Continuing a series of studies on the analysis of the publication activity of the “Agrarian Science” journal, this paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of data over a two year period (2023–2024). The study was conducted using statistical data from the scientific electronic library eLIBRARY.RU. Key metrics characterizing the authors were analyzed: the average Hirsch index, the average age of authors, and the number of unique and new authors.

A comparative ranking of the “Agrarian Science” journal within the reference group “Agriculture and Forestry” was performed, and its position among various journal groups (the Russian Science Citation Index core, RSCI, White List, and the list of the Higher Attestation Commission) was assessed. Co-authorship indicators were examined in detail, and top-10 author rankings based on various scientometric criteria are presented.

Based on the findings, the strategic necessity of targeted involvement of highly qualified research and teaching staff for publishing in the journal is substantiated. This is identified as a key factor for further enhancing the scientific level of publications, strengthening the journal’s reputation, and improving its bibliometric indicators.

This study analyzes approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of mammary cancer in animals. The authors examined carcinogenesis using small domestic animals as a study subject to ensure adherence to bioethical principles and to enhance the statistical validity of the results obtained in a clinical setting using modern equipment and data recording in electronic medical records. It should be noted that the incidence of malignant neoplasms in the mammary gland depends on the individual characteristics of the animals, as well as the duration of exposure and the type of carcinogen. Since the development of malignant neoplasms is a significant issue not only for pet owners but also for veterinarians treating farm animals, the chosen research topic is relevant. Mammary cancer is widespread among food-producing animals, causing significant losses in both dairy and meat production due to the culling of carcasses or parts affected by tumors, and is a frequent cause of disruption to the normal reproduction of healthy livestock, including the feeding of young animals. One of the most common types of malignant tumors in farm and domestic animals, arising from carcinogenesis, is mammary cancer. Comparing data on the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and morphology of mammary tumors in various animal species is an extremely important process for the development of comparative oncology. The obtained data can be used to diagnose and treat mammary cancer in various animal species.

The article presents the results of a study on the diagnosis and treatment of laminitis in sports horses at the Akbuzat racetrack. Laminitis is a severe and widespread hoof disease in horses, characterized by aseptic inflammation of the laminar tissue, which leads to disruption of the connection between the hoof bone and the horny capsule. This pathology is accompanied by severe pain syndrome, and in severe cases, rotation and omission of the hoof bone, which often results in loss of working capacity and euthanasia of the animal. The urgency of the problem in modern horse breeding is due to significant economic losses and a serious impact on animal welfare, while the main provoking factors are nutritional disorders and intense physical exertion. The purpose of this study was an in-depth clinical and laboratory description of an integrated approach to the diagnosis and treatment of laminitis using the example of individual cases in sports horses. The study used clinical, radiological and laboratory diagnostic methods. Based on the examination of horses with acute and chronic forms of laminitis, differentiated treatment protocols were applied, including diet therapy, pharmacotherapy (NSAIDs, anticoagulants), cryotherapy and orthopedic forging. As a result, animals with an acute form have achieved complete recovery, while horses with chronic laminitis have stabilized their condition and improved their quality of life. The work highlights the importance of preventive measures, including diet control, weight monitoring, and regular veterinary checkups. The results of the study can be implemented in the practice of veterinary services of racetracks and equestrian sports clubs.

Poultry meat and its processed products are a key factor in the transmission of this pathogen to humans. Therefore, monitoring the level of Salmonella contamination in livestock products is a critical task in ensuring food safety.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a method for the quantitative determination of Salmonella spp. in meat products. The developed method is based on a combination of microbiological and molecular biological methods, namely, the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a preliminary stage of target culture accumulation, in combination with the most probable number (MPN) method.

This study also included a comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed method and the classical culture method. In addition, a comprehensive validation of the developed method was performed, including determination of its analytical sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy on poultry meat samples. The results of the comprehensive validation of the developed method, conducted in accordance with international requirements for evaluating the analytical performance of microbiological tests, are presented.

The method for the quantitative determination of Salmonella spp. bacteria in meat products was validated at the Cherkizovo Research and Testing Center in Moscow. The developed method demonstrated high efficiency, reducing the analysis time to 24 hours compared to the traditional method (up to 78 hours) and ensuring high specificity in detecting low pathogen concentrations with a quantification limit of 101 CFU/g and in the presence of accompanying microflora.

The study examined the growth and development indicators of broiler chickens, the digestibility of feed components, the morpho-biochemical parameters of the blood, and the metabolism of elements in the body under the influence of UFC isotopes. The control group received OR, group I — OR + UFC Fe isotope (17 mg/kg of feed), group II — OR + UFC Cu isotope (1.7 mg/kg of feed). A change in the dynamics of live weight gain was noted compared to the control, most pronounced in the first experimental group (by 2.1–6.0%). Digestibility of organic matter and crude fat was higher than the control in the first and second experimental groups, digestibility of crude protein was higher than the control by 9.55–16.7% in all experimental groups.

