Types of ostriches. Where does the ostrich live and what does it eat? ostrich egg

Breeding ostriches today is no surprise to anyone, this is a profitable business and the ranks of poultry businessmen are replenished. In principle, the maintenance of an exotic bird does not differ from the care of familiar geese or ducks, but it also has its own characteristics. We will talk about the intricacies of feeding an African guest in this article.

How the structure of the digestive system affects the diet of ostriches

The digestive system of birds corresponds to the way and conditions of life in arid savannahs and prairies. Unlike other poultry, ostriches do not have goiter. Food enters the esophagus through the esophagus, where it is softened by the liquid secreted from the walls of the organ.

Further, the mass enters the stomach with thick muscular walls, rigid inside. Since ostriches do not have teeth, they swallow small pebbles in large quantities. Contracting, the walls of the stomach, together with the stones, “chew” food, which consists mainly of coarse fibers.

Then, in the small intestine, more than five meters long, the walls of the organ absorb useful substances from food. And in the paired processes of the caecum, the final breakdown of fiber and the release of water from food occur.
Due to this structure of the digestive system, ostriches can do without water for a long time, making up for its lack by absorbing moisture from food. The accumulation of undigested excesses occurs in the rectum and through the cloaca the intestines are released from them.

What does an ostrich eat in the wild?

African land is not the most fertile, so large birds have adapted in the absence of greenery to replace it with food of animal origin. Along with branches, roots and seeds, birds do not disdain insects, small reptiles, even turtles and mice.

Did you know? Under natural conditions, ostriches are friends with wildebeests and zebras. Flightless giants, thanks to their excellent eyesight, are the first to notice predators and raise the alarm. And zebras and antelopes with sharp hooves knock out insects for birds from the grass.

A very varied diet is supplemented with coarse sand and pebbles to facilitate digestion. An adult eats about five kilograms of food per day in order to have enough energy.

How to feed an adult ostrich at home

The diet depends on the season, you need to provide pets with vitamins and minerals, as well as the fiber they need all year round.

Summer

In summer, juicy food predominates:

• fresh;
• young and her tops;
• fruits;
• and vegetables.

Important! Be sure to have a separate container with small pebbles or gravel.

in winter

In the cold season, food mainly consists of cereals and hay, vegetables and root crops that are stored for the winter, as well as grass meal, silage, and mineral and vitamin supplements.

The list of products include:

• cereals - wheat, millet, oats,;
• vegetables - , ;
• fruit - ;
• hay;
• bread and crackers;
• compound feed.

What not to feed

Ostriches are omnivorous, but there are foods that need to be given in a limited form, there are those that are prohibited.

List of unwanted products:

Foods that can be given in small amounts:

• cabbage;
• bran;
• flour.

Feeding systems

There are several bird diet systems, whichever one the owner chooses, you must always take into account the balance of nutrients.

intensive

The system assumes the keeping of birds in an aviary, the absence of walking on the pasture, which is replaced with chopped green fodder. Greens means fresh alfalfa, salads, rapeseed. The basis of the diet is feed up to three kilograms per day for each adult.

In addition, supplements:

• soybean and corn oil;
• fish flour;
• vitamin and mineral complexes.

Semi-intensive

This system implies conditions close to natural: the bird is constantly on the pasture and forages itself. Small amounts of concentrated mixtures are added to her green diet. In the first months of winter, breeding pets are supplemented with mixed feed. Since December, birds have been fed a kilogram of concentrate in granules, increasing consumption by March to three kilograms.

Important! Concentrated food is given only together with chopped forbs or other succulent food.

extensive

The bird is kept on pastures, foraging on its own, in the summer months this allows you to save on compound feed. Ostriches are fed in case of a rainy summer or too dry, when there is little succulent food. Bird concentrates are given only in winter.

Feeding the chicks

Babies require special care, the health of the future depends on the right diet from the first days of life, especially the formation of bone tissue in chicks. Newborn ostriches are not fed for three days: they have enough nutrients from the yolk sac.

Four-day pets are given carefully grated cottage cheese, chopped boiled egg, chopped green food, water. Green food is given in small quantities, but always fresh, not lethargic.

Teaching chicks to take food is not difficult: you need to sprinkle it on a flat surface and tap with your fingers. Toddlers will begin to copy the movement and learn to eat. Ostriches are given separate containers with sand so that they get used to filling the stomach with pebbles. In addition, the kids willingly bathe in it.
In the second week of life, you can begin to accustom the chicks to compound feed, first with crumbs, then in granules. Be sure to give juicy greens, almost unlimited, grated vegetables (pumpkin, carrots). It is advisable not to let them out to pasture for up to three weeks so that the chicks harden.

