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Ostrich Diet
Ratites The most widely known ratites are ostriches, rheas and emus.
The ostrich is the largest living bird. Adults weigh approximately 300 lbs. - 350 lbs. (135kg - 160kg).
This two-toed bird originated in Southern Europe, Southern Central Asia and China. The African Black Ostrich was domesticated by the South Africans. The three-toed rhea, which weighs approximately 100 lbs. (45.5kg) adult weight, originated in the South American highlands.
In their evolution from flighted ancestors, ratites lost the keeled sternum to which the flight muscles (mainly breast muscles) attach in flighted birds.
Thus, these birds have no breast muscles (or vestigial where present).
Although they share numerous characteristics with other birds, their evolutionary adaptations have led to unique characteristics.
For instance, ostriches and rheas are adaptable browsers - grazers whose digestive tracts have evolved to utilize grasses and forages; a function which most birds cannot duplicate.
Given the unique digestive characteristics of the ostrich and rhea, many feed suppliers have designed a feeding system specifically for these birds.
Ostriches have evolved unique characteristics (behavioral and anatomical) in order to adapt and survive. These characteristics make ostriches different from most other birds in terms of nutrition and management.
To maximise productivity and minimise health problems, appropriate management practices must be in place. When designing your management practices consider the following options.
Exercise Exercise is very important in the overall health of ostriches. It plays an important role in preventing leg problems, especially in young birds.
Exercise may also help in decreasing the incidence of impactions and other health problems.
Birds should have as much space as possible in which to walk and run. The earlier birds are allowed to move and exercise, the lower the probability of leg problems.
Alfalfa Supplementation for Chicks Avoid using alfalfa as bedding material or as feed supplement for chicks weighing less than 50 lbs. (22.7kg). Young, fast growing birds require a 2:1 ratio of calcium to available phosphorus for optimal bone growth.
On the average, alfalfa contains 1.44% calcium and 0.22% available phosphorus (a ration of calcium to available phosphorus of 6.5:1). Supplementing chicks with alfalfa widens the calcium to phosphorus ration which has been shown to produce bone abnormalities in growing chicks.
Prevention of Impactions Ostriches are prone to proventricular impactions. Impactions occur mainly when birds have been stressed. Stress can be caused by numerous factors including disease, changes in environment, lack of exercise, etc.
Reducing stress and encouraging exercise will help decrease the incidence of impactions. Moving birds from one location to another, either within the same production unit or to a different production unit, should be minimized. Do not change the feed at the time the birds are moved.
Change feed either 1 or 2 weeks before or after the birds are moved. Foreign objects: It is important to carefully check the pens in which the birds will be placed. Any foreign object that can be picked up and swallowed by birds should be removed.
Determining Feed Consumption Perhaps one of the easiest and most important management tools is to determine the amount of feed consumed by your birds. Before any body weight changes are observed, changes in feed consumption will occur.
Knowing how much your birds are eating will alert you early if something is wrong. Feed consumption information will help minimise the need to weigh growing birds since frequent weighing is a source of stress. Consumption information is useful regardless of how many birds are in a pen.
Changes in total consumption will indicate that one or more birds are changing their feed behavior. Observe your birds first thing in the morning when feed is placed in feeders. Healthy birds should feed soon after feed is made available. If there are birds that are slow and do not come to the feed, it is a sign that something may be wrong.
Use of Grit Use of grit may help in decreasing the incidence of impactions. Use only granite grit. Granite is a non-nutritive and a hard-surfaced particle that functions as grit without changing the nutrient balance of the diet.
Types of Grit not to use Do not use limestone or oyster shell as grit. Both contain high levels of calcium and are relatively soft. Soft particles are processed quicker and do not function well as grit. As limestone is ground down in the gizzard, calcium is released, changing the calcium to available phosphorus ratio of the total diet.
In young birds (with fast-growing bones) the calcium to phosphorus ratio in the diet is important for proper bone growth and should be 2:1. If limestone or oyster shell is used as grit in the diets of young birds, the actual calcium to phosphorus ratio will widen resulting in a high calcium and low phosphorus.
