Article

Received 28.07.2025

Revised 10.11.2025

Accepted 23.12.2025

Retrieved from Vol. 29, No. 4, 2025

Pages 38 -48

Pidpala, T., & Holosnyi, B. (2025). Technological environment and feeding of dairy cows under conditions of keeping in a cros-barn. Ukrainian Black Sea Region Agrarian Science, 29(4), 38-48. https://doi.org/10.56407/bs.agrarian/4.2025.38

Technological environment and feeding of dairy cows under conditions of keeping in a cros-barn

Tetiana Pidpala Bohdan Holosnyi

Dairy farming is one of the most important branches of animal husbandry, as it provides essential food products to the population and raw materials to milk processing enterprises. The study was aimed at investigating how the conditions of keeping and feeding with complete monomixes affect the level of milk productivity of Holstein first-calf heifers during first lactation period. The animals in the experimental group were kept in a microclimate controlled cros-barn, while those in the control group were kept in a pavilion-type barn with natural ventilation. The intensity of lactation in the first half was analysed and it was found that in cows of the experimental group, the yield per 100 days and on the peak day of lactation was, respectively, 103.3 kg (p < 0.001) and 1.1 kg (p < 0.05) higher than in animals of the control group. The analysis showed that cows in the experimental group with high productivity (>9643 kg) had a longer period of reaching peak lactation. This indicator exceeded the duration of the same period in cows from the groups with productivity “<8423” and “8424-9642” by 20.3 (p < 0.001) and 5.9 (p < 0.001) days, respectively. In addition, within the experimental group, cows with shortened, average, and prolonged reproductive cycles had higher milk yields during the first 100 days of lactation – by 94.0 kg (p < 0.001), 115.6 kg (p < 0.001), and 93.4 kg (p < 0.001), respectively, compared to their peers in the control group with a similar distribution of cycle duration. A summary of the results for the combined indicators showed that the animals in the experimental group demonstrated better production and physiological characteristics compared to the control group. Thus, keeping Holstein cows in a cros-barn provides a comfortable technological environment that meets biological needs in the first half of lactation, minimises heat stress, and promotes the realisation of genetic potential for high productivity. The material is relevant for livestock breeders and technologists in milk production in industrial complexes

