The ostrich is a species with a height of about 2.7 meters, a weight of 86 to 145 kilograms, and the inability to fly. It is the largest and heaviest bird in the world. Its main birthplace is the savanna areas of the African continent.
A scared ostrich with its strong legs and two toes, if scared, its speed reaches 70 km/h. The color of the feathers in the male is mainly black and the female is brown. The main purpose of breeding farms is to produce meat, eggs, leather, feathers and fertilizer.
Due to its strong immune system, ostriches are less likely to get sick. But in case of bad nutrition, stress and improper management, the immune system of the bird is weak and it will get the common ostrich disease (Sharban).
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Dietary composition
The main ostrich diet consists of leafy plants (60%), fruits or legumes (15%), insects or small animals (5%) and 20% grains, salt and stones. These compounds are to meet the physiological needs of the ostrich body.
On average; Ostrich diet consists of 16-20% protein, less than 10% fat and fiber, 2.5% calcium and about 1.5% phosphorus.
Ostrich water requirement
Ostrich chicks need water immediately after hatching. If they can use the yolk sac reserves as feed up to 10 days after hatching. The production of white urine is usually a sign of dehydration in the ostrich
Additives for ostrich feed
Vitamin and mineral supplements
Vitamins and minerals are elements that are not synthesized in the body of the ostrich or are not sufficient to meet the body’s needs. And to improve performance, they should be provided through rations. The role of each is briefly mentioned in the text below.
For example, the; As a result of vitamin A deficiency (watery eye disease, impaired growth and bone formation, impaired vision and increased sensitivity to diseases such as abscess on the palate and incomplete growth), vitamin B (curling of feathers and hyperkeratosis of the mouth and back of ostriches), vitamin deficiency Riboflavin (twisting of claws and fingers and permanent paralysis), lack of balance of calcium and phosphorus (deviant and crooked legs of ostriches) and finally endangering the physiological conditions of ostriches
Antioxidants
As a result of stress and inflammation, free radicals (the cause of damage and death of digestive system cells) are produced. These damages can be minimized with the help of vitamin E and selenium as antioxidants and preventing muscle breakdown in the diet of all ostriches. The commercial ration of ostriches contains 80 IU/kg and 1 to 3 mg/kg of selenium.
enzymes
With the aim of increasing the speed of chemical reactions, improving the digestion and absorption of nutrients with high fiber and the efficiency of endogenous enzymes, protein-based enzymes, especially phytase enzyme, are usually used in ostrich diets.
Binder toxin
The toxins produced by mushrooms have destructive effects on the health and performance of ostriches. The ingredients used in feeding ostriches have been checked and the risk of contamination has been minimized. However; Fungal toxins cannot be completely eliminated in the diet. The use of appropriate toxin binders to absorb toxins (afla toxin, acra toxin, ziralenone, etc.) is inevitable.
What are the characteristics of a suitable toxin binder?
Types of ostrich diet
The bird’s diet is divided into pre-fertilization, initial, growth, final and pre-slaughter periods according to breeding periods. Breeder diet should be changed during mating season and other seasons.
For example, the; Plants such as alfalfa and clover (meet the fiber needs of the body), grains (meet energy), protein sources such as peeled soybeans, meat, fish, and blood powder (meet protein needs), low-use and high-use minerals, amino acids, vitamins , antioxidant, phytase, multienzyme and toxin binder are used in ostrich diet. On average, ostriches consume 4 kg of feed per day.
The bird’s food ration is divided according to the initial breeding periods (1 day to 8 weeks), growth (9-42 weeks) and final ration (42 weeks to slaughter). Breeder diet should be changed during mating season and other seasons.
The apparent metabolizable energy is about 2300-2500 kcal and protein (160-220 g/kg) of ostrich ration varies depending on breeding goals and mating season. Providing the physiological needs of birds in each period increases the profitability of farms. Consumption of clean and cool water has a significant effect on the growth of ostriches.
Successful breeding of ostriches is divided into five stages based on their diet, which are divided into five stages at different ages and weights. The percentage and amount of food, including protein, amino acid, vitamins and all the materials needed for good and timely growth, are different.
Ostrich breeding courses
Pre-Dawn (1 day old to 8 weeks old) = ostrich chicks weighing up to 18 kg should be fed with a diet with high energy density (55% grain and 22% protein) and sufficient amounts of amino acids (lysine, methionine, arginine, cystine and threonine) ) to be fed.
Beginning (8 weeks to 16 weeks) = ostrich chicks in the weight range of 18 to 45 kg are fed with a dense diet (50% grain and 20% protein). During this period, chicken feed consumption increased and up to 20% fodder was added to the final diet. The number of feeding times is 2 times during the day, but the duration of each meal should be at least 2 hours.
Growth (4 to 6 months old) = the ration of this breeding period until reaching the weight of 65 kg with medium energy (40% grain and 16% protein). According to the physiological needs in the diet of this age period, the amount of fiber and fat in the diet increases and protein decreases. The balance between calcium and phosphorus in the growth diet must be maintained.
Final ration (6 to 10 months old) = due to the decrease in growth of the bird in this age period, a ration with medium to low energy density (25% grains and 14% protein) and 70% fodder should be used. until finally the ostrich reaches its weight of 95 kg.
Slaughter ration (10 to 14 months old) = In fattening farms before slaughter, low-priced and low-concentrate rations are usually used. 90% of the ration of this period consists of fodder such as hay.
The consumption of this ration continues until the weight of the ostrich is 110 kg. Usually, due to the increase in the conversion rate of ostriches, breeders try to kill the birds until the age of 12 months.
Maintenance ration = Birds weighing 110 to 120 kg use this type of ration during the mating season. In this period, fodder sources with a protein percentage of 10-12% are mainly used.
Growth (3 months to one year old)
According to the physiological needs in the diet of this age period, the amount of fiber and fat in the diet increases and protein decreases. Maintain the balance between calcium and phosphorus in the growth diet
Fattening (three months to slaughter)
Usually, up to 10 to 14 months of age is called fattening age.
At one year of age until reproduction, the type of pre-puberty ration should be changed and all the ideal conditions to reach sexual maturity should be provided. Diet fiber changes to 0.15% in this age period.
Breeding diet (breeding season diet), after 18 months of age, the ostrich diet is given a high percentage of protein and energy to prepare for reproduction.
Ostrich feed conversion factor
This index shows the ratio of feed consumed to the weight of the bird. Actually; The lower the number of this index, the higher the breeder’s profitability. Various factors such as; Genetics, quality of microbial load of feed, feed protein, feed additives, management, etc. influence this index.
Due to the high growth rate of ostriches in the early ages from one day to 2 months, the low conversion factor is 2, and the conversion factor increases with the age of the bird. So that at the age of 2 months to 6 months, this index reaches more than 3.8.
According to the studies, three types of ostriches (blue neck, red neck and black neck) are highly profitable for breeding.
Blue neck cheek
This species yields more meat than other species. But it does not have a proper feather cover. And compared to other species, it has a higher threshold of cold tolerance.
Red neck cheek
The size of this type of ostrich is much larger than other types and the maturation process is slower. But it is much more aggressive. Chickens of this species have little survival in the breeding environment. as a result; The profitability of this breed is lower than other species.
Black neck cheek
This species is the result of 130 years of genetic selection to produce ostriches with a short neck, stiffer body and high quality feathers. therefore; This species is more widely cultivated than other species in the world
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