The largest bird in the world is the ostrich. Breeding ostriches in home farms brings tangible income with proper care for them. After 5-6 months, 40 kg of delicious dietary meat can be obtained from one individual. All parts of the bird are on sale: skin, claws, feathers, meat, eggs and shells of empty eggs for making souvenirs.

For breeding at home, African ostriches are considered the best. This family of birds is not as aggressive as their relatives from America and Australia. Birds grow 2.5 meters in height and weigh an average of 150 kg. They run quite fast, developing a speed of 50 km / h.

A novice farmer copes with the task of breeding this bird if he knows and takes into account the intricacies of care and feeding. When calculating costly resources for one ostrich, the consumption is less than for, and the profit is several times greater.

Before acquiring a bird, a fodder base, a paddock, rooms for young animals and winter keeping are prepared. If necessary, incubators for and heating devices are purchased for their warming.

paddock

The corral is built high and strong, because the bird is large, strong (in nature, in case of danger, an ostrich pierces the chest of a predator with a paw strike).

The height of the corral is built 2-2.5 meters, the birds are able to jump 3 meters in height. Grazing is spacious, ostriches prefer large areas of walking and pasture.

The territory is sown with forbs; in a dry summer, an additional canopy with feeders is placed to lay green grass and rest from the hot sun. All garbage is removed under the feet of the bird so that the ostriches do not swallow it. Clean water tanks are installed.

Requirements for the premises

A room for young animals and winter maintenance is being built spacious with a calculation of 10 m² for one individual with access to the south. Windows are arranged under the ceiling.

There should be no drafts in the room, the bird is sensitive to their influence. The walls are insulated, ventilation is installed for ventilation. The room is cleaned thoroughly every day. For chicks, the room is arranged separately from the adult livestock, heating devices are installed in protective strong shades. The air temperature is maintained +30°.

The size of the enclosure depends on the number of ostriches (about 5 m² per chick). Young animals grow very quickly, a centimeter a day, so the size of the enclosure is calculated immediately. After the chicks reach 4 months of age, they are released into a corral, which was built at the rate of 10 m² per head.

Description of the experience of keeping ostriches by Canadian farmers allows you to create a farm in central Russia. For birds, a room is arranged with a wooden floor on a litter, where the bird's feet will not freeze. Young growth up to 5 months is not released into the street in winter, the air temperature is maintained in the room from +16 ° С.

The minimum area for one chick is 2.5 m², if it is less, then the chicks begin to pull out feathers from each other. For adults, space is important. In winter, they are let out for a walk under the supervision of workers.

The feathered family consists of three or four females and one male. The female herself takes care of the chicks in the equipped premises. The initial weight of the baby is 1 kg, he starts eating from the third day. After that, the chicks are released into the paddock for walking and feeding. The air temperature is maintained from + 18 °C. If the weather is warm outside, not lower than the indicator, the young are released into the street.

Feeding systems

The quality of meat and the yield of eggs depend on a properly composed diet. The diet includes: vitamins, proteins and minerals, succulent feed, grass and hay. An adult eats about 5 kg of food per day - it is important that this food is balanced. The mash consists of chopped herbs, feed additives based on corn, bone meal.

Chopped succulent feeds are also added: fodder beets, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, watermelons, fruits. If food remains in the feeder after feeding, its weight must be reduced, the energy consumption of the bird kept indoors is less than in natural conditions.

Important! You can buy ready-made in a specialized store. But if a farmer has a plot of land, everything is grown on it. Only complex vitamin and mineral supplements are bought.

Feed is delivered to the feeders in the form of mashers twice a day. Mature chicks are divided by sex. Additives are added to the feed for females, which contain calcium, which helps to strengthen the shell on the eggs.

Males are not fed complementary foods with calcium. - this affects the quality of future offspring. In some feeders there are small pebbles or pebbles, they contribute to the digestion of food when swallowed.

Wet mash for small chicks consists of concentrated food with the addition of alfalfa leaves (stem is better not to give). The stirrer is supplemented with boiled chicken eggs, carrots, apples. In separate feeders, large river sand with shells, fine gravel, chicken egg shells are placed. Vitamin B is added to the water at the rate of 5 grams per head.

Feed is calculated by weight per number of birds. Up to four months, babies should not have fiber in the feed (it is found in large quantities in straw, hay). You should not overfeed the younger generation - this leads to the accumulation of fat, which is reflected in females on egg production and egg quality, and in males - on the ability to fertilize.

After the young animals reach the age of three months, they are divided into two groups: one for replenishing the breeding herd, the other for fattening.

