Nutritive value of fodder mixes for nutrition of cattle in territory of Republic of Serbia

Over a period of five years (2005-2009), the laboratory of the Department for Nutrition and Botanic analyzed 22 samples of mixes from the territory of Serbia, intended for the diet of two categories of cattle (fattening calves I and dairy cows with over 20 liters of milk). The analysis was performed using standard methods, and the obtained results were compared with the quality conditions prescribed under the Regulations on quality and other requirements for animal feed (SRY Official Gazette numbers 20/00 and 38/01). Intensive breeding of cattle implies the use of concentrated mixes for all categories which are adapted to the age and purpose of maintenance of the animals. The mixes are products of the animal food industry, and they are obtained through an established technological procedure using the required raw materials. The inadequate quality of raw materials causes problems involving the quality of the finished products, so that strict adherence to the established recipes does not necessary result in a satisfactory quality of the mixes. All of the above imposes the need for the constant monitoring of the nutritive value of the mixes, and consequently also of their quality. On the grounds of the analysis of the presence of the elementary nutritive matter, no significant differences were established with regard to the prescribed quantity of nutritive matter, so that the use of the examined mixes in the diets of the respective categories of cattle can be expected to yield satisfactory production results. .