BREEDING OSTRICHES FOR PLUMES

The effect of dietary energy and protein levels on production in breeding female ostriches.

1. In a study spanning two breeding seasons, we assessed the effect of different dietary energy and protein levels on body mass, body condition, and egg production of female ostriches. 2. During the first breeding season, groups were given diets with energy concentrations of 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 MJ/kg dry mass (DM) metabolisable energy (ME) and protein concentrations of 135, 150 and 165 g/kg. In t...

Ostriches Sleep like Platypuses

Mammals and birds engage in two distinct states of sleep, slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. SWS is characterized by slow, high amplitude brain waves, while REM sleep is characterized by fast, low amplitude waves, known as activation, occurring with rapid eye movements and reduced muscle tone. However, monotremes (platypuses and echidnas), the most basal (or 'ancient') gr...

New PCR multiplexes for sex typing of ostriches.

Diseases of farmed crocodiles and ostriches.

Crocodiles and ostriches are very sensitive to stress, and the ideal conditions for intensive rearing have not yet been established. Consequently, mortality is often directly linked to conditions on the farm. Crocodile and caiman pox, adenoviral hepatitis, mycoplasmosis, chlamydiosis and coccidiosis are crocodile-specific infections with reservoirs in wild populations and adult wild-caught bree...

Factors Affecting Reproductive Performance in Farmed Ostriches

Complete egg production data from a pair breeding flock located in South Africa were used to generate annual reproductive records for all hens exposed to breeding. Traits analysed included measures of total egg and chick production and related traits, along with egg and chick weights. Both genetic and non-genetic factors significantly influenced reproductive performance. Seasonal effects, durat...