For the fattening group, an intensive fattening method for 6 months is used for rapid weight gain. During this period, an individual gains weight of about 120 kg, which is the maximum for obtaining high-quality products. Further maintenance of an adult bird is impractical - it will gain weight, but the quality of dietary meat is reduced.

Do not forget about the drinking regimen of the bird. Water containers are washed, fresh water is poured at each feeding.

What do ostriches eat: food in winter

In winter, ostriches prepare mash, which consists of: chopped hay, juicy vegetables and fruits. Vitamins, minerals, bone meal, cereal seeds, fish meal, soybean oil are added to the mash.

Feeding in winter will require less food: the bird spends more time in a warm room, its energy consumption is minimal. One head of a bird needs about three kilograms of feed.

What should not be fed to ostriches?

Ostriches are considered omnivores - in the wild they can eat small animals: lizards, mice, turtles. At home, there should be no rodents in the room for keeping ostriches.

The food is always delivered fresh, after eating the leftovers are removed to prevent souring and mold. Rye grains should not be mixed into the mixers. Do not feed ostriches with potatoes and parsley grass. Bran in mash should be 10% by weight.

Conclusion

Breeding feathered birds on home farms is a profitable business. Material costs for the construction of fences, premises, the purchase of complex feed additives quickly pay off by selling products obtained from birds.

A balanced diet allows you to grow and replenish the breeding herd without loss. Do not forget about the vaccination of birds - this is very important.

African ostrich (lat. Struthio camelus) is the largest bird in the world and the only representative of the ostrich order, the ostrich family, the genus ostrich. Belongs to the class of birds, subclass ratites.

International scientific name — Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758.

conservation status- causing the least concern.

The biological name of a flightless bird, translated from Greek, literally sounds like a "camel sparrow" (Greek στρουθίο-κάμηλος). Such a well-aimed allegory arose due to the characteristic features of an ostrich: it has the same expressive eyes as a camel, framed by long eyelashes, two-fingered limbs and a pectoral callus. Comparison with a sparrow probably arose due to small, poorly developed wings.

Ostrich - description, structure, characteristics, photo. What does an ostrich look like?

The African ostrich is a bird unique in its nature that cannot fly, has no keel and has only two toes, which is also an exception in the class of birds.

Being the largest birds on the planet, large individuals of the African ostrich boast a height of 2.7 meters and an impressive weight of up to 156 kg. However, the usual weight of an ostrich averages about 50 kg, with males slightly larger than females.

The skeleton of an ostrich is not pneumatic, with the exception of the femur. The ends of the pubic bones fused and formed a closed pelvis, which is also uncharacteristic for other birds.

African ostriches are distinguished by a dense build, a very elongated neck and a small flattened head, ending in an even, wide, flat beak, on which a soft outgrowth of horny tissue is located.

The ostrich has large eyes, and the upper eyelid is dotted with long, fluffy eyelashes.

The outgrowth of the sternum, or keel, characteristic of representatives of the class of birds, is completely absent in ostriches, and the sternum itself is poorly developed.

On its surface there is a bare area of ​​thick skin - a special pectoral callus that acts as a support when the bird lies on the ground.

The forelimbs of the bird are represented by underdeveloped wings, each of which has two fingers ending in sharp claws.

The hind legs of an ostrich are long, strong and muscular, with two fingers, and only one of them has a kind of hoof at the end, which serves as a support while running.

The plumage of an ostrich is loose and curly, relatively evenly distributed over the surface of the body. There are no feathers on the head, neck and legs: they are covered with soft, short fluff.

Ostrich feathers are distinguished by a primitive structure: their beards practically do not interlock with each other and do not form vanes. Birds have very beautiful feathers and there are quite a lot of them: 16 flight feathers of the first order and from 20 to 23 of the second order, tail feathers can be from 50 to 60.

It is very easy to distinguish a male ostrich from a female. The plumage of adult males is black, and only the tail and wings are painted white.

Females are rather nondescript: their feathers are distinguished by a patronizing grayish-brown color, and their wings and tail plumage look dirty white.

What does an ostrich eat?

The ostrich is an omnivorous bird, and although the diet of young individuals is predominantly animal food, adult birds feed on all kinds of vegetation. Their diet consists of herbs, shoots and seeds of plants, flowers, ovaries, and fruits, including rather hard ones. However, adults are far from being vegetarians and will not refuse various insects, such as locusts, as well as lizards, small rodents, and carrion as uneaten prey of large predators, if possible. There is nothing for ostriches to chew food with, therefore, to improve digestion, they eat sand and small pebbles, and often various inedible objects: wood chips, pieces of plastic, metal, and even nails. Also, ostriches can safely starve for several days.

