The study aimed to investigate the effect of milk thistle, methiphene, and silimevit on the liver's protein-synthesizing function of laying hens in examination chronic cadmium toxicosis. Thirty-two chickens, 78 weeks old, were selected for the study. Four groups were formed: control and three experimental. Birds of the experimental group (E1) with fodder were fed the fruits of milk thistle at a dose of 2.0 g/kg of feed once a day for 30 days. Chickens of the experimental group (E2) were fed metifen at a dose of 0.28 g / kg of nutrition once a day for 30 days. Hens of the experimental group (E3) were fed silymevit at a dose of 0.36 g/kg of feed nutrition once a day for 30 days. The results showed that the total protein content and its plasma fractions of birds vary throughout the research in poultry control and experimental groups. Thus, in the blood of laying hens subjected to cadmium loading, a decrease in their blood of total protein and albumin fraction was found. Under the cadmium toxicosis of chickens, milk thistle, metifen, and silimevit positively affect the liver's protein-synthesizing function, as indicated by an increase in the total protein level and albumin. Feeding with milk thistle and silymevit contributed to a better normalizing effect on the liver's protein-synthesizing function than the use of metifen.

Zinc is an essential microelement for the organism of animals, and its deficiency reduces the synthesis and degradation of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids, and also decreases the metabolism of vital microelements. The objective of the study was determining the effect of various amounts of zinc nanoaquacitrate on the biochemical parameters of blood and productivity of the organism of rabbits after weaning on 50th to 86th days of life. Compared with the control group, intake of zinc nanoaquacitrate by the animals of the experimental groups exhibited dose-dependent effect on separate biochemical parameters which characterize the processes of lipid and mineral metabolisms, which manifested in the increase in their content in the blood on the 12th, 24th and 36th days of the experiment. Watering rabbits with zinc citrate in the dose of Zn 0.25 mg/kg after weaning determined its physiological effect on the biochemical parameters of their organism, expressed in the most statistically reliable changes compared with other tested amounts, particularly a higher level of the total protein, increase in the activities of glutathione reductase, alanine aminotransferase, catalase and alkaline phosphatase and decrease in the levels of cholesterol, lipid hydroperoxides, compared with the control, which may indicate the positive effect of the applied additives on certain biochemical parameters of the rabbits’ organism. Additional use of zinc citrate in the dose of 0.50 mg/kg of body weight was manifested in their blood by significant increase in the activities of catalase and glutathione reductase, lower level of lipid hydroperoxides and increase in the organism’s growth parameter by 3.1% in the final period of the study. Watering zinc citrate in the amount of 0.75 mg/kg of body weight provoked probable decrease in the level of cholesterol and triacylglycerols and increases in catalase and glutathione reductase, increase in activity of alanine aminotrasferase and decrease in lipid hydroperoxides, which determined the stimulating effect on the growth of the organism with 8.4% higher total gain of body weight after 36 days of the experiment. From a general perspective, the research indicates that intake of lowest amount of zinc citrate was characterized by the greatest effect on the biochemical blood parameters, whereas the use of greater amounts of organic compound of zinc showed positive effect on the processes of growth and development of the organism of rabbits after weaning. Of practical importance is the study of the effect of watering zinc nanoaquacitrate in the physiologically substantiated amounts on biochemical blood parameters and growth and survivability of the offspring and organism of the mother rabbit in the period of lactation.

Using nanotechnologies to obtain compounds of mineral substances is promising because of the importance of the amount of mineral substances, but the limiting factor is particularly their bioavailability in the digestive tract. The conducted studies determined the stimulating effect of nanoaquachelates of separate biogene microelements on the course of biochemical processes of the organisms of animals, their productivity and quality of the obtained products. However, the mechanisms of impact of carboxylates of separate elements and their combinations on functioning of physiological systems of various species of animals, level of transformation of these elements into the products and their biological value remain unstudied. Therefore, the objectives of the study were changes in hematological biochemical and productive parameters of the organisms of rabbits consuming I, Se, S, the impacts of these elements on their organism from the 53 to 85th days of life. Studies were performed on young Termonde rabbits. Animals of experimental groups I, II, III, and IV were fed with feeds of the diet of the control group for 24 h with water containing solution of І, Se, S calculated respectively as 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 µg of І/L of water. The experiment lasted 45 days, including a 12 day preparation period and 33 day experimental. On the 53rd day of life of animals in the preparation period, and 68th and 85th days of life in the experimental periods (15th and 33rd days of watering with supplements), we collected samples of blood from the marginal ear vein of 6 animals (3 males and 3 females) of the group for hematological and biochemical studies. We determined that watering with the solution of microelements І, Se, S