BREEDING
Anon New breed emu ranch.
Live Animal Trade & Transport Magazine, June, 1995, 30.
EMU, FARMING, INCUBATORS.
At the New Breed Emu Ranch south of Austin, USA the breeding program is designed to produce
slaughter birds for the new plant. They get about an 80% hatch.
Bendheim U, Shore L S, Harel-Markovitz E, Weissmann Y, Shemesh M Hormonal sexing versus
surgical sexing in birds.
Proceedings of the European Chapter of the Association of Avian Vets, 1991, 115-117.
SEXING.
The sex of 27 ostriches was determined by palpation and fecal steroid analysis
Bruemmer F Promised land of the ostrich.
International Wildlife, 27(6), 1997, 20-24.
ISRAEL, HAI BAR.
This article asks the question, Can this biblical bird return to its ancestral home in Israel? Once
common in the Middle East, ostriches vanished from the region more than 3 decades ago. The Middle
Eastern or Syrian ostrich, smallest of the 6 ostrich races, was hunted mercilessly with cars and guns, a
thrilling sport that quickly eradicated the great birds. Now at Hai Bar, Israel's wildlife breeding centre,
ostriches are being bred to be hopefully returned to the wild.
Burlini F Ostrich breeding. Chick rearing is not difficult. ( Allevare lo struzzo. Crescere i pulcini non
e difficile )..
Informatore Agrario., 51(38), 1995, 75-78.
REARING, ITALY, MANAGEMENT, HOUSING.
This article describes feeding, rearing systems and housing conditions suitable for ostrich chicks. Brief
mention is made of health problems.
Italian.
Burlini F The history and current status of ostrich breeding. ( Storia ed attualita dellallevamento
dello struzzo )..
Informatore Agrario., 50(28), 1994, 36-38.
FARMING.
This article gives a brief account of ostrich breeding in South Africa, Australia, the USA, Zimbabwe,
Namibia, Israel and Europe.
Italian.
Claassen J Die kies van broeivoels Selection of breeding birds.
Landbouweekblad, 19 January, 1996, 34-37.
SINGLE CAMP METHOD, REPRODUCTION, SELECTION.
Meaningful selection of breeding birds will pay off in the long run.
Afrikaans.
Cloete S W P, Van Schalkwyk S J, Brand Z Ostrich breeding-progress towards a scientifically
based strategy.
Proceedings of the Second International Scientific Ratite Congress, Oudtshoorn, South Africa, 21-25
September 1998, 1998, 55-62. Oudtshoorn,
EGGS, FERTILITY, LEGS, WEIGHT, SKINS, AGE, REPRODUCTION.
Breeding pair records from the Klein Karoo Agricultural Development Centre for 1992-96 were
analysed. The number of breeding pairs of ostriches increased from 67 to 102 during this period. A
total of 24 808 eggs were recorded of which 46.2% hatched. 18.1% of eggs were infertile and 29.3%
were recorded as dead in shell. Graphs are presented showing the effects of female age on egg
production, hatching rate and chick rearing. Variance components among these traits and slaughter
traits (estimated on 118 progeny) are also tabulated. It was concluded that females older than 9 years
should not be used for breeding.
Deeming D C Twins in ostriches.
Ostrich Farmer Fortnightly, 1(20), 1997, 6.
TWINS.
Ding Y, Anthony N, Kinder L, Rhoads D Development of a PCR based diagnosis of sex in the
ostrich.
Poultry Science, 74 (Suppl 1), 1995, 91.
SEX, PCR, RAPD, GENE MAPPING.
Development of reliable, inexpensive methods for early diagnosis of sex in ratites will facilitate
modern ratite ranching.
Duerden J E Breeding experiments with North African and South African ostriches; V. Crossing the
North and South African ostriches.
Union of South Africa.Dept of Agriculture. Bulletin, 3, 1919, 1-36.
NORTH AFRICAN OSTRICH, BREEDS, FEATHERS.
The main object of this investigation was to determine to what degree the plumage of the southern
bird could be improved by crossing with the northern one.
Foggin C M, Van Niekerk A Ostriches in the wild, colony breeding and foster rearing.
Proceedings of the 5th Australian Ostrich Association Conference, 1996, 111-116.
HATCHING, INCUBATION, SEMI-INTENSIVE SYSTEM, DIET, INTENSIVE SYSTEM,
ZIMBABWE.
In Zimbabwe, extensive, semi-intensive and intensive breeding systems are used. Extensive breeding,
with natural or artificial incubation, can give better hatchability and chick survival compared to
intensive systems; dietary factors may be involved.
Griffiths R Sex identification in birds.
Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, 9(1), 2000, 14-26.
SEXING.
Lambrechts H, Cloete S W P, Van Schalkwyk S J, Brand Z Phenotypic relationships of body
measurements with egg production of 2-year old ostriches.
Proceedings of the Second International Scientific Ratite Congress, Oudtshoorn, South Africa, 21-25
September 1998, 1998, 72-74. Oudtshoorn,
BODY MEASUREMENTS, EGGS, PRODUCTION, SOUTH AFRICA.
38 female ostriches entering the breeding flock at the Klein Karoo Agricultural Development Centre at
2 years of age during 1992-5 were studied. Body weight, chest circumference, tail circumference, egg
production and chick production were recorded. The correlations of body weight or body
measurements with egg production traits were not significant
McKeegan D E F, Deeming D C Time budget analysis of breeding ostriches in Britain.
Improving our understanding of ratites in a farming environment, edited by D.C.Deeming, 1996, 2123. Oxfordshire, Ratite Conference.
TIME BUDGET ANALYSIS, UNITED KINGDOM.
More S J The performance of farmed ostrich eggs in eastern Australia.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 29(2), 1996, 121-133.