Like camels, ostriches are able to do without water for a long time: they have enough liquid from the green mass of plants consumed. But, having gained access to water, the ostrich drinks a lot and willingly. With the same great pleasure, ostriches bathe.

Where do ostriches live? Ostriches lifestyle

Ostriches live in Africa. Birds avoid tropical rainforests, preferring open grassy landscapes and semi-deserts north and south of equatorial woodlands.

The habitat of ostriches on the African continent. The places where various subspecies of the African ostrich live are highlighted in color. Photo credit: Renato Caniatti

African ostriches live in family groups consisting of a mature male, 4-5 females and their offspring. Often the number of flocks reaches 20-30 individuals, and young ostriches in the south of the range live in groups of up to a hundred birds.

Often ostriches share pastures with whole herds of antelopes or zebras, while animals and birds treat each other quite peacefully and travel together through the African savannas. Possessing high growth and excellent eyesight, ostriches immediately notice the approach of predators and quickly run away, taking steps up to 3.5-4 m long. At the same time, the speed of an ostrich can reach about 60-70 km / h. Long-legged runners are able to change direction abruptly without slowing down. And ostrich chicks, 30 days old, are practically not inferior to their parents and can run at speeds up to 50 km / h.

Types of ostriches, photos and names

In the era of the Pleistocene and Pliocene, there were several varieties of ostriches on earth that lived in Western and Central Asia, in India and the southern regions of Eastern Europe. The annals of the ancient Greek historian Xenophon mention these birds that inhabited the desert landscapes of the Middle East, west of the Euphrates River.

The uncontrolled extermination of birds has led to a sharp decline in the population, and today the only species of ostrich includes 4 surviving subspecies that live in the expanses of Africa. Below is a description of the subspecies of the African ostrich.

• Ordinary or North African ostrich Struthio camelus camelus)

Has a bald head. This is the largest subspecies, whose growth reaches 2.74 meters, while the ostrich weighs up to 156 kg. The limbs and neck of the ostrich are painted intense red, and the egg shells are covered with thin rays of pores that form a star-like pattern. Previously, common ostriches lived in a large area covering the north and west of the African continent, from Ethiopia and Uganda in the south of the range to Algeria and Egypt in the north, covering the West African countries, including Mauritania and Senegal. Today, the habitat of these birds has been significantly reduced, and now the common ostrich lives only in a few African countries: Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic and Senegal.

Common ostrich (North African ostrich) male (lat. Struthio camelus camelus). Photo credit: MathKnight

Common ostrich female (lat. Struthio camelus camelus). Photo by: שלומי שטרית

• Masai ostrich ( Struthio camelus massaicus)

An inhabitant of East Africa (southern Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Ethiopia, southern Somalia). Its neck and limbs turn intense red during the breeding season. Outside of the breeding season, they are pink.

Masai ostrich male (lat. Struthio camelus massaicus). Photo by: Nicor

Masai ostrich female (lat. Struthio camelus massaicus). Photo credit: Nevit Dilmen

• Somali ostrich ( Struthio camelus molybdophanes)

Based on the analysis of mitochondrial DNA, it is sometimes considered as an independent species. The males have the same head baldness as the common ostrich subspecies, but their neck and limbs are bluish-gray in color, and the female Somali ostrich has especially bright brown feathers. Somali ostriches live in southern Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya and Somalia, and the local population calls them the beautiful word "gorayo". This subspecies of ostriches prefers to live in pairs or singly.

• Southern ostrich ( Struthio camelus australis)

It is also distinguished by the gray color of the plumage of the neck and limbs, and its range is dotted through the southwestern part of Africa. The ostrich is found in Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Botswana, lives south of the Zambezi and Kunene rivers.

Southern male ostrich (lat. Struthio camelus australis). Photo by: Bernard DUPONT

Southern ostrich female (lat. Struthio camelus australis). Photo by: Yathin S Krishnappa

Ostrich breeding

Puberty of ostriches occurs at the age of 2-4 years. During the mating period, each male vigilantly guards his personal territory within a radius of 2 to 15 square kilometers and ruthlessly drives out competitors. The neck and limbs of the flowing male become bright red, and to attract females, he falls to his knees, intensely beats his wings, arches his neck back and rubs the back of his head against his back. During the rivalry for the possession of a female, males make very original trumpet and hissing sounds. Having taken more air into the goiter, the male ostrich sharply pushes it into the esophagus, announcing the surroundings with something like a guttural roar, reminiscent of a lion's growl.