A wide calcium to phosphorus ratio will have a profound effect on bone growth and may lead to nutritional rickets and manifestations of bone abnormalities. Grit size, when and how to feed: Grit should be made available as soon as birds are offered feed (within 26 to 36 hours after hatch).
Changing Feeds Ostriches seem to be sensitive to diet changes including introduction of a new diet or changes in the diet currently being used. When changing from one feed to another, do so gradually over a 10-day period.
Slowly increase the proportion of the new feed until you are feeding 100% of the new ration by day 10. When using a new batch of the same feed, a precaution is to mix in 50% of the current batch with 50% of the new batch and feed this for 4 to 5 days before switching entirely to the new batch.
Body Condition in Breeding Birds and Future Breeders Excessive body fat in breeding animals leads to poor reproductive performance in females and males. Manage your animals feed consumption to avoid excess body fat deposition.
This can be done by selecting feeds with moderate to low energy content or by reducing the amounts fed. Care must be taken to ensure that the concentration of other nutrients is not greatly reduced if feed consumption is reduced. It is easier to maintain proper body condition than to try to manage for body fat loss.
Considerations Yearling birds should be managed by limiting energy consumption. Normally these birds will reach 80% of mature body weight by 10 to 12 months of age. From this age to breeding, it is easy for these birds to accumulate undesirable excess body fat if fed free choice protein foods.
Feed breeders on the basis of body condition, egg production and access to pasture. Pastures (fiber) supply primary energy to ostriches.
If birds are overweight, place them on a reduced energy consumption management system. The ideal time for restricting energy consumption for the purpose of weight reduction is soon after breeding season ends.
Amount of feed consumption will depend on physiological stage, environment (temperature, access to pasture) and body weight.
General Rules Young (fast growing) birds up to approximately 10 months of age will eat between 3% and 4% of body weight when offered a dry diet exclusively.
Breeding and adult birds will eat approximately 1% to 2.5% of body weight. Remember if birds are supplemented or have access to pasture, their consumption of commercial feed will tend to decrease in proportion to the consumption of other available feed sources.
Variation exists in behavior (including feed consumption) among ostriches. Birds of similar weight and in the same environment may eat different amounts of the same feed. Feed guidelines may be considered general guidelines given the great variation that exists among Ostriches at this time in the industry.
Calcium Supplementation for Breeding Ostriches Calcium is a key nutrient for egg shell formation. An ostrich egg shell averages about 39% calcium. In general, ostrich breeder rations tend to be fed from 2 to 6 weeks before egg laying begins and to all potential breeding animals, regardless of egg production.
Over-supplementation When excessive amounts of dietary calcium are fed, calcium absorption may exceed calcium needs. Over-supplementation of calcium may cause kidney lesions when excess calcium is fed for an extended time in the absence of high egg production.
In addition, calcium over-supplementation tends to be accompanied by low to moderate phosphorus levels in breeding diets, which further compounds the problem.
Calcium Requirements Although females require higher calcium levels in the diet to support egg production, the need for calcium in male ostriches does not increase during the breeding season.
Under today's management system, male and female breeders are fed together. This is one of the reasons feed suppliers have incorporated moderate calcium levels in ratite breeder diets.
Calcium Supplementation for Ostriches
*Mix in with feed to prevent individual birds from over-consuming the calcium supplement.
Calcium Sources Calcium can be supplemented by adding oyster shell, calcium carbonate or limestone to the feed. Oyster shell is preferred over limestone. Limestone quality varies widely depending on the source and may contain impurities such as heavy metals and microminerals at levels sufficient enough to create dietary imbalances.
One of the most resourceful books available today, the Ratite Feed Book provides a full in depth analysis to Ratite and Ostrich feeding.
Ratites The most widely known ratites are ostriches, rheas and emus.
