Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T19:33:23.820Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Intake, growth and carcass characteristics of young ostriches given concentrates with and without pasture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

R. Nitzan ,
D. Barkai ,
Z. Nitsan  and
S. Landau1
R. Nitzan
Affiliation:
Department of Natural Resources, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
D. Barkai
Affiliation:
Department of Natural Resources, Gilat Experimental Station, Mobile Post Negev 2, 85200 Israel
Z. Nitsan
Affiliation:
Department of Poultry Science, Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
S. Landau1*
Affiliation:
Department of Natural Resources, Institute of Field and Garden Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
*
†Corresponding author e-mail address: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Although ostriches are herbivores, their diets in commercial farming in Israel consist mainly of concentrates. The objective of this study was to evaluate an alternative for fattening ostriches aged 10 to 30 weeks, which combines pasture with concentrate feeding. Chicks were allotted to three treatments. Diet of group C40 consisted of concentrate only, provided at 40 g/kg body mass (mb). Groups CG20 and CG30 received concentrate at 20 and 30 g/ kg mb, respectively, and grazed 4 to 6 h/day on lush green alfalfa (Medicago sativa), sown barley (Hordeum vulgare), natural pasture or sulla (Hedysarum coronarium). During the last 10 weeks of experiment, groups CG20 and CG30 were merged into one group, managed as CG20 and grazed natural pasture, sulla, alfalfa, or vetch (Vicia sativa). Ostriches from group CG20 and CG30 consumed 390 (s.e.30) g and 260 (s.e. 20) g DM per day at pasture, i.e. 0·46 and 0·28 of their total daily intake, respectively. Pasture intake for CG20 was higher (P < 0·05) than for CG30. Intake of pasture (both grazing treatments combined) was twice as much as on natural pasture or alfalfa as on barley. These results were consistent with the ostriches’ preference for forbs rather than grasses in the natural pasture. The mean organic matter digestibility was 0·84 (s.e. 0·01), ostriches gained at 347 (s.e. 13) g/day, and the food conversion ratio was 3·05 (s.e. 0·16), with no effect of group. Also, grazing did not affect the dressing rate (0·47, s.e. 0·015) or the size and mass of the different parts of the gastro-intestinal tract, with the exception of the glandular and muscular stomachs, which were proportionately 0·4 (P < 0·05) heavier in grazing birds. Lower (P < 0·05) fat content (33·8 v. 26·5 g/kg) but not tenderness, of a selected muscle (fibularis longus) was found for grazing birds. This study suggests that, in young ostriches, grazing lush green pasture may reduce concentrate intake by proportionately 0·4, without altering growth performance or carcass yield and quality.