In the blood of birds from experimental groups I and II, an increase in the number of lymphocytes was observed, in group I — an increase in hemoglobin and its decrease in group II. Biochemical parameters of the bird’s blood serum (AST, creatinine, total bilirubin) indicate an increase in metabolic processes in groups I and II. In groups I and II, a tendency towards a decrease in the content of toxic elements in the bird’s body and an increase in essential elements was noted. In group III, the content of Zn, Cr, Al and Ni in the bird’s body increased. In experimental group I, a decrease in endogenous losses of Fe and Cu was observed. For experimental group II, an increase in endogenous losses was characteristic compared to the control.

Relevance. The breeding of highly productive Holstein cattle is accompanied by problems related to reproduction and reduced productive longevity, often explained by the high milk load on the body. Studying the influence of age and duration of economic use on the productive qualities of cows is crucial for optimizing the housing system and increasing the economic efficiency of dairy farming. The aim of the work was to assess the dynamics and variability of productive and reproductive qualities of Holstein cows depending on lactation number.

Methods. The object of the study was Holstein cows that had completed lactation. Data from the IAC “SELEX-Dairy Cattle” database and the results of own observations were used. The dynamics of milk yield, mass fraction of fat (MF) and protein (MP), yield of milk fat and protein, as well as the duration of the service period and the reproductive capacity coefficient (RCC) by lactation were studied. Statistical processing was carried out with calculation of mean values (M), standard deviation (σ), standard error of the mean (m) and coefficient of variation (Cv).

Results. It was found that milk yield significantly increased until the 4th lactation (maximum 10,166 kg), after which it gradually decreased. MF showed an inverse relationship with milk yield. The most stable indicators of productivity and nutrient yield were observed in cows of 3–4 lactations. The duration of the service period decreased with age, reaching a minimum (85 days) by the 6th lactation, while the RCC increased. High variability of traits was revealed in first-calf heifers (Cv of milk yield >15%), decreasing in mature animals. The scientific significance of the work lies in establishing clear patterns of age-related dynamics of productive and reproductive traits in Holstein cows in the conditions of the Ural region. The practical value consists in substantiating the feasibility of using cows up to the 5th–6th lactation, provided their reproductive function is controlled, and in the need to strengthen the selection of replacement heifers to reduce herd heterogeneity.

One of the indicators for assessing the quality of cow’s milk and its suitability for industrial processing is the somatic cell count (SCC). The aim of this research was to study the seasonal variability of somatic cell content in the milk of Holstein cows and its relationship with productivity and chemical composition. The studies were conducted on cows in their second and third lactations. The following parameters were analyzed: daily milk yield, milk composition, and somatic cell count depending on the lactation season (winter, spring, summer, autumn). It was found that the highest somatic cell count (412.3–531.9 thousand/cm³) was observed in the milk of cows of both ages in winter, and the lowest in autumn (80.4–97.6 thousand/cm³). A positive correlation was found between the somatic cell count in milk and the mass fraction of fat (0.747) in the autumn for second lactation cows. Negative correlations were found between somatic cells and daily milk yield (-0.580), fat content (-0.645), protein (-0.894), total solids (-0.774), and solids-not-fat (SNF) (-0.888) in winter for third-lactation cows. The strength of the influence of the lactation season on the fat content in milk was 69.6% and 75.0%, on lactose — 42.8% and 39.3%, on total solids — 63.9% and 63.7%, and on the somatic cell count — 59.3% and 68.2%, for second and third lactation cows respectively. According to the SCC, milk obtained in the winter season was classified as second grade, while in other seasons it was classified as premium grade.

Relevance. Currently, in dairy farming, cases of infertility in highly productive cows are being diagnosed with increasing frequency. Accelerated selection requires a comprehensive analysis of reproduction in order to improve its efficiency.

Methods. The research was conducted and the results were tested on farms in the Moscow and Oryol regions. The studies involved 52 service bulls and 246 cows, 72 of which had been previously diagnosed with “immune infertility.”

Results. A new diagnostic protocol was developed, which improved the effectiveness of artificial insemination in highly productive, genetically valuable cows with a history of more than 6 unsuccessful insemination attempts over 8 or more months. The basis of the protocol is the individual selection of service bulls by titrating their native semen in the alloserum of each problem cow. For individual selection, we used bulls that had undergone a complete andrological examination and had no titers of sperm autoantibodies in their own blood serum. The development of the method included the preparation and execution of artificial insemination, and the determination of pregnancy via ultrasound examination.