The ostrich is the largest living bird. Adults weigh approximately 300 lbs. - 350 lbs. (135kg - 160kg).
This two-toed bird originated in Southern Europe, Southern Central Asia and China. The African Black Ostrich was domesticated by the South Africans. The three-toed rhea, which weighs approximately 100 lbs. (45.5kg) adult weight, originated in the South American highlands.
In their evolution from flighted ancestors, ratites lost the keeled sternum to which the flight muscles (mainly breast muscles) attach in flighted birds.
Thus, these birds have no breast muscles (or vestigial where present).
Although they share numerous characteristics with other birds, their evolutionary adaptations have led to unique characteristics.
For instance, ostriches and rheas are adaptable browsers - grazers whose digestive tracts have evolved to utilize grasses and forages; a function which most birds cannot duplicate.
Given the unique digestive characteristics of the ostrich and rhea, many feed suppliers have designed a feeding system specifically for these birds.
Ostriches have evolved unique characteristics (behavioral and anatomical) in order to adapt and survive. These characteristics make ostriches different from most other birds in terms of nutrition and management.
To maximise productivity and minimise health problems, appropriate management practices must be in place. When designing your management practices consider the following options.
Exercise Exercise is very important in the overall health of ostriches. It plays an important role in preventing leg problems, especially in young birds.
Exercise may also help in decreasing the incidence of impactions and other health problems.
Birds should have as much space as possible in which to walk and run. The earlier birds are allowed to move and exercise, the lower the probability of leg problems.
Alfalfa Supplementation for Chicks Avoid using alfalfa as bedding material or as feed supplement for chicks weighing less than 50 lbs. (22.7kg). Young, fast growing birds require a 2:1 ratio of calcium to available phosphorus for optimal bone growth.
On the average, alfalfa contains 1.44% calcium and 0.22% available phosphorus (a ration of calcium to available phosphorus of 6.5:1). Supplementing chicks with alfalfa widens the calcium to phosphorus ration which has been shown to produce bone abnormalities in growing chicks.
Prevention of Impactions Ostriches are prone to proventricular impactions. Impactions occur mainly when birds have been stressed. Stress can be caused by numerous factors including disease, changes in environment, lack of exercise, etc.
Reducing stress and encouraging exercise will help decrease the incidence of impactions. Moving birds from one location to another, either within the same production unit or to a different production unit, should be minimized. Do not change the feed at the time the birds are moved.
Change feed either 1 or 2 weeks before or after the birds are moved. Foreign objects: It is important to carefully check the pens in which the birds will be placed. Any foreign object that can be picked up and swallowed by birds should be removed.
Determining Feed Consumption Perhaps one of the easiest and most important management tools is to determine the amount of feed consumed by your birds. Before any body weight changes are observed, changes in feed consumption will occur.
Knowing how much your birds are eating will alert you early if something is wrong. Feed consumption information will help minimise the need to weigh growing birds since frequent weighing is a source of stress. Consumption information is useful regardless of how many birds are in a pen.
Changes in total consumption will indicate that one or more birds are changing their feed behavior. Observe your birds first thing in the morning when feed is placed in feeders. Healthy birds should feed soon after feed is made available. If there are birds that are slow and do not come to the feed, it is a sign that something may be wrong.
Use of Grit Use of grit may help in decreasing the incidence of impactions. Use only granite grit. Granite is a non-nutritive and a hard-surfaced particle that functions as grit without changing the nutrient balance of the diet.
Types of Grit not to use Do not use limestone or oyster shell as grit. Both contain high levels of calcium and are relatively soft. Soft particles are processed quicker and do not function well as grit. As limestone is ground down in the gizzard, calcium is released, changing the calcium to available phosphorus ratio of the total diet.
In young birds (with fast-growing bones) the calcium to phosphorus ratio in the diet is important for proper bone growth and should be 2:1. If limestone or oyster shell is used as grit in the diets of young birds, the actual calcium to phosphorus ratio will widen resulting in a high calcium and low phosphorus.