Ostriches are polygamous, so the dominant male mates with all the females of the harem, but pairs exclusively with the dominant female for the subsequent incubation of offspring.

After mating, the future father personally digs a nest up to 30-60 cm deep in the sand, where all fertilized females periodically lay their eggs, performing a similar manipulation once every two days.

Among all bird diversity, the ostrich has the largest eggs, although, in relation to the body, they are quite small. The average size of an ostrich egg is 15 to 21 cm long and about 13 cm wide. Egg weight reaches 1.5-2 kg, which is equivalent to 25-35 chicken eggs. The thickness of the shell is approximately 0.6 mm, and its color is straw yellow, sometimes darker or, conversely, lighter.

In eggs laid by different females, the texture of the shell varies and is glossy and shiny or matte and porous.

Ostrich egg versus chicken and quail egg. Photo credit: Rainer Zenz

In the inhabitants of the northern part of the range, the joint clutch, as a rule, contains from 15 to 20 eggs, in the south - about 30, in the East African population the number of eggs in the nest often reaches 50-60. After laying eggs, the dominant female ostrich forces the competitors to leave and rolls her eggs into the middle of the hole, identifying them by the texture of the shell.

The incubation period lasts from 35 to 45 days, at night only the male incubates the clutch, during the day the females take turns on duty. This choice is not accidental: thanks to the patronizing coloration, the females go unnoticed against the backdrop of the desert landscape. During the day, the masonry is sometimes left unattended and warmed by the heat of the sun. Despite the general care of the parents, many clutches die due to insufficient incubation. In populations where there are too many females, the number of eggs in the clutch may be such that the male cannot physically cover all the offspring with his body.

An hour before birth, the ostrich chick begins to open the shell of the egg, rests with its outstretched legs on its sharp and blunt ends and methodically pecks at one point with its beak until a small hole is formed. Thus, the chick makes several holes, and then with force hits this place with the back of the head, so ostriches are often born with significant hematomas that tend to pass quickly. When the last chick was born, the adult ostrich mercilessly destroys the non-viable eggs lying on the edge, and flies immediately gather for the feast, which serve as food for the chicks.

Newborn ostriches are sighted, well developed, their bodies are covered with light fluff, and their weight is about 1.2 kg. The chicks that were born move perfectly and leave the nest the next day, setting off with their parent in search of food. For the first two months, ostriches are covered with black and yellow bristles, the crown has a brick color, and the neck is off-white in color with dark longitudinal stripes.

Only with time do they form real feathers, and the outfit of all chicks becomes similar in color to the plumage of females. Male ostriches acquire the black color characteristic of adults only in the second year of life.

Taken from: www.reddit.com

Ostriches are very attached to each other and if two groups of chicks meet, it is no longer possible to separate them, due to which flocks of ostriches of different ages are often found in the savannas of Africa.

Being polygamous birds, the male and female start a fight between themselves, and the stronger parent gets further care for the brood.

Ostrich eggs are preyed upon by jackals, hyenas, and scavenger birds. For example, a vulture grabs a large stone with its beak and throws it on top of the egg several times until it cracks. Chicks may also be attacked by lions, cheetahs, leopards, or hyenas.

It is in vain to think that ostriches are shy birds: in fact, they are quite aggressive and able to stand up for themselves and their offspring. An angry ostrich will not hesitate to attack a person who encroaches on its territory, and even seasoned predators are afraid of adult birds. Cases have been recorded when a defending ostrich mortally wounded an adult lion with one powerful kick.

life span of an ostrich

African ostriches live for a long time and, under favorable conditions, can live for about 75 years.

There are several types of birds that are very similar to the ostrich. But they do not belong to the family of ostriches and the genus of ostriches. Below is a brief description of them.

darwin rhea, he is lesser rhea or long-billed rhea ( Rhea pennata)

A flightless bird of large size from the order Nandu-like, Nandu family, Nandu genus. The plumage of the bird is gray or grayish-brown, with white spots on the back. The height in the back is approximately 90 cm, the weight varies between 15-25 kg. Darwin rhea lives in the south of Argentina, including Patagonia and the southern part of the Andes, in Bolivia, in Argentina and on the island of Tierra del Fuego.

Large rhea, common rhea, he is northern nandu ( Rhea americana)

A flightless bird from the Nandu-like order, the Nandu family, the Nandu genus. A typical representative of South America. It lives in Argentina and Bolivia, in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The height of a large nandu to the level of the crown reaches 127-140 cm, the weight varies from 20 to 25 or more kilograms. The color of the feathers is brown-gray, often among the birds there are albino individuals with white plumage and bright blue eyes.