holstein breed; cows maintenance; lactation; milk productivity; reproductive capacity
  1. Antoshchenkova, V.V. (2020). Current state of dairy farming in Ukraine. Ukrainian Journal of Applied Economics and Technology, 5(2), 25-32. doi: 10.36887/2415-8453-2020-2-3.
  2. Atashi, H., Asaadi, A., & Hostens, M. (2021). Association between age at first calving and lactation performance, lactation curve, calving interval, calf birth weight, and dystocia in Holstein dairy cows. PLoS One, 16(1), article number e0244825. doi: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0244825.
  3. Bleizgys, R., Čėsna, J., Kukharets, S., & Medvedskyi, O. (2023). Statistical analysis of the air-cooling process in a cowshed. Agriculture, 13(11), article number 2126. doi: 10.3390/agriculture13112126.
  4. European convention for protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. (1986, March). Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/168007a67b.
  5. Frigeri, K.D.M., Kachinski, K.D., Ghisi, N.d.C., Deniz, M., Damasceno, F.A., Barbari, M., Herbut, P., & Vieira, F.M.C. (2023). Effects of heat stress in dairy cows raised in the confined system: A scientometric review. Animals, 13(3), article number 350. doi: 10.3390/ani13030350.
  6. Gaworski, M., & Kic, P. (2024). Assessment of production technologies on dairy farms in terms of animal welfare. Applied Sciences, 14(14), article number 6086. doi: 10.3390/app14146086.
  7. Hlavatchuk, V.A. (2024). Optimization of cow feeding by using ecovet mineral-vitamin premix. Bulletin of Sumy National Agrarian University. The Series: Livestock, 3, 19-29. doi: 10.32782/bsnau.lvst.2024.3.3.
  8. Kipp, C., Brügemann, K., Zieger, P., Mütze, K., Möcklinghoff-Wicke, S., König, S., & Halli, K. (2021). Across- generation effects of maternal heat stress during late gestation on production, female fertility and longevity traits in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Research, 88(2), 147-153. doi: 10.1017/S0022029921000327.
  9. Kitaieva, A., Riznichuk, I., & Nikolenko, I. (2024). Feeding efficiency and performance and reproductive indicators of lactating cows. Agrarian Bulletin of the Black Sea Littoral, 110, 181-185. doi: 10.37000/abbsl.2024.110.29.
  10. Kozyr, V.S. (2022). Method for determining the energy-protein balance of harvested feeds. Animal Husbandry of the Steppe of Ukraine, 1(2), 82-89. doi: 10.31867/2786-6750.1.2/2022.82-89.
  11. Kramarenko, A.S., Kalynychenko, H.I., Susol, R.L., Papakina, N.S., & Kramarenko, S.S. (2022). Principal component analysis of body weight traits and subsequent milk production in Red Steppe breed heifers. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, 76(2), 307-313. doi: 10.2478/prolas-2022-0044.
  12. Kramarenko, S.S., Luhovyi, S.I., Lykhach, A.V., & Kramarenko, O.S. (2019). Analysis of biometric data in animal breeding and selection. Mykolaiv: Mykolaiv National Agrarian University.  
  13. Law of Ukraine No. 249 “On the Procedure for Carrying out Experiments and Experiments on Animals by Scientific Institutions”. (2012, March). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0416-12#Text.
  14. Lutsenko, M.M., & Lastovs’ka, I.O. (2022). Efficiency of different milking systems usage under conditions of resource-saving technologies of milk production. Animal Husbandry of the Steppe of Ukraine, 1(2). doi: 10.31867/2786-6750.1.2.2022.5-15. 
  15. Mundan, D., Zonturlu, A.K., Öztürk, Y., Akkuş, T., & Kaçar, C. (2020). Effect of calving season, calving year and lactation number on the milk yield traits in holstein cows raising in Şanlıurfa. Turkish Journal of Agriculture – Food Science and Technology, 8(2), 313-317. doi: 10.24925/turjaf.v8i2.313-317.3011.
  16. Pidpala, T.V., & Holosnyi, B.S. (2024). Technological environment and manifestation of economically useful traits of Holstein cows. Taurida Scientific Herald. Series: Rural Sciences, 140, 472-480. doi: 10.32782/2226-0099.2024.140.58.
  17. Pidpala, T.V., Voynalovych, S.A., Nazarenko, V.H., Herasymenko, V.V., Strikha, L.O., & Tskhvitava, O.K. (2012). Breeding of dairy cattle and pigs. Mykolaiv: Mykolaiv National Agrarian University.
  18. Pishchan, S.H., & Sylychenko, K.A. (2021). Characteristics of milk productivity and feeding of cows of the brown Swiss breed of autumn-winter calving. Taurida Scientific Herald. Series: Rural Sciences, 120, 221-237. doi: 10.32851/2226-0099.2021.120.29.
  19. Rakib, M.R.H., Zhou, M., Xu, S., Liu, Y., Khan, M.A., Han, B., & Gao, I. (2020). Effect of heat stress on udder health of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Research, 87(3), 315-321. doi: 10.1017/S0022029920000886.
  20. Shevchenko, A., & Petrenko, O. (2020). Trends of dairy breeding development in Ukraine. Galician Economic Journal, 63(2), 109-117. doi: 10.33108/galicianvisnyk_tntu2020.02.109. 
  21. Sorathiya, L.M. (2024). Association of good dairy farming practices, welfare and performance: A review. Indian Journal of Animal Production and Management, 40(3), 134-145. doi: 10.48165/ijapm.2024.40.3.1.
  22. Sreekumar, D., & Sejian, V. (2024). Cow comfort, behavior and welfare with specific reference to dairy cattle: A review. German Journal of Veterinary Research, 4(3), 160-175. doi: 10. 51585/gjvr.2024.3.0107. 
  23. Tsvigun, A.T., Ionov, I.A., & Tsvihun, O.A. (2021). Feeding as the main component of livestock production technology. Podilian Bulletin: Agriculture, Engineering, Economics. Agricultural Science, 1(34), 63-70. doi: 10.37406/2706-9052/2021-1-8.
  24. Tucker, C.B., Jensen, M.B., de Passillé, A.M., Hänninen, L., & Rushen, J. (2021). Invited review: Lying time and the welfare of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 104(1), 20-46. doi: 10.3168/jds.2019-18074.
  25. Valldecabres, A., & Silva-del-Río, N. (2022). First-milking colostrum mineral concentrations and yields: Comparison to second milking and associations with serum mineral concentrations, parity, and yield in multiparous Jersey cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 105(3), 2315-2325. doi: 10.3168/jds2021-21069.