Conclusions. A solution to the problem of immunological infertility in repeatedly unsuccessfully inseminated cows with no clinical gynecological pathologies is presented. Testing of this protocol resulted in pregnancy in 44.4% of cases in barren cows with a preliminary diagnosis of immune infertility.

Relevance. Microbiological fertilizers “Arksoil Nitrogen” and “Arksoil Phosphorus” significantly reduce the application of traditional fertilizers and are necessary for agricultural producers to increase crop production per unit area of cultivated crops.

Methods. The research was carried out in the conditions of the Novgorod region in 2022–2024 on sod-podzolic soil in an experimental field in the village of Loreshnikovo on the basis of the Novgorod Research Institute of Agricultural Sciences, a branch of the St. Petersburg Institute of Applied Sciences, on two backgrounds of mineral fertilizers (background 1 without fertilizers, background 2 based on the planned yield of the green mass of the vetch-oat mixture). The object of the study is an oatmeal mix, vetch variety Lgovskaya 22, oats variety Borrus and microbiological fertilizers “Arksoil Nitrogen” and “Arksoil Phosphorus”.

Results. The high efficiency of the studied biofertilizers has been established. On average, over three years of research in option 8 against background 2, we obtained the best average annual productivity of 5.9 thousand tons per unit/ha when included in the technological operations “Arksoil Nitrogen” and “Arksoil Phosphorus” (processing of sown seeds at 1.0 l/t + + treatment of plants with a rod sprayer in the phase of tillering oats and branching vetches at 0.5 l/ha). In this variant, the highest average annual nutritional value of the green mass of the vico-oat mixture was obtained from 1 ha: digestible protein for cattle — 0.85 t with a 1 k content of 144 g units, exchangeable energy for cattle — more than 55 GJ, dry matter — more than 7 t with a production profitability above 100%.

The relevant to study grain-type varieties to assess their potential for use as vegetable products.

The aim of the study is to examine the oligosaccharide (sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose) accumulation in soybean grains of soybean varieties of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Soybean during ripening between reproductive stages R6–R7. Increase in sucrose, raffinose and stachyose content during seed filling was found for all varieties. Grain-type varieties Dauriya and Evgeniya demonstrated more intensive sucrose accumulation compared to Mikawashima. The preferred harvesting period for green beans can be considered from the 1st to the 14th day of the R6 phase, during which green soybean seeds exhibited an optimal balance between sucrose content and antinutritional oligosaccharides. During this period, the sucrose content in grains of Dauria and Eugenia varieties was 2.74–3.65 g / 100 g and 2.59–4.44 g / 100 g, respectively, the total content of raffinose and stachyose (Σ OCP) was 0.78–1.0 g /100 g (Dauria) and 0.42–2.32 g / 100 g (Eugenia), providing a sucrose — ΣR ratio in the ranges of 3.51–3.65 (Dauria) and 6.17–1.91 (Eugenia). The Evgeniya variety, selected from the 1st to the 7th day after the R6 stage, exhibits the most favorable “sucrose— Σ ORS” balance (6.17–3.48) and appears promising for further research to assess its suitability for use as a vegetable product.

Relevance. The article is devoted to the influence of different technologies of soybean cultivation on the biological properties of typical Chernozems (Haplic Chernozems).

Methods. Research on the study of biological activity of soil was conducted in a field stationary experiment on the influence of agricultural technologies for cultivating crops based on various methods of soil treatment at the Kursk Federal Research Center in 2021–2025. The technologies studied for cultivating soybeans include traditional, differentiated, minimum, and direct sowing.

Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that with an increase in the degree of soil processing minimization in the 0–20 cm layer, the content of microbial biomass carbon, cellulose-degrading activity, and the total number of microorganisms increase, with the maximum values of these indicators observed in the case of direct sowing technology. According to the classification of D.G. Zvyagintsev, the biological activity in terms of cellulose degrading activity was assessed as average in the case of direct sowing, and as weak in the other technologies. The assessment of the biological state of typical chernozem using the integral indicator (IPBS) showed its maximum value in direct sowing, and according to the soybean cultivation technology, its value decreased in the following order: minimum technology → traditional technology → differentiated technology. The decrease in the integral indicator of the biological state of the soil under traditional and differentiated technologies indicates a violation of several ecological functions performed by the soil.

Barley is widely used in animal husbandry and the food industry. At the same time, special attention is paid to its safety for human and farm animal health. Mycotoxins, which are metabolites of mold fungi with a pronounced toxic effect, are among the priority contaminants of agricultural cereals. To reduce relevant public health risks, the Russian Federation has established maximum permissible levels of certain mycotoxins in food barley grain: aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A.