Cassowary ( Casuarius) - a large bird, unable to fly. Belongs to the cassowary order, the cassowary family, the cassowary genus. Scientists have identified three types of cassowaries. Individuals reach 150 cm in height with a weight of up to 80 kg.

A distinctive feature of the bird is a peculiar outgrowth-helmet on its head. The head and neck of the bird are usually unfeathered, the color of the feathers on the body is black, two species have bright “earrings” of various colors in the neck area. Cassowaries live in the thickets of the tropics of New Guinea, in the northeast of Australia, they are found on the islands of Aru, Muruk, Salavati, Yapen.

emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae)

A large flightless bird from the cassowary order, the emu family, the emu genus. It reaches a height of 150-170 cm, while weighing from 45 to 55 kg. The color of the feathers is gray-brown. Emu is widely distributed throughout Australia.

African ostrich meat is a rather healthy product, which, according to some nutritionists, has overtaken even the popular turkey in terms of the minimum cholesterol content with the maximum amount of protein. Ostrich meat has a dark red color, tastes a bit like veal, cooks very quickly, but with prolonged heat treatment it can lose tenderness and juiciness. Ostrich meat is highly valued in Asian and European countries, becoming quite a familiar restaurant dish among connoisseurs of delicious food with exotic notes. Appetizing steaks, roasts, cold appetizers, meatballs are prepared from ostrich, it is boiled, stewed and baked. The lean meat of the African ostrich contains manganese, potassium and iron, it is rich in phosphorus, B vitamins and nicotinic acid.

Do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

There is a misconception that ostriches hide their heads in the sand, but they do nothing of the sort. The appearance of this myth was facilitated by the manner of birds to stand with their heads bowed to the ground, and swallow small pebbles that promote digestion.

Also, an ostrich can drop its head on the sand after a long run. The bird has no strength left, and thus it rests.

Taken from: theiwrc.org

• Ostrich feathers are especially beautiful and are traditionally used to make fans, fans, and headdress ornaments. The popularity of the ostrich feather led to the fact that if in the 19th century only a ton of raw materials were exported from Africa per year, then at the beginning of the 20th century this figure was already 370 tons.
• In the middle of the 19th century, birds began to be kept on farms, and if this had not happened, the ostrich population might not have survived to this day. Today, more than 50 states have ostrich breeding farms, including countries with cool climatic conditions, in particular Sweden. In addition to preserving the species, the main purpose of breeding ostriches is to obtain expensive skin, feathers and tasty beef-like meat.
• Feathers of ostriches that have reached the age of 2-3 years are not pulled out, but carefully cut off at the very skin, repeating the procedure 2 times a year.
• Since ancient times, people have used ostriches as a means of transportation: the birds were harnessed to a team, and they were also ridden on horseback.
• An ostrich running away from a chase often performs such a trick: the bird falls on the sand and stretches its neck, which gives the pursuers the impression that the ostrich has suddenly disappeared. But when a hidden bird is approached, a rested ostrich jumps up in the blink of an eye and rapidly disappears into the distance.
• An interesting feature of ostriches is to swallow completely inedible things. A number of interesting items were found in the stomach of one ostrich: 3.5 kg of sand, rags, tow, 3 pieces of iron, 9 coins, a copper hinge, 2 iron keys and even lead bullets.
• You can ride an ostrich. The bird can easily carry an adult on itself.

Breeding and raising ostriches is a profitable business that has been gaining more and more popularity in recent years. But for breeders who are just starting to breed these birds, the question of feeding the bird often arises. It seems to many that this exotic bird eats something special and expensive. In fact, caring for ostriches, keeping them and feeding them is not much different from keeping any other birds: ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens.

Ostriches are omnivorous birds, not herbivores, as many people think. They eat both plant and animal foods equally well.

The basis of nutrition consists of grass and leaves, various seeds and roots. However, the favorite delicacy of adult birds is insects and reptiles. There is little difference between what ostriches eat in their natural habitat and at home.

Under natural conditions

Ostriches are inhabitants of the spacious savannas. In open spacious areas, they eat greens and young shoots. Grass is the basis of the diet. The bird can go without water for a long time, therefore, for nesting, it chooses an arid semi-desert, where there is a lower chance of meeting predators. In desert areas, they feed on seeds, roots and branches of shrubs. The lack of fresh grass is compensated by insects, small reptiles and even mice. An adult bird needs about 4 kg of feed per day. This amount of food is necessary for fast and long running and active energy exchange.

