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Executive Summary

A series of experiments was undertaken at the Queensland Poultry Research and Development Centre (QPRDC) and on-farm to gain further information on the nutrition and dietary needs of ostriches as well as their ability to utilise fibre sources and pasture.

Before any experiments were undertaken, a survey of ostrich producers was conducted in early 1997.  These were located mainly in northern New South Wales and Queensland, and 160 out of 618 producers responded.  Much information was gained, analysed and interpreted.  The outcome was that ostrich farmers were cautiously optimistic about the future.

Subsequent changes in the industry indicated that if the survey had been undertaken today, many of the results would likely be different.  At that time, the survey outcomes formed a useful basis for research and research direction, since responses did highlight where information, particularly on nutrition, was lacking.

The first experiment was conducted in order to measure the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) of diets high in fibre.  There was a conventional basal diet, and 200 g/kg of this was replaced either by wheat pollard, milled lucerne meal, milled Rhodes grass or milled wheat straw.  These were fed to five individual ostriches, five individual emus at two ages and five individual adult cockerels.  An inert marker was used to determine dry matter digestibility of the five diets.  It was found that there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in AME of the diets between the old (21 kg) and young (11 kg) emus, nor between these and adult cockerels.  AME generally declined as the fibre content of the diets increased.  For ostriches, mean AME values were higher (P<0.05) than for the cockerels and emus.  They were similar for those diets with pollard or lucerne.  These were similar to AME of the basal diet and higher than those on the Rhodes grass and wheat straw based diets.  These had similar fibre contents.  Ostriches were observed to recycle their excreta.  This would have increased the dry matter digestibility and AME of diets.

A series of experiments was conducted on producers’ farms in order to determine whether ostriches can choose between two diets which varied in energy and protein (amino acid) levels.  Feeders were designed and tested to prevent feed spillage.  In the first experiment, which was preliminary, diets were either 10.2 MJ AME/kg or 7.6 MJ AME/kg and were fed to three groups of six ostriches on each of two farms.  The experiment ran for 77-84 days.  Growth rate was excellent with one group achieving almost 500 g/day.  Average growth rate was 458 g/day on Farm 1 and 440 g/day on Farm 2.

With one exception, ostriches selected the high energy diet in a ratio of about 1.5:1.0.  Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was about 3:1.  The producer on Farm 2 used his commercial formulation and ostriches gained only 362 g/day.
In the second free-choice experiment, four diets were formulated.  These were (1) high protein-high energy; (2) high protein-low energy; (3) low protein-high energy; and (4) low protein-low energy.  There were six combinations of the four diets.  Three on-farm collaborators were identified, but only one was prepared to undertake the trial work.  The diets contained either 12.l5 or 8.5 MJ/AME/kg, and 200 or 130 g crude protein/kg.  The results in Table 4 show that ostriches with access only to low-protein diets grew slowly, while those offered combinations of the two high-protein diets grew the fastest.  The most economical group was birds on the combination of high protein high energy – low protein high energy diets.  The high protein-high energy diets were consumed in highest amounts.

In the third free choice experiment, diets differed from previously.  The four diets, either low or high energy, had protein levels that contained high or low lysine with other essential amino acids adjusted accordingly.  Ostriches with access only to the low-lysine diets grew the slowest (355 g/day) while those with access only to the high-lysine diets grew most rapidly (410 g/day).  When given a choice, birds consumed over twice as much of the high protein-high energy diet than the other choice.  The choice-feeding approach offers opportunity for two diets to be offered in practice, one cheap and of low nutritional value, the second more expensive, and in this way the birds would select, allowing total feed costs to be kept to a minimum, yet giving acceptable growth.

A fourth free-choice experiment replicated the previous one.  Results were generally similar and growth rate varied from 290 to 342 g/d.  Again feed costs/kg weight gain varied widely, giving opportunity to provide birds with a choice of high- and low- quality diets that would reduce feed costs overall.  Lysine (g/kg gain) fluctuated considerably from as low as 31 to a high of 54, again giving considerable opportunity to make savings.

Low cost portable paddock shelters for ostriches were designed and constructed at QPRDC.  These proved to be highly successful.

Because emphasis has changed from more intensive production systems, focussing on meat production and rapid growth, to more extensive slower-growing systems to provide quality hides, greater reliance on grazing becomes a more attractive option.  There was a preliminary trial and a more detailed experiment.  In both, a high-quality diet was offered in various amounts from appetite to 50-60% of appetite (ad libitum) to 100%.

Dry matter was measured using a pasture probe.  In the preliminary trial, pasture intake was estimated to be 648-858 g dry matter/day.  Average daily gain was 300 g/bird day-1 for those fed to appetite to 248 g/day for those given concentrate feed at 50% of appetite.  The results suggested that substantial amounts of concentrate feed can be replaced by grazing if the pasture is of good quality.  In the second trial, pasture growth and grazing area were measured.  Quality of pasture was poor; low in crude protein and high in fibre.  Pasture intake was highly variable (185-315 g/bird d-1).  Growth rate was slightly higher than in Trial 1.  One group reached 95 kg after 140 days on experiment.  The weather was inclement and this may have interfered with normal grazing behaviour.  Intake of concentrate feed suggested that although pasture intake was sometimes over 300 g/bird, the quality was such that it may not have been well utilised.  This may explain differences in performance between the two grazing experiments.

In the last part of this study, we examined the concept of “no frills” feeding.  This was aimed at mature ostriches during maintenance and reproduction and at producers who could access raw ingredients such as whole grains, and legume seeds such as peas and lupins.  A supplement containing a low-cost mineral and vitamin premix was designed according to whether the hen was in lay or not.  The feed costs were reduced greatly, and although very long term trials could not be undertaken, farmers who trialed the “no frills” feeding system were pleased with the outcomes.
The original objectives of the research program were met, with some additional work undertaken and specialised equipment constructed and tested on-farm.
 

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Last updated: 6 September 2000
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