The current development of the global livestock feed industry is determined not only by improved production performance but also by sustainable development. Environmental safety, economic efficiency, and social responsibility are crucial aspects for ensuring the long-term stability of the industry. This study examines key areas of industrial feed production development, including feed safety, animal nutrition, innovation, sustainable development, markets, and trade. Priority areas for research and innovation are explored, including optimizing nutrient efficiency, animal health and welfare, and socially responsible livestock farming. Based on a comparative analysis of the research and innovation efforts of leading global feed market companies and domestic companies, key areas for enhancing the innovative activity of industrial feed producers in the Republic of Belarus are proposed, including the establishment of a system of continuous interaction between scientific organizations, leading laboratories, and feed manufacturers. A conclusion is drawn regarding the need for a comprehensive approach to ensuring the competitiveness of the domestic industrial feed production sector. The key components of this approach include: systematic scientific research in the field of livestock nutrition and the practical implementation of the findings; the crea­ tion of a database of nutrients in feed ingredients; and the development and provision of digital feeding solutions and tools.

Maize is the most important grain and forage crop which is used to feed of all species of animals as well as for food and seed purposes. In recent years the expansion of the area sown to maize for grain, the growth in yield, and gross harvest in the Republic of Belarus has prioritized the problem of protecting grain from arthropods during the post-harvest period. In 2024–2025 the species composition of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera insects as well as the dominance structure and population dynamics of stored-product pests were studied for the first time using the standard method (average sampling) and the trap method in technocenoses of seed and forage granaries during maize grain storage. It was found that the taxonomic composition of the pests included 19 species from 2 orders and 9 families, the largest number of species (16) being detected with the use of pheromone-glue traps, which was 3.2 times as many as in comparison with the standard method. It was established that the dominance structure was determined by the storage method and the intended use of the grain: the absolute predominance of Lepidoptera was recorded in seed stocks when using big bags (100.0 %), whereas in forage warehouses with bulk storage the species spectrum expanded due to Coleoptera (20.4 %) with the dominant role of Lepidoptera (79.6 %). The ubiquitous eudominant was the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella Hbn.) with a high dominance index (78.7– 99.7 %), while the hairy fungus beetle (Typhaea stercorea L.) reached the dominant level (19.8 %) only when forage grain was stored. The analysis of the pests recording methods confirmed the high efficiency of pheromone monitoring (12.7–100.0 %) in comparison with the average sampling method (0.01–0.20 %), which turned out to be practically ineffective for detecting arthropods. The conducted research will improve the reliability of monitoring and become the basis for the development of a study-supported strategy to protect maize grain from stored-product pests.

Rht5 is a gibberellin-sensitive dwarfing gene and reduces plant height without affecting early growth. In this study, the effects of dwarfing gene Rht5 on coleoptile length, some agronomic and seed traits were revealed in an F4 population obtained from a cross between Marj12 (semi-dwarf, Rht5) and Scholar (tall). The genotypes of F4 individuals were screened using SSR marker BARC102 linked with the Rht5 gene and the dwarf, tall and heterozygous individuals were identified. Analysis of variance in the F4 population indicated highly significant differences among the lines for all traits studied, suggesting genetic differences existed for all traits among these lines. In general, the Rht5 dwarfing gene was associated with plant height and peduncle length reduction of 25.44 and 22.28 %, respectively, as well as decreases in spike length, number of spikelets, and kernels per spike. Higher values of kernel weight, seed width and seed length could be observed in the tall lines when compared to the dwarf lines. The dwarfing gene Rht5 increased coleoptile length by 6.03 % in dwarf lines and also increased primary root number and first leaf length. The results of the study could contribute to the proper use of dwarfing gene Rht5 in breeding programs aimed at modifying plant height and coleoptile length in wheat.

One of the most significant and complex processes in dairy farming is herd reproduction. This process involves rearing healthy calves and heifers, which, in turn, are a source of climate-active gases. The models from existing national and foreign scientific literature aim at assessing the release of various gases mainly from adult livestock. Therefore, it is important to create a model for calculating emissions of climate-active gases in young cattle rearing under variable indoor air environment conditions. This theoretical research resulted in a structural scheme for estimating emission levels from young animal housing that is centered on a predictive mathematical model. The model incorporated previously developed relationships for calculating CO2, CH4, NH3 and H2S emissions and integrated real-time data and operational parameters. A custom-designed mobile platform for multi-level concentration monitoring of climate-active gases recorded the indoor and outdoor air parameters of a young cattle rearing facility. The facility housed 518 young animals aged from 3.2 to 9.4 months. The data obtained were used to model and calculate the quantity of climate-active gas emissions depending on the age of the animals. Overall, the emissions in the studied facility were 781.0 kg/day for CO2; 24.9 kg/day for CH4; 1.1 kg/day for NH3; and 0.003 kg/day for H 2S. These findings will be included in recommendations for engineering and technological solutions to mitigate gas emissions from young cattle housing systems.