In a home setting

At home, feeding this large and strong bird is not difficult, but proper nutrition is essential for the health and well-being of the bird. With sufficient and balanced food, young animals grow well and quickly, and females become more productive. The taste of meat and eggs also depends on what the ostriches eat. There are several bird feeding systems:

1. intensive,
2. semi-intensive,
3. Extensive.

Feeding with an intensive system

The intensive system consists in the lack of pasture and the maintenance of birds in small enclosures. With this system of housing and feeding, it is extremely important to provide the birds with the right amount of hay and green fodder. A daily adult requires about three kilograms of compound feed mixed with finely chopped green fodder. If the bird has not eaten food, the amount is reduced. Green fodder should consist of herbs, spinach leaves, rapeseed and alfalfa. Outside of the breeding season, it is recommended to give corn-based feed mixtures.

With an intensive feeding system, the composition and amount of feed depends on the age of the bird:

Semi-intensive feeding system

The semi-intensive rearing and feeding system involves free grazing in the warm season and feeding with concentrated feeds and mixtures.

An important role is played by the creation of conditions close to natural and the ability to find food on their own. Breeding stock in December and January receives an additional kilogram of concentrates, and by March the amount of concentrated feed increases to three kilograms. All concentrates are given only together with chopped green fodder.

Extensive feeding system

An extensive feeding system implies minimal feed costs - in the summer months, the birds find food on their own.

An exception can only be a dry or excessively rainy summer. Concentrated feeds are given to birds only in winter and in small quantities.

Regardless of the chosen feeding system, it is worth remembering that at home, the energy consumption of birds is much lower than in nature, which means they also need less food. On average, an ostrich needs about three kilograms of food per day. The protein balance throughout the year is well replenished with lupins, legumes or cake. Feeding of adult birds occurs once a day - more often in the morning.

In winter, vitamin supplements play an important role - grass flour, silage, vegetables, fruits and root crops. Vegetables and root crops must be thoroughly washed and finely chopped. Ostriches are very fond of cabbage, as well as carrots, apples, pears, fodder beets. Some birds feast on zucchini, lettuce, watermelons and melons. They can also be given crackers and fresh bread. Do not feed ostriches with potatoes and parsley. Substances contained in them lead to problems with digestion and death of young animals.

A separate feeder should always have shell rock, fine gravel or pebbles.

Drinkers should be installed in enclosures and pastures. Ostriches can go without water for a long time, but it is better to organize a good watering place for the birds.

Many breeders prefer to install automatic drinkers - they keep the water fresh and clean.

The diet of ostriches during breeding

During the breeding season, males and females require different diets. Females need more calcium, which is actively involved in the formation of eggs. It is better not to give calcium to males during this period - it reduces reproductive functions. An increase in nutrients in the diet of males threatens with obesity and the inability to fertilize a female. Breeders prefer to feed males and females separately during the period - this reduces the risk of problems with malnutrition of the bird. Males are recommended to be kept in an adjacent enclosure, releasing to the female for several hours for mating. However, you should first make sure that the female is full and remove the remnants of food from the feeder.

Feeding ostriches

Separately, it is worth considering the issue of feeding ostriches. Proper nutrition and housing conditions not only affect their growth and development, but also survival in general.

The first four days of life, the chicks do not need food - nutrition occurs due to the resorption of the yolk sac, which is almost half the weight of the newborn.

Subsequently, it is important to ensure that the feeders of the young animals are constantly filled with food. All food for chicks should be of high quality and fresh, especially wet mash. The mixer is made from concentrated feed with the addition of alfalfa leaves. Alfalfa stalks are best removed - they lead to digestive problems. In addition to the mash, young animals are given a chopped boiled chicken egg.

Ostriches can be put in a separate feeder sand with small pebbles, crushed shells, pieces of lime, as well as finely chopped carrots and apples. In the enclosure where the chicks are kept, you can organize a sand embankment. Young growth not only willingly takes sand baths, but also digs in the sand in search of pebbles, shell rock, pebbles and even insects. Shell rock, limestone and shells not only ensure good digestion, but also play an important role in the process of skeletal formation. Monthly, the ostrich grows by 30-35 cm, so the strength of the skeletal system is extremely important.

If necessary, vitamins can be added to the water. In the first months of life, it is recommended to give B vitamins to young animals at the rate of five grams per chick. Under natural conditions, the chicks peck at the manure of their parents, receiving from it the microorganisms necessary for digestion and development of the immune system. At home, the breeder decides for himself whether or not to give manure to the chicks. Minus - the possibility of infection of young animals with worms. Plus - less digestive problems in the future.

The first walks in good weather can be organized as early as three weeks of age.

