Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), an anticaking agent for mixed feed, was added to the diets of growing wethers (mean body weight, 34.0 kg) and was evaluated for its ability to diminish the clinical signs of aflatoxicosis. The experimental design consisted of 4 treatment groups of 5 wethers each, consuming concentrations of 0 g of HSCAS and 0 g of aflatoxin (AF)/kg of feed (control; group 1); 20 g of HSCAS/kg (2.0%; group 2), 2.6 mg of AF/kg (group 3); or 20 g of HSCAS (2.0%) plus 2.6 mg of AF/kg (group 4). Wethers were maintained in indoor pens, with feed and water available ad libitum for 42 days. Lambs were observed twice daily and weighed weekly, and blood samples were obtained every 2 weeks for hematologic and serum biochemical analyses and for measurement of mitogen-induced lymphocyte-stimulation index. At the termination of the study, wethers were euthanatized and necropsied. Body weight gain was diminished significantly (P less than 0.05) by consumption of 2.6 mg of AF/kg of feed, whereas body weight of lambs consuming HSCAS plus AF did not differ from that of control wethers. The AF-alone treatment increased serum aspartate transaminase and gamma-glutamyltransferase activities, prothrombin time, and cholesterol, uric acid, and triglyceride values and decreased albumin, glucose, and urea nitrogen values, and urea-to-creatine ratio. A 27% decrease in lymphocyte stimulation index, increased spleen weight (as a percentage of body weight), and decreased liver weight were induced by AF-alone treatment. Results indicate that HSCAS may be a high-affinity sorbent for AF, that 2.6 mg of AF/kg of feed induces signs of aflatoxicosis in growing wethers, that lambs may not be as resistant to the effects of AF as previously thought, that 2.0% HSCAS can substantially reduce the toxic effects of 2.6 mg of AF/kg, and that sorbent compounds may offer a novel approach to the preventive management of aflatoxicosis in livestock.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was studied the efficiency of application of national mineral additives (mineral feed additive produced on the basis of dolomitic meal) in rations of milking cows. In course of the study there were analyzed physical and chemical blood indexes; hematological indexes of cows; biochemical blood indexes; mineral composition of blood; natural resistance of cows. As a result of the realized study it was established, that an optimum dose of a dolomitic meal for milking cows during the winter period was 0,3% per dry matter of a diet. There was proved the possibility of increasing of a daily average milk yield of cows on 11,7%, fat and protein content in milk - on 0,04 - 0,06%, as well as lowering of quantity of somatic cells on 13,6%. Application of a national mineral additive rendered the positive influence on blood indices to what that was proved by increasing of erythrocytes (on 10,9%), thrombocytes (on 5,4%), haemoglobin (on 6,5%), crude protein (on 10,6%), and also macro- and trace elements. Introduction of a dolomitic meal into cow diets made it possible to increase the indices of natural resistance of cows on 0,5 - 4,0%.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was realized a comparative study of peculiar features of influence of combined application of Khelavit preparation and protein-vitamin-mineral feed supplements Khendriks and Spaeta-kontsentrat on health status of cows and quality of obtained cow milk after application of these preparation for the preventive treatment of osteodystrophy. In course of study there were analyzed haematologic and biochemical blood indexes of cows after application of the experimental preparations. Results of physical and chemical indexes of milk were presented. Research results showed that the analyzed protein, vitamin and mineral feed supplements caused the normalization of biochemical blood indexes in comparison with animal of a control group. Besides, application of mentioned above drugs promoted the increasing of veterinary and sanitary quality and technological properties of produced milk.