INFLUENCE OF INCREASING THE MILK YIELD FOR THE FIRST LACTATION OF THE LITHUANIAN HEAVY DRAFT HORSES ON THEIR PRODUCTIVE LONGEVITY

Horses are late-ripening animals with low fecundity and therefore should be used in dairy horsebreeding for a long time to ensure the profitability of the industry. In Central Russia, mare's milk is produced fromdraft horse breeds, including Lithuanian heavy-draft horses. They are highly productive animals. With intensiveincreasing the milk yield for the first lactation, the lifetime milk yield and the period of productive use may be declined. Studies have shown that the optimal level of increased milk yield for Lithuanian draft mares is 3001-4000 kgof milk. At this level, the mares give the highest possible lifetime yield of 24,403.66 and the highest amount of milkfat and milk protein. If the increase in the milk yield for the first lactation reaches 6000 kg and above, then in maresof the studied breed the period of productive use and the lifetime yield reduce.