effect of Salviae folia, Scutellaria baicalensis, Origanum vulgare on the formation of methane, the synthesis of volatile fatty acids and nitrogen, as the main indicators of the enzymatic activity of the rumen.Methods. The object of the study was the rumen fluid obtained from bulls of the Kazakh white-headed breed, aged 9–10 months, with an average weight of 225–230 kg (n = 4) with a chronic fistula of the rumen. For the study, a microration was prepared, including 70% of roughage and 30% of concentrated feed as a substrate, and nine prototypes were formed: Salviae folia — 0.8; 1.6; 2.4 g/kg of dry matter (DM), Scutellaria baicalensis — 0.15; 0.2; 0.3 g/kg ofDM, Origanum vulgare — 0.2; 0.3; 0.6 g/kg of DMof ration. The studies were carried out in vitro using the “ANKOM DaisyII” incubator and a specialized technique.Results. It was found that with the use of phytosubstances Salviae folia and Scutellaria baicalensis, more acetic and propionic acids were formed, and with the use of Origanum vulgare in various dosages there was a shift towards formation ofpropionic and valeric acids. The formation of a larger amount of microbial protein has been reliably established with the use of Salviae folia, Scutellaria baicalensis, Origanum vulgare in various dosages. Methanogenesis decreased to a greater extent with the use of higher dosages of phytochemicals, regardless of the source.

The assessment of Asteráceae Family Plants (rhizomes and roots of elecampane and wormwood) influence on the process of methane formation in the rumen ecosystem and metabolic processes was carried out. Studies (in vitro) were carried out using ANKOM Daisy II incubator (modifications D200 and D200I) according to a specialized method. Rumen contents were obtained from beef bulls with chronic rumen fistula. Gas analysis of air and volatile fatty acids samples was performed by gas chromatography. The results of the study showed that different dosages of phytobiotic preparations did not significantly affect the characteristics of fermentation in vitro. Phytobiotic preparations of elecampane and wormwood reduce the production of methane in the ruminal fluid, which may be associated with various active components or dosages of their administration.