And chicks should be transferred to enclosures no earlier than when they reach three months of age. The aviary for young birds should be separated from the pens for adult birds and have shelter from wind, rain and sun. Be sure to have drinkers. In rainy weather, ostriches need additional heating - heaters are installed in poultry houses for this purpose. Wet feathers threaten hypothermia and disease.

With the advent of winter, the number of walking is reduced. In frosty weather, as well as during icy conditions, it is better not to release the chicks. In the cold season, the chicks are fed with forb meadow hay, alfalfa, and concentrates. It is better to separate young animals intended for fattening and slaughter, and breeding young animals. During fattening, birds are advised to give more concentrates and feed, as well as vegetables and root crops.

At ostriches reach fighting weight at the age of 9-11 months with a weight of about 120 kilograms.

Further fattening is unprofitable - although ostriches continue to gain weight, the taste of meat is significantly deteriorating.

Before we look at the diet of ostriches, let's find out what they generally eat in nature. We want to note right away that these birds are unique and have a special structure of the digestive system. By the way, it differs from those possessed by poultry. Firstly, ostriches do not have a goiter, which means that they digest coarser food faster.

This provides a powerful stomach. Also for their digestive tract is a characteristic elongated back of the intestine. This allows the bird to receive the maximum amount of fiber and well cleanse the microflora from coarse plant fibers.

Most experts call ostriches herbivores, although in fact they can easily be classified as omnivores. They perfectly eat plant and animal food. With an abundance of green fodder, the basis of nutrition is grass, leaves of shrubs, seeds and roots of some plants. African birds are also not averse to feasting on small insects and even reptiles.

In natural habitat

If you have already read our previous publications, you probably already know what is in the African savannas. There, on long plains, they graze along with other herbivores on fresh greens, and also collect leaves of young shoots. Basically, in natural conditions, these birds feed on pasture, that is, grass.

Since ostriches can live without water for a long time, they often choose semi-arid deserts for nesting. There they find various seeds, roots and branches of shrubs for food. In the absence of abundant greenery, birds also prey on small insects, reptiles and even rodents. During the day, an adult in nature eats about 4 kilograms of food. This is the amount they need for a long run and a strong expenditure of energy.

At home

In principle, at home, ostriches eat everything the same as in nature. True, in such cases they eat less, because they do not need such a large expenditure of energy. The basis of their diet is greens: grass and leaves. In winter, they are also given hay, various concentrated feeds and cereals. Today, at home, ostriches include cabbage leaves, beets, give root crops, for example, beets and carrots, birds eat apples and zucchini well. Often they are also given scraps from the table.

The diet of ostriches

At home, their nutrition is given great attention. So, for example, with normal food, young animals grow and develop well, females increase productivity. Today, the best food for African birds throughout the year is alfalfa. In winter, it is given in the form of hay, in summer - fresh with the addition of compound feed. They give at the rate of 1.5 kilograms per adult.

Allocate intensive, semi-intensive, normalized and extensive feeding system. Alfalfa, grass and compound feed form the basis of the latter type of feeding. With intensive or semi-intensive, grains, legumes, mineral and vitamin feeds are added to the greens. Their number depends on the productivity of the bird.

It is worth noting that these ostrich feeding programs are still very conditional and developed on the principle of analogy with other poultry. But, as practice shows, there is a place of its existence. However, you should definitely take into account the place of residence of the African bird, its living conditions, use, age and weight.

In the summer, ostriches should spend most of their time on pasture, on pasture. Once a day, they add 1.5 kilograms of compound feed to special feeders. If the bird needs proteins, it is given lupins, soybeans, meal and cake. Amino acids are added for their better assimilation. For rearing young animals, additional minerals must be added to the feed. This, for example, chalk, bone meal, egg shells, crushed shells. You can also give bran.

As vitamin supplements, especially in winter, ostriches are recommended to give grass flour, alfalfa hay, and silage. Let's take a closer look at all the feeds:

• green - grass, leaves, vegetables;
• cereals - oats, barley, soybeans, corn;
• protein feed - cake, meal, bone meal, baker's yeast;
• hay - alfalfa, forbs, soybeans, silage;

It is important to feed the birds in the right way. For example, grain should be given in the form of turf, proteins in the form of flour, vegetables and root crops should be thoroughly chopped. In separate feeders, ostriches should be filled with small pebbles or gravel. For ostriches, there is a different diet, they do not even begin to feed them immediately, but only 6-8 days after hatching. But read about it in our next publications.

Video "Ostriches on the farm"

In this video, you will learn not only how to feed ostriches, but also the general rules for keeping these birds. What they eat and what kind of diet they have, one of the private breeders will tell.