Somatometric evaluation involves the study of changes in the parameters of mass and linear body measurements of animals in the process of their growth. It is nothing like getting information about the productive qualities of the animal in the specific conditions of its life. This is especially important when raising calves from birth to two months of age under limited milk supply. Milk saving needs demand that from this time calves’ feeding is replaced by non milk type of breeding with the need to use different supplements. To do this, protein-vitamin mineral supplements and premixes are developed. Their use in animal feeding can replenish the shortage of certain nutrients in specific diet to normal; introduce additional individual nutrients and biologically active substances, including enzymes, probiotics, antioxidants, etc.

The new protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix Calf is designed to prepare a concentrate mixture for calves directly in the farm. This mixture consists of two grain components (barley and wheat) and 30 % of protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix Calf, has all necessary feed elements for the growth and development and can be fed from the very beginning of calves’ raising. However, it has never been used in animal feeding.

The aim of this study was to investigate the growth and development of calves in the first two months of life (the period of limited milk supply) when fed with protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix Calf.

Studies were conducted on calves (heifers) of Ukrainian black-spotted dairy breed by the method of similar groups. To do this, the calves were collected during the first month after calving and were divided into two groups – control and experimental, with 12 calves each.

During a 15-day comparative period, colostrum and whole milk were the main food. For 60 days from the day of birth, the calves of the second (experimental) group received a new protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix Calf in the amount of 30 % by weight of feed in the composition of the grain portion of the diet.

In the first (control) group the animals consumed protein-vitamin mineral supplement Europrotcalf in the amount of
25 % of the grain mixture. This rate is recommended by the firm "Euro modern feeding", and the supplement is widely used at the market of feed and feed supplements of the country. In this experiment, it is defined as an alternative (or control) for comparison with the newly created protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix Calf, produced by the Ukrainian company Ltd “Interagrotech” (Vinnytsia).

For a two-month rearing period each calf consumed 400 kg of whole milk, hay and silage grasses and legumes – according to the rates, and in fact, plenty.

Studies have shown that the use of a new protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix Calf in the amount of 30 % by weight of the concentrate feed in calves’ feeding increases average daily weight gains on 75 g, or 11.7 % more than the control, where the animals consumed protein-vitamin mineral supplement Europrotcalf – 25 %.

For a two-month rearing period the live weight of calves of the experimental group increased by 4.2 kg and was 90.7 kg in the experimental and 86.5 kg in the control groups (P<0.05), while the level of average daily gains is 715 and 640 g respectively in groups.

From the monthly absolute and average daily weight gains of calves it turns out that animals of the experimental group are dominated. Second month indicators were relatively higher, reaching the level of average daily gains of 702 and 777 g respectively in the first and second groups (P<0.05).

The linear growth of the experimental animals indicate that feeding with the studied protein-vitamin mineral supplement Intermix has no significant influence on the spatial parameters of the animal's body.

None of the 11 measurements of the body has no reliable difference between the groups.

Obtained weight and linear growth parameters of experimental animals occurred at the optimum level of feeding. For a two-month rearing period each animal consumed 16.5 kg of barley bran, 21.9 kg of wheat bran, 16.5 kg of protein-vitamin mineral supplement, 45 kg of hay and silage grasses and legumes. In total, it is150.9 of feed units and 20 kg of digestible protein that is 2.56 of feed units and 333g of digestible protein per calf per day along with milk.

Thus, consumption of protein-vitamin mineral supplement has no significant influence on the change of parameters of calves’ linear growth in the first two months of life.

Key words: calves, protein-vitamin mineral supplement, feeding, growth, development, body weight, measurements.