AUSTRALIA, PRODUCTIVITY, EGGS, PERFORMANCE, FERTILITY, INCUBATION,
HATCHABILITY.
The performance of 910 eggs laid on 12 ostrich farms in the south-eastern region of Queensland was
studied between 1 July 1993 and 30 June 1994. Each egg was observed from lay until hatch,
permanent removal from the incubator, or after failing to hatch on day 46 after incubation. Eggs
weighing on average 1301.9 g at lay, stored for a mean of 3.7 days before incubation, lost an average
of 15.5% of the initial weight during the period of incubation. Overall fertility and hatchability were
68.1% and 67.0%, respectively. Laboratory examination showed that bacterial infections were not an
important cause of incubation failure. There was no association between egg fertility and either egg
weight at the start of incubation, the season of lay or the duration of egg storage before incubation.
Egg hatchability was conditionally associated with egg weight at the start of incubation, the
percentage egg weight loss during incubation and the season of lay. The relationship between
hatchability and weight loss was curvilinear.
More S J The performance of farmed ostrich hens in eastern Australia.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 29(2), 1996, 107-120.
HENS, EGGS, CHICKS, AGE, DISEASES, AUSTRALIA, PRODUCTIVITY.
The performance of 61 ostrich hens, 910 eggs and 394 chicks was studied on 12 ostrich farms in the
southeastern region of Queensland, Australia, between 1 July 1993 and 30 June 1994. Most hens were
young (median age 2.7 years at the end of the observation period) and were kept in pairs. Egg
production was poor. The more productive hens were significantly older than the less productive hens.
Egg laying among the more productive hens occurred in clutches, half of all eggs being laid within 2
days of the previous egg. Clutches of eggs were generally small (weighted mean, 3.5 eggs) but were
laid frequently (weighted mean, 9.4 days between clutches). The farm and hen prevalences of
Libyostrongylus douglassi infection were 33% and 40%, respectively.
Paleari M A, Corsico P, Beretta G Der Strauss; Zucht, Reproduktion, Schlachtung und Nahrwert
des Fleisches. (Breeding of ostriches and their reproduction, slaughter and meat nutritional value).
Fleischwirtschaft, 75(9), 1995, 1100-1105,1120-1123.
REPRODUCTION, SLAUGHTER, MEAT.
In 1991 the population of ostriches in South Africa, the USA and Israel was 60,000, 14,000 and 8,000
respectively and that in other countries totalled 9,000 birds. Breeding of ostriches in Italy is described
and slaughter methods used in South Africa, Israel, USA, Australia and France.
Prost E K (Ostriches as breeding animals). Strus - zwierze uzytkowe.
Medycyna Weterynaryjna, 52(3), 1996, 144-146.
BEHAVIOUR, PRODUCTS.
Polish.
Quiles A, Hevia M L (Ostrich production). La cria de avestruces.
Agricultura, Revista Agropecuaria., 67, 1998, 790, 387-392..
NUTRITION, REPRODUCTION, PRODUCTION.
Aspects of the nutrition and breeding of ostriches are discussed.
Spanish..
Skinner N J The breeding seasons of birds in Botswana 3: non-passerine families (ostrich to
skimmer).
BABBLER (GABORONE), 32 December, 1997, 10-23.
BOTSWANA.
Tison J Ostrich environmental control.
SA Ostrich, 4(3), 1999, 11-12.
VENTILATION, HEAT, ENVIRONMENT, AMMONIA.
It would be reasonable to think that South Africa must be the major scientific contributor in this field,
considering its monopoly for many years in the raising and breeding of ostriches. Unfortunately, this
may be correct in so far as doing so where natural conditions is concerned, but it is not the case where
intensive breeding is concerned.
Van Schalkwyk S J, Cloete S W P, De Kock J A Repeatability and phenotypic correlations for
body weight and reproduction in commercial ostrich breeding pairs.
British Poultry Science, 37(5), 1996, 953-962.
WEIGHT, REPRODUCTION, REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS, EGG PRODUCTION,
HATCHABILITY.
Means, standard deviations, repeatability estimates and phenotypic correlations for and among
reproductive traits and body weight were computed for the average yearly production of 42-67 mixed
age breeding pairs of ostriches recorded from 1990 to 1994. The among-breeding-pair variance
component was used in the repeatability estimations. Phenotypic correlations of male body weight
with egg production performance, and female body weight with hatchability percentage were -0.20
and - 0.16 respectively. Correlations of egg production performance with infertility and hatchability
percentages were -0.20 and 0.23 respectively. The repeatability of annual adult body weight was
0.68±0.05 in males and 0.61±0.05 in females. The values for reproductive traits were extremely
variable. A considerable proportion of this variation was attributed to the repeatable nature of breeding
pair performance among years. All the reproductive traits analysed were moderately repeatable,
ranging from 0.38±0.07 (hatchability percentage) to 0.51±0.06 (percentage of embryo deaths). Egg
production performance during the first breeding season of 17 breeding pairs predicted subsequent
performance satisfactorily, suggesting that selection decisions can be made at an early age.
Verwoerd D Russeisoen van volstruise (Ostrich resting season).
Livestock Health and Production 2000, March, 1997, 17.
BREEDING PERIOD, DIET, RESTING PERIOD.
During the resting period the males and females are kept apart and are put on a sort of "diet" to
improve their condition and fertility.
Afrikaans.
Warrington S Ostrich breeding for production.
Ostriches On Line (Ostrich@ostrichesonline.com), 3 October, 1999,
ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS.
The author discusses standards for breeding hens to ensure achieving an ongoing and profitable
ostrich farm. Each breeding hen should produce 60 + chicks per year.