The paper examines the evolution and current configuration of agri‑service enterprises in the Republic of Belarus and their role in supporting large‑scale agricultural production. Using evidence from several service companies in Grodno region, the authors identify three distinct business models – a classical service‑centred operator (100 % revenue from services), a mixed agri‑service with own farming on 200–1,000 ha, and an industrial–agri‑service hybrid (~90 % revenue from equipment production) – and quantify their financial performance under conditions of persistent payment delays by farm clients. The results show that illiquidity and weak payment discipline in the primary agricultural sector (up to 60 % of payments delayed 2–6 months) systematically push agri‑service firms to diversify into non‑core activities, which helps to close short‑term cash gaps but erodes technological specialization and leads to a structural shortage of service capacity. For the first time, the models’ economic efficiency was assessed using actual cash flows and non-payment risks, revealing a hidden paradox: despite formally high profitability indicators, the classical model generates the largest cash gaps, threatening its own financial sustainability. The article analyses recent policy instruments, including price regulation, targeted exemptions for barter operations and the establishment of inter‑district mechanized units, and argues that these tools can only be effective if combined with measures to strengthen financial discipline of agricultural producers and to explicitly prioritise service revenues in support schemes for agri‑service enterprises.

­An experimental installation for LED ultraviolet (UV) disinfection of raw milk in a Couette – Taylor reactor has been developed. The results of modeling the distribution of irradiance on the inner surface of a quartz tube as a function of the distance between a printed circuit board with UV LEDs and a quartz tube are presented. An important parameter of the UV milk treatment system is the residence time of the elementary milk particles in the surface layer of the reactor. To evaluate it, the trajectories of individual milk particles were modeled and their radius vector (depth of immersion) was calculated in the cylindrical coordinate system of the UV reactor. In the course of the research, a series of experiments was conducted to study the effect of the rotor rotation speed inside the reactor and the intensity of the UV LEDs on the effectiveness of milk disinfection. An analysis of the results shows that both rotor speed and UV LED power have a strong effect on the effectiveness of reducing the number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (NMAFAnM). It was shown that when milk was disinfected using the installation under an optimal treatment regime, the content of NMAFAnM in a cow’s milk sample decreased 21-fold, and the coliform bacteria (BECG) count decreased 16-fold, which meets the requirements for drinking milk. The results obtained can be used in the design of energy-efficient industrial installations for UV disinfection of milk.

In connection with the emerging trend towards healthy eating, the development of soft cheeses with a probiotic focus, produced using biocompatible consortia of microorganisms and possessing increased nutritional and biological value due to the inclusion of plant-based ingredients, is relevant. The scientific significance of the study lies in the theoretical and experimental substantiation of the synergistic interaction of probiotic bacterial strains and non-traditional plant raw materials in the dairy product matrix. The results of a study substantiating the shelf life of soft cheeses with probiotic cultures enriched with a plant filler are presented. A consortium of microorganisms consisting of S. salivarius sp. thermophilus, L. delbrueckii sp. bulgaricus, P. freudenreichii subsp. P. shermanii KM-186 is used as the probiotic component. A plant component used to enrich soft cheese is tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.). To comprehensively evaluate quality indicators, the produced soft cheese samples were subjected to refrigeration storage (at a temperature of (4 ± 2) °C) using polymer packaging and a modified atmosphere (MAP). During refrigeration storage of trial batches of soft cheeses, changes in their organoleptic and physico-chemical characteristics were assessed. Microbiological indicators of the samples, including spoilage indicators, as well as the dynamics of probiotic microflora development (lactic acid and propionic acid microorganisms) during storage in two packaging options were determined. Based on the data obtained, the shelf life of the trial batches of soft cheeses was established: 10 days for polymer packaging and 15 days when using a modified atmosphere. The obtained results can be applied in the dairy industry to expand the range of functional food products, as well as in the development of technical documentation for the production of new types of fortified cheeses.