The aim of the study was to assess the frequency and level of mycotoxin contamination in food barley grain from the 2024 harvest from different federal districts of the Russian Federation. Samples collected by the territorial offices of Rospotrebnadzor were analyzed for 29 mycotoxins using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection. The studies revealed that the prevalence of mycotoxins detected in barley decreased in the following order: enniatin B > alternariol > tentoxin > deoxynivalenol, alternariol methyl ester > T-2 and HT-2 toxins, ochratoxins A and B, citrinin, and sterigmatocystin. Only Fusarium toxins were detected in samples from the Central, Far Eastern, Northwestern, and Ural Federal Districts; Fusarium toxins and Alternaria toxins were detected in barley from the Southern, Siberian, and Volga Federal Districts, and Alternaria toxins alone were detected in grain from the North Caucasus Federal District. The content of regulated mycotoxins detected in barley did not exceed the maximum permissible levels. Based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that food barley grain is primarily contaminated with toxic metabolites of field fungi of the genus Fusarium (enniatin B and deoxynivalenol) and Alternaria (alternariol, alternariol methyl ester, tentoxin).

Relevance. This review presents information on the formation of some of the organoleptic characteristics of meat — flavor and aroma. Understanding meat flavor is crucial for improving its quality during meat and meat product production, and its analysis should be based on comprehensive chemical studies to identify the various factors influencing meat composition, formation, and development.

Methods. A search for potentially relevant articles was conducted using keywords in Russian and foreign language electronic databases.

Results. Cooked meat contains a complex mixture of volatile compounds derived from both fat-soluble and water-soluble components. These compounds impart flavor to thermally processed meat, as well as the characteristic meat aromas inherent in any cooked meat. Innovative non-thermal processing technologies (ohmic heating, ultrasound, high hydrostatic pressure) of meat products offer promising potential for improving flavor, reducing processing time, and preserving products with low salt content. Meat flavor depends on the animal species, sex, age, feed, and processing method, and in this regard, flavor is one of the representative indicators of meat quality.

Vitamin В₁₂ (cobalamin) is an essential biologically active compound involved in the regulation of cellular metabolism, hematopoiesis, and the functioning of the nervous system. Its deficiency leads to severe metabolic and neurological disorders. Industrial production of vitamin В₁₂ is mainly carried out using microbiological methods, since chemical synthesis of cobalamin is technologically complex and economically inefficient. Among vitamin В₁₂  — producing microorganisms, propionic acid bacteria of the genus Propionibacterium are of particular interest due to their high biosynthetic activity. At the same time, cultivation parameters significantly affect the yield of the target product, which determines the relevance of optimizing biosynthesis conditions.

Methods. Two types of starter cultures were used as the objects of the study. Cultivation was performed under anaerobic conditions in a liquid nutrient medium containing lactose, yeast extract, and peptone. The physiological state of the cultures was assessed microscopically and by analyzing the dynamics of the specific growth rate. Temperature (25, 30, and 35 °C) and incubation time (12, 16, and 20 h) were varied. Vitamin В₁₂ content was determined spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 361 nm. The effect of cobalt chloride supplementation in the culture medium was also evaluated. All experiments were carried out in triplicate.

Results. The maximum yield of vitamin В₁₂ (up to 897 µg/mL) was achieved at a temperature of 35 °C and a cultivation time of 16 h. Optimization of cultivation conditions increased cobalamin production by more than 40%. The obtained results can be applied in the development and scale-up of biotechnological processes.

Relevance. The cosmetics industry significantly contributes to environmental pollution with microplastics. The global trend toward sustainable development and conscious consumption is driving demand for materials with natural, biodegradable ingredients. The aim of this study is to produce and evaluate the quality of biodegradable agar-based cosmetic mask bases.

Methods. The study subjects were samples of agar-based cosmetic mask bases, sodium agar and alginate, and collagen agar and hydrolyzed collagen bases. Flow charts for producing the agar-based bases are provided. The organoleptic (appearance, color, and odor), physical, and physicochemical properties (active acidity, thickness, transparency, solubility, and tensile strength) of the biodegradable bases were determined using generally accepted methods. The biodegradability of the base samples in compost was also assessed.

Results. The study results showed that the addition of sodium alginate and collagen hydrolysate increased the tensile strength of the agar base. A decrease in the solubility of the modified bases was also observed. The transparency of the bases with the addition of sodium alginate decreased by 4.5%, while that of collagen hydrolysate decreased by 45.5%. The addition of sodium alginate slowed the degradation process, while the addition of collagen hydrolysate significantly accelerated the decomposition of the material — by the end of the third week, the sample had almost completely turned to compost. A study of the quality parameters of the obtained samples demonstrated their compliance with regulatory documentation for the parameters studied, indicating the potential use of agar-based bases in the production of cosmetic facial masks.