Search

Scientists of the Kurgan State Agricultural Academy named after T. S. Maltsev conduct research on the development of diff erent feed additives and compound feeds, their use in feeding animals and poultry. It has been developed mineral additives, which used mineral components to meet the needs of macro- and microelements of cows during lactation. The purpose of the work was to solve the problem of lack of minerals in animal husbandry by preparing granular feed additives based on raw materials of domestic production, enriched with trace element salts. Feeding of experimental mineral additives positively aff ected the average daily milk yield already in the 1st month of lactation. Thus, in the 1st experimental group more milk has been obtained by 0.6 % and in the 2nd group by 1.9 % compared to the control one. In the 2nd month of lactation milk yield in the 1st experimental group was greater by 2.3 %, and in the 2nd experimental group – 4.0 % compared to the control group. The same trend has been observed in the following months: in the 3rd month of lactation the diff erence in milk yield compared to the control group was in the 1st experimental group 4.0 %, in the 2nd experimental group – 6.5 %, in the 4th month, respectively, 5.7 and 9.3 %. Milk yield for 120 days of lactation in cows of the control group was 2951.4 kg of milk (in terms of 4 % fat content) in the 1st experimental group more by 3.4 %, and in the 2nd experimental group by 6.2 %. The fat content in the milk of cows of the experimental groups was higher by 0.03 and 0.04 abs.%, and protein by 0.02 and 0.03 abs.%, respectively. In this regard, the sale price of 1 kg of milk has changed. In the control group it amounted to 21,48 rubles, in the 1st experimental group more by 0,7 %, and in the 2nd group by 1,0 %. This led to an increase in the profi tability of milk production: in the 1st experimental group by 4,5 %, and in the 2nd experimental group by 6,8 %. Consequently, the feeding of new mineral additives allowed to reduce the prime-cost of milk, increase milk productivity of cows and profi tability of milk production.

STUDY QUESTION How good is fertility knowledge and what are treatment beliefs in an international sample of men and women currently trying to conceive? SUMMARY ANSWER The study population had a modest level of fertility knowledge and held positive and negative views of treatment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Few studies have examined general fertility treatment attitudes but studies of specific interventions show that attitudes are related to characteristics of the patient, doctor and context. Further, research shows that fertility knowledge is poor. However, the majority of these studies have examined the prevalence of infertility, the optimal fertile period and/or age-related infertility in women, in university students and/or people from high-resource countries making it difficult to generalize findings. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A cross-sectional sample completed the International Fertility Decision-making Study (IFDMS) over a 9-month period, online or via social research panels and in fertility clinics. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Participants were 10 045 people (8355 women, 1690 men) who were on average 31.8 years old, had been trying to conceive for 2.8 years with 53.9% university educated. From a total of 79 countries, sample size was >100 in 18 countries. All 79 countries were assigned to either a very high Human Development Index (VH HDI) or a not very high HDI (NVH HDI). The IFDMS was a 45-min, 64-item English survey translated into 12 languages. The inclusion criteria were the age between 18 and 50 years and currently trying to conceive for at least 6 months. Fertility knowledge was assessed using a 13-item correct/incorrect scale concerned with risk factors, misconceptions and basic fertility facts (range: 0–100% correct). Treatment beliefs were assessed with positive and negative statements about fertility treatment rated on a five-point agree/disagree response scale. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Average correct score for Fertility Knowledge was 56.9%, with greater knowledge significantly related to female gender, university education, paid employment, VH HDI and prior medical consultation for infertility (all P 0.001). People who had given birth/fathered a child, been trying to conceive for less than 12 months, who had never consulted for a fertility problem and who lived in a country with an NVH HDI agreed less with negative beliefs. HDI, duration of trying to conceive and help-seeking were also correlates of higher positive beliefs, alongside younger age, living in an urban area and having stepchildren. Greater fertility knowledge was associated with stronger agreement on negative treatment beliefs items (P < 0.001) but was unrelated to positive treatment beliefs items. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION There was volunteer bias insofar as more women, people of higher education and people with fertility problems (i.e. met criteria for infertility, had consulted a medical doctor, had conceived with fertility treatment) participated and this was true in VH and NVH HDI countries. The bias may mean that people in this sample had better fertility knowledge and less favourable treatment beliefs than is the case in the general population. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Educational interventions should be directed at improving knowledge of fertility health. Future prospective research should be aimed at investigating how fertility knowledge and treatment beliefs affect childbearing and help-seeking decision-making. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Merck-Serono S. A. Geneva-Switzerland (an affiliate of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC, UK) funded this project (RES-355-25-0038, ‘Fertility Pathways Network’). L.B. is funded by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the ESRC (PTA-037-27-0192). I.T. is an employee of Merck-Serono S. A. Geneva-Switzerland (an affiliate of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany).