Using different levels of energy and protein and their effects on bodyweight and blood chemistry of ostriches

Tahereh Nikravesh-Masouleh,Mohammad Dadashbeiki,Magdalena Solka,Alireza Seidavi

doi:10.1007/s11259-021-09792-5

Abstract

To determine the effect of different dietary energy and protein levels on bodyweight and blood chemistry, 36 ostriches at 2 to 9 weeks of age for feeding conditions and 18 for blood chemistry parameters was used. The birds were divided into six treatment groups. Energy and protein levels of diet were 2400 and 2600 kcal/kg and 20%, 22%, and 24%, respectively. The feed intake and bodyweight gain were determined a weekly. Blood chemical parameters including glucose, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate amino-transferase and alanine amino-transferase activity were determined. The highest weight gain during the whole experiment was observed in ostriches offered 2400 kcal · kg−1 dietary energy and 20% protein. The lowest level of total cholesterol and protein was observed in treatment V (2600 kcal · kg−1 dietary energy and 22% protein). The lowest level of glucose and triglycerides was noted after treatment I. The highest albumin and globulin concentrations were in treatment III (2400 kcal · kg−1 dietary energy and 24% protein) and treatment II (2400 kcal · kg−1 dietary energy and 22% protein), respectively. The energy level had no effect (P < 0.05) on feed intake and weight gain in all experimental period. The results of this study showed that with increasing energy and protein levels, most blood parameters increased in ostriches but total cholesterol did not.

Highlights

There is increased interest in rearing ostriches commercially in many countries of the world because of good adaptation of these birds to the environmental conditions (Cloete et al 2012)
The lowest level of bodyweight gain was observed in treatment VI (2600 kcal · kg−1 dietary energy and 24% protein), while the highest level was in treatment I (2400 kcal · kg−1 dietary energy and 20% protein)
Bodyweight gains were higher at a lower energy level (I-III treatments), but protein level had little impact on bodyweight gain

Summary

Introduction

There is increased interest in rearing ostriches commercially in many countries of the world because of good adaptation of these birds to the environmental conditions (Cloete et al 2012). Many valuable products are obtained from ostrich, e.g., meat, eggs, skin and feathers, which are important for different branches of production (Cooper 2004; Cloete et al 2012). Nutrition is very important in ostrich farming, because it accounts for about 75% of the total production costs (Jordaan et al 2008). Most of the ostrich performance problems relating to fertility can be traced back to poor breeder diet (Cooper et al 2005). While there are some excellent papers on ostrich nutrition (e.g., Cloete et al 2012; Jouki et al 2014a, b; Poławska et al 2014), the our knowledge is not enough as compared to other species of poultry

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Discussion

Conclusion