led to changes in the overall amount of white blood cells, making it 17.1% lower in the blood of animals of the experimental group II, 26.2% higher in group ІІІ on the 15th day, and 12.0% higher in group IV on the 31st day of the experiment compared with the control. Absolute amounts of lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes by the periods of the study were observed to have no significant changes throughout the study, though their parameters were within the physiological values compared with the control. The amount of red blood cells in the blood of rabbits of experimental groups І, ІІ and ІІІ was higher respectively by 8.1%, 5.7% and 12.0% at the first stage of the study and 18.1%, 13.3%, 24.5% and 24.9% higher in animals of experimental groups І, ІІ; ІІІ and ІV at the final stage of the study compared with the control group. Hemoglobin concentration in blood of rabbits of experimental groups II and III during the study was significantly higher. Hematocrit value in blood of rabbits of experimental groups I–III was significantly higher on the 33rd day of the experiment compared with the control. Consumption of solution of microelements in the amount of 10.0 µg of I/L by the animals of experimental group III led to 15.1% higher content of total protein in the blood on the 33rd day of the study compared with the control group of animals. The level of creatinine was no higher than the physiological parameters and was 9.2%, 15.0% and 15.4% higher in the blood of rabbits of experimental groups II, III, IV on the 33rd day of the experiment compared with the control group. No significant changes in the content of triacylglycerols in the blood of rabbits of the experimental groups were seen throughout the study. However, the content of cholesterol in the blood of rabbits of experimental groups III and IV was significantly higher at the first stage compared with the control group. Further, it is practical to study physiologically substantiated amounts of solution of microelements І, Se, S in the diet of mother rabbits to determine their effect on their ability to become pregnant, reproductive function, milk production and survival of offspring.

Nanotechnologies are developing continuously, and their use is becoming more diverse and concrete, with high potential to improve the products of animal husbandry and animals in general. Yet, there have been few studies of nanotechnologies in those spheres. However, to confirm the efficiency and, mainly, safety of nanotechnologies, to avoid any harm to the environment or especially humans and animals, substantiated studies are still needed. A promising, but barely studied, direction of research is dosage of nanocompounds of biogenic elements in diets of animals, both modern supplements and alternatives for correcting mineral nutrition. Therefore, the objectives of the study presented here were changes in hematologic, biochemical and immune-biological parameters of the organism of mother rabbits under the influence of sulfur citrate and sodium sulfate for 14 days until insemination and until day 20 of lactation. The research was conducted on mother rabbits of the Hyla breed which were giving birth for the second time in LLC Horlytsia in Dobriany village of Horodok district of Lviv Oblast. Mother rabbits of the control group were fed ad libitum with complete granulated mixed feed with free access to water. Animals of experimental group I were fed feeds of the diet of the control group and during the day were watered sulfate citrate in dosage of 8 µg of S/kg of body weight. Females of experimental group II were fed the diet feeds of the control group and given sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) in the amount of 40 mg of S/kg of body weight. The mother rabbits received the supplements for 14 days both until insemination and for up to the 20th day of lactation. In the preparation period, on day 10 after the beginning of the study and on day 20 of lactation in the experimental period (65th day of watering the supplements), blood samples were taken from the marginal ear vein of the mother rabbits for hematological and biochemical studies. The study revealed that watering sulfate citrate in the dosage of 8 µg of S/kg of the body weight in the diet of mother rabbits for 14 days until insemination and up to day 20 of lactation increased the amount of erythrocytes by 19.5%, leukocytes by 37.5%, granulocytes by 38.3%, concentration of hemoglobin by 21.0%, mean corpuscular hemoglobin by 15.6%, and red cell distribution width by 14.7%, and activated protein metabolism, which manifested in 8.5% higher content of protein and activity of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase respectively by 12.9%, 29.6%, 19.8% and 51.8% lower content of triacylglycerols in the blood on day 20 of lactation compared with the control group. Intake of sulfur citrate heightened the parameters of immunobiological reactivity of the organisms of mother rabbits on day 65 of the experiment with significantly higher level of phagocytic number, phagocytic activity, lysozymic and bactericidal activities of blood serum, protein-associated hexoses, sialic acids and ceruloplasmin and immune globulins, compared with the control. Giving mother rabbits sodium sulfate in the amount of 40 mg/kg of body weight for 65 days led to less notable changes in the blood, expressed in 20.0% increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin, higher phagocytic value, phagocytic activity, lysozymic and bactericidal activities of blood serum, protein-associated hexoses and ceruloplasmin. The results of the studies indicate possibility of additional use of supplement sulfur citrate in the amount of 8 µg of S/kg in diet of mother rabbits to improve metabolism, reproductive ability and immunological resistance in the period of increased physiological load.