Keywords

concentratesgrazinggrowthmeat qualityostriches
Type
Growth, development and meat science
Information
Animal Science , Volume 74 , Issue 1 , February 2002 , pp. 71 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Angel, C. R. 1996. A review of ratite nutrition. Animal Feed Science and Technology 60: 241–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists, . 1984. Official methods of analysis, 14th edition. Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Cilliers, S. C. 1998. Feedstuff evaluation, metabolisable energy and amino acid requirements for maintenance and growth in ostriches. Proceedings of the second international ratite congress, Oudtshoorn, South Africa, pp. 12–23.Google Scholar
Cilliers, S. C., Hayes, J. P., Maritz, J. S., Chwalibog, A. and Preez, J. J.du. 1994. True and apparent metabolizable energy values of lucerne and yellow maize in adult roosters and mature ostriches (Struthio camelus). Animal Production 59: 309–313.Google Scholar
Cooper, S. M. and Palmer, T. 1994. Observation on the dietary choice of free-ranging juvenile ostriches. Ostrich 65: 251–255.Google Scholar
Degen, A. A., Kam, M. and Rosenstrauch, A. 1989. Time-activity budget of ostriches (Struthio camelus) offered concentrate feed and maintained in outdoor pens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 22: 347–358.Google Scholar
Degen, A. A., Kam, M., Rosenstrauch, A. and Plavnik, I. 1991. Growth rate, total body water volume, dry-matter intake and water consumption of domesticated ostriches (Struthio camelus). Animal Production 52: 225–232.Google Scholar
Douglas, G. B., Stienezen, M., Waghorn, G. C., Foote, A. G. and Purchas, R. W. 1999. Effects of condensed tannins in birdsfoot (Lotus corniculatus) and sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) on body weight, carcass fat depth, and wool growth of lambs in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 42: 55–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duke, G. E., Degen, A. A. and Reynhout, J. K. 1995. Movement of urine in the lower colon and cloaca of ostriches. The Condor 97: 165–173.Google Scholar
Folche, M. L. and Stanly, G. K. 1957. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. Journal of Biological Chemistry 226: 497–509.Google Scholar
Goering, H. K. and Van Soest, P. J. 1970. Forage fiber analyses (apparatus, reagents, procedures and some applications). Agricultural handbook no. 379, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Hadar, L., Noy-Meir, I. and Perevolotsky, A. 2000. Scale-dependent effects of fuel break management on herbaceous community diversity in a Mediterranean garrigue. Journal of Mediterranean Ecology 1: 237–248.Google Scholar
Jarvis, M. J. F. 1998. Options for growth rates and slaughter ages. Proceedings of the second international ratite congress, Oudtshoorn, South Africa, pp. 24–27.Google Scholar
Landau, S., Barkai, D., Hajbi, S. and Rosenstrauch, A. 1997. [Raising ostriches on pasture in the Negev desert.] Proceedings of the 35th meeting of the Israeli branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association, Zikhron Yaakov, Israel, p. 67.Google Scholar
Milton, S. J., Dean, W. R. J. and Siegfried, W. R. 1994. Food selection by ostrich in Southern Africa. Journal of Wildlife Management 58: 234–248.Google Scholar
Morris, C. A., Kirton, A. H., Hogg, B. W., Brown, J. M. and Mortimer, B. J. 1995. Meat composition in genetically selected and control cattle from a serial slaughter experiment. Meat Science 39: 427–435.Google Scholar
Nel, C. J. and Lambrechts, H. 1998. Drought-resistant fodder crops as an alternative feed for ostriches (Struthio camelus). Proceedings of the second international ratite congress, Oudtshoorn, South Africa, pp. 31–37.Google Scholar
Penning, P. D. and Hooper, G. E. 1985. An evaluation of the use of short-term weight changes in grazing sheep for estimating herbage intake. Grass and Forage Science 40: 79–84.Google Scholar
Robbins, C. T. 1993. Wildlife feeding and nutrition (ed. Cunha, T. J. and Emeritus, D.), pp. 252–281. Academic Press, CA.Google Scholar
Sambraus, H. H. 1995. Behavioural disorders in the food intake of ostriches. Berliner und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift 108: 344–346.Google Scholar
Shanawany, M. M. 1995. Recent development in ostrich farming. World Animal Reviews 83: 3–8.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1985. SAS user’s guide, version 5.16. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute, Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Swart, D. 1988. Studies on the hatching, growth and energy metabolism of ostrich chick Struthio camelus var. domesticus . Ph.D. thesis, University of Stellenbosch.Google Scholar
Swart, D., Mackie, R. I. and Hayes, J. P. 1993a. Fermentative digestion in the ostrich (Struthio camelus var. domesticus), a large avian species that utilize cellulose. South African Journal of Animal Science 23: 127–135.Google Scholar
Swart, D., Mackie, R. I. and Hayes, J. P. 1993b. Influence of live mass, rate of passage and site of digestion on energy metabolism and fiber digestion in the ostrich (Struthio camelus var. domesticus). South African Journal of Animal Science 23: 119–126.Google Scholar
Swart, D., Siebrits, F. K. and Hayes, J. P. 1993c. Growth, feed intake and body composition of ostriches (Struthio camelus) between 10 and 30 kg live mass. South African Journal of Animal Science 23: 142–151.Google Scholar