A wide calcium to phosphorus ratio will have a profound effect on bone growth and may lead to nutritional rickets and manifestations of bone abnormalities. Grit size, when and how to feed: Grit should be made available as soon as birds are offered feed (within 26 to 36 hours after hatch).
Changing Feeds Ostriches seem to be sensitive to diet changes including introduction of a new diet or changes in the diet currently being used. When changing from one feed to another, do so gradually over a 10-day period.
Slowly increase the proportion of the new feed until you are feeding 100% of the new ration by day 10. When using a new batch of the same feed, a precaution is to mix in 50% of the current batch with 50% of the new batch and feed this for 4 to 5 days before switching entirely to the new batch.
Body Condition in Breeding Birds and Future Breeders Excessive body fat in breeding animals leads to poor reproductive performance in females and males. Manage your animals feed consumption to avoid excess body fat deposition.
This can be done by selecting feeds with moderate to low energy content or by reducing the amounts fed. Care must be taken to ensure that the concentration of other nutrients is not greatly reduced if feed consumption is reduced. It is easier to maintain proper body condition than to try to manage for body fat loss.
Considerations Yearling birds should be managed by limiting energy consumption. Normally these birds will reach 80% of mature body weight by 10 to 12 months of age. From this age to breeding, it is easy for these birds to accumulate undesirable excess body fat if fed free choice protein foods.
Feed breeders on the basis of body condition, egg production and access to pasture. Pastures (fiber) supply primary energy to ostriches.
If birds are overweight, place them on a reduced energy consumption management system. The ideal time for restricting energy consumption for the purpose of weight reduction is soon after breeding season ends.
Amount of feed consumption will depend on physiological stage, environment (temperature, access to pasture) and body weight.
General Rules Young (fast growing) birds up to approximately 10 months of age will eat between 3% and 4% of body weight when offered a dry diet exclusively.
Breeding and adult birds will eat approximately 1% to 2.5% of body weight. Remember if birds are supplemented or have access to pasture, their consumption of commercial feed will tend to decrease in proportion to the consumption of other available feed sources.
Variation exists in behavior (including feed consumption) among ostriches. Birds of similar weight and in the same environment may eat different amounts of the same feed. Feed guidelines may be considered general guidelines given the great variation that exists among Ostriches at this time in the industry.
Calcium Supplementation for Breeding Ostriches Calcium is a key nutrient for egg shell formation. An ostrich egg shell averages about 39% calcium. In general, ostrich breeder rations tend to be fed from 2 to 6 weeks before egg laying begins and to all potential breeding animals, regardless of egg production.
Over-supplementation When excessive amounts of dietary calcium are fed, calcium absorption may exceed calcium needs. Over-supplementation of calcium may cause kidney lesions when excess calcium is fed for an extended time in the absence of high egg production.
In addition, calcium over-supplementation tends to be accompanied by low to moderate phosphorus levels in breeding diets, which further compounds the problem.
Calcium Requirements Although females require higher calcium levels in the diet to support egg production, the need for calcium in male ostriches does not increase during the breeding season.
Under today's management system, male and female breeders are fed together. This is one of the reasons feed suppliers have incorporated moderate calcium levels in ratite breeder diets.
Calcium Supplementation for Ostriches
| Production Level | Supplementation Level* |
|---|---|
| 0-30 eggs | none necessary |
| 31-60 eggs | 1% |
| 61-90 eggs | 2% |
| 91-120 eggs | 3% |
| 121-150 eggs | 4% |
*Mix in with feed to prevent individual birds from over-consuming the calcium supplement.
Calcium Sources Calcium can be supplemented by adding oyster shell, calcium carbonate or limestone to the feed. Oyster shell is preferred over limestone. Limestone quality varies widely depending on the source and may contain impurities such as heavy metals and microminerals at levels sufficient enough to create dietary imbalances.
One of the most resourceful books available today, the Ratite Feed Book provides a full in depth analysis to Ratite and Ostrich feeding.