Ukrainian Red- and Black-and-White dairy breeds, which are the most common in the region, as well as each biological system, are in constant variability and need constant scientifically-based support and improvement not only in general milk productivity, but also in such specific features as duration of economic use and reproducibility. A systematic approach in the optimization of breeding programs and the search for optimal crossbreeding options in populations of domestic dairy breeds is a little-studied and relevant area of research. The aim of the research is to study the peculiarities of the formation of the exterior of the first-born cows obtained from bulls of the Montbeliard, Norwegian Red and Holstein breeds. Materials and methods of research. The research was conducted in 2019–2020 on the basis of 4 breeding farms of Cherkasy region. 120 heads of first-born cows of Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breeds, 201 heads of Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breeds, 80 heads of first-generation Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breeds and Montbeliards, 96 heads of first-generation Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breeds and Norwegian Black-and-White cows were taken into account. Comparative evaluation of animals on productive traits, exterior type was carried out within breeding herds, taking into account the structure of the genotype of animals. The study of morphological and physiological features of the udder of cows was carried out by determining the shape and size by taking measurements at 2–3 months of lactation for 1 hour. 30 min before milking. The functional properties of the udder were studied by the intensity of milk production (kg/min.) during the control milking. The milk yield was determined by the formula proposed by N. P. Pogribna and others. The growth intensity of repair heifers and the index of decline in growth energy were determined by the methods of Yu. K. Svechin, L. I. Dunaev, V. P. Kovalenko. Biometric processing of experimental data – statistical, correlation and analysis of variance were performed according to the methods of N. A. Plokhinsky and E. K. Mercury on a computer type IBM PC/AT. Research results. At the age of six months among local heifers obtained from breeders of the Montbeliard Breed received a live weight of more than 200 kg (when using Holstein Breeders for reproduction, the weight of heifers at 6 months was 174.4–182.1 kg), at the age of over 380 kg (383.5–384.8 kg), in 15 months over 440 kg (442.9–449.9 kg). From birth to 6 months of age, heifers of the Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed obtained from Holstein Breeders had a higher live weight compared to crossbreeds obtained from bulls of the Norwegian Breed. After 6 months of age, local heifers outnumbered their peers in terms of live weight with an unlikely difference. The first-born cows of the Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed had high growth rates with well-developed breasts in depth, width and girth: height at withers and buttocks, respectively 133.7 ± 0.96 cm and 136.1 ± 1.05 cm with well-developed chest depth (72.9 ± 1.17 cm), width 42.6 ± 2.18 cm) and girth 193.0 ± 1.54 cm), with a wide back in the macula 51.6 ± 3.77 sm and in the buttocks 35.2 ± 1.09 sm. Body measurements of local first-borns of genotype 1/2URW1/2M – only 80 heads: height at withers 124.7 ± 3.71 cm (below first-borns obtained from Holstein bulls by 9.0 sm (P > 0.95) URW); in the buttocks 127.9 ± 2.19 sm (8.2 sm below the firstborn URW breed) (P > 0.99), oblique body length 158.3 ± 13.82 cm (4.6 cm below the firstborn URW breed)). However, they outnumbered the first-borns obtained from Holstein bulls by measuring the depth of the breast 75.3 ± 3.11 cm (2.4 cm), breast width from 47.7 ± 2.40 cm (5.1 sm), chest circumference 205.0 ± 4 10 sm (12 sm (P > 0.99)), width of the buttocks in the macula and buttocks (6.1–3.1 sm (P > 0.95)). The first-born cows of the Ukrainian Black- and-White dairy breed obtained from Holstein breeders had a height at the withers and buttocks of 130.9 ± 1.22 cm and 137.2 ± 0.86 cm, respectively, with well-developed breasts in depth and girth. Local first-borns obtained from the selection of Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy cows of Norwegian Black-and-White breeders had no significant difference in basic body measurements with those of the same age as those obtained from Holstein breeders. Regardless of genotype and breed, the udder of first-born cows is large in volume (in girth – 128.6 ± 3.14 and 148.7 ± 2.66 sm, length – 35.1 ± 1.23 and 40.3 ± 1.55 sm and a width of 29.5 ± 3.26 and 33.8 ± 4.36 sm.) With proportionally developed parts of the udder, bath- or cup-shaped, firmly attached to the abdominal wall with cylindrical teats. Duration of milking 10.1 ± 0.167 – 12.2 ± 0.157 minutes, milk production rate 1.90 ± 0.01 – 2.50 ± 0.07 kg/min. It was found that with increasing daily milk yield, the intensity of milk production also increased: correlation coefficients (r = 0.439–0.577) have a high reliability (td = 3.97–7.58). The value of the udder index among the studied breeds and genotypes was different and ranged from 43.4 ± 0.06% to 45.2 ± 0.02%. Conclusions. The crossing of Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy cows with Norwegian Black-and-White breeders did not have a significant effect on the exterior type of repair heifers under 12 months of age. Crossbreeding with the Montbeliard breed made it possible to obtain heifers that were inferior in growth, but had a developed, three-dimensional body, chest and pelvis. The use of genetic material of the Montbeliard and Norwegian Black-and-White breeds has contributed to the formation of cows of the desired exterior type with good udder characteristics that meet modern requirements of machine mil.