Ostrich Industry Research Articles

The effect of different dietary flavourants and salt levels on feed intake of juvenile ostriches.

Yearly the ostrich industry loses up to 40% of newly-hatched chicks, partly due to insufficient feed intake. This study was conducted to determine whether the inclusion of various feed flavourants would improve feed intake in ostrich chicks (Trial 1). Ninety-six dayold ostrich chicks were raised in groups of 12 at a Western Cape research farm until 28 days of age. These chicks were provided with free-choice access to a variety of flavoured diets, namely sweet, sour, bitter, salt or an unflavoured control diet. Chicks were found to prefer salty feed, as the salt-flavoured diet had the highest daily feed intake (34% of total) throughout the trial. Subsequently Trial 2 was conducted to determine the preferred level of dietary salt (Experiment 1) as well as the influence dietary salt had on various production parameters (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, three groups of seven chicks each were offered ad libitum access to diets containing 4 g/kg, 14 g/kg, 24 g/kg, and 34 g/kg of salt respectively. Experiment 1 found that chicks preferred the diet containing 14 g salt/kg (36.4% of total daily feed consumed). For Experiment 2, 56 birds were divided into eight groups of seven. Conversely to the current conventional inclusion of 4 g salt/kg, Experiment 2 showed that chicks reared on a diet containing 14 g salt/kg had a 41.7% higher average daily gain than the group consuming 4 g salt/kg. It can therefore be concluded that ostriches prefer diets with a higher dietary salt level than current conventional diets provide (14 g/kg vs 4 g/kg).

Antibacterial effect of Moringa oleifera Tea Leaves and Seeds Extracts Prepared in Chloroform against E. coli Isolated from Ostrich Feces

Ostrich farming is an important growing industry in Pakistan. Its business and importance is growing day by day. However, prevalence of bacteria is major threat to ostrich industry. Objective: To identify the dominant bacteria in the feces of ostriches. Methods: The ostrich that was kept in captivity at the W.A. Apparel factory provided the fecal samples. The samples were inoculated on EMB for the isolation of E. coli. Antibacterial effect of Moringa oleifera seeds and tea leaves with the use of chloroform as a solvent. The antibacterial activity was tested against E. coli using disc diffusion method. Amoxicillin and erythromycin were used as a control antibiotics. Results: It was noticed that tea extract did not show any antimicrobial activity against E. coli. However, Moringa oleifera seeds were effective against E. coli. Conclusion: It was concluded that Moringa oleifera seeds have the potential to work against E. coli.

Antibacterial Activity of Moringa oleifera Seed and Tea Leaves Extracts Prepared in Chloroform against Shigella strains Isolated from Ostrich Feces

Shigella is the most common cause of the endemic form of shigellosis. The presence of bacteria such as Shigella is major threat to ostrich industry. Objective: To look for the presence of Shigella in Ostrich feces. Methods: The feces were collected from captive ostriches at the W.A Apparel factory. Shigella were isolated after the samples were inoculated on SS agar. The antimicrobial activity of Moringa oleifera seeds and tea leaves was investigated. Antimicrobial activity against Shigella isolated from ostrich feces was tested. Results: It was noticed that tea extract lacked antimicrobial activity against tested species. Moringa oleifera seeds, on the other hand, were effective against Shigella. Conclusion: Moringa oleifera seeds have been found to show inhibitive effect and are effective against Shigella

Muscle yields and physical meat quality characteristics of hot- vs. cold-deboned ostrich (Struthio camelus) meat

The quality of hot-deboned (within 90 min post-mortem; left leg) and cold-deboned (<4 °C, 24 h post-mortem; right leg) muscles of 15 ostriches were evaluated. The fan fillet, rump, big drum, moon, and triangle steaks were used to establish quality characteristics. Hot-deboning had no effect on the quality parameters; differences amongst muscles were found. The varying pHu values between muscles were still within the expected range for ostrich meat with the big drum having the highest pHu linking with its low drip loss percentage. The fan fillet had a redder (a*), more saturated (Chroma) colour, whereas the big drum was more blue (b*), with a corresponding lower hue angle. The fan fillet was the most tender (35.34 N ± 8.26) in contrast with the moon steak (72.23 N ± 15.81) which can be linked to the latter's high cooking loss. Hot-deboning which provides several economic advantages for the South African ostrich industry can be considered.

The spatiotemporal epidemiology of high pathogenicity avian influenza outbreaks in key ostrich producing areas of South Africa

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) has become a major focus point worldwide due to its zoonotic potential and economic effects resulting from trade restrictions and high mortality rates in poultry. Key ostrich producing provinces of South Africa have experienced three H5N2 HPAI outbreaks (2004, 2006 and 2011) and one H5N8 HPAI (2017) outbreak over the past two decades.The Klein Karoo region in the Western Cape Province, a province with a largely Mediterranean climate, is the predominant ostrich producing region in the country. Understanding the epidemiology of HPAI in ostrich producing areas is an essential first step in developing effective and efficient control measures. This study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns associated with the 2011 (H5N2) and 2017 (H5N8) HPAI outbreaks in the key ostrich producing areas of South Africa. Six hundred and nine and 340 active ostrich farms/holdings were subjected to surveillance during 2011 and 2017 respectively, with over 70 % of these farms located within five local municipalities of the study area. Forty-two and fifty-one farms were affected in the 2011 and 2017 outbreaks respectively. Both HPAI outbreaks occurred predominantly in areas of high ostrich farm density. However, the temporal occurrence, spatial and directional distributions of the outbreaks were different. The 2011 outbreak occurred earlier in the South African autumn months with a predominantly contiguous and stationary distribution, whilst the 2017 outbreak onset was during the winter with a more expansive multidirectional spatial distribution. Results suggest potential dissimilarities in the important risk factors for introduction and possible mode of spread. The 2011 outbreak pattern resembled an outbreak characterised by point introductions with the risk of introduction possibly being linked to high ostrich farm density and common management and husbandry practices in the ostrich industry. In contrast, the 2017 outbreak appeared to have a more propagating mode of transmission. The findings highlight epidemiological features of HPAI outbreak occurrence within ostrich populations that could be used to inform surveillance and control measures including targeted surveillance within high-risk spatial clusters. The study emphasizes the importance of both; implementation of a multi-pronged approach to HPAI control and the need for constant evaluation of the interaction of the host, environment and agent with each outbreak, in order to strengthen disease control.

Studies on Ostrich (Struthio Camelus) - Review

Ostrich has been reared in Hungary for decades, but we have limited information on this species. The aim of this review was to provide a concise description of the ostrich (Struthio camelus) based on international studies. We were to investigate some of the most relevant parameters, such as egg, meat and skin production. In this critical review we managed to sum up the most significant features and productivity parameters of ostrich and effecting factors. So as to make an accurate description of the species we have to know its morphological, behavioural and physiological characteristics. Ostrich is a very special bird with special nutritional and environmental requirements. Ostrich products, regarding egg, meat and skin are considered luxury products not only in Hungary but also abroad. Though egg has a significant nutritional value, it is mainly used for hatching chicks. In Europe we can expect roughly 40–50 eggs from a hen yearly. Ostrich has a lean meat with high protein and low fat and sodium content, moreover it is rich in minerals and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Having these advantageous qualities, ostrich meat should be part of our healthy diet. Skin production is not important in our country, but there is a special demand for high quality ostrich leather globally. In the future our aim is to conduct a research on some of the parameters. As low production rate and embryo mortality is a great deal of problem in ostrich industry, we need to investigate the incubation environment. There is an apparent disagreement among researchers on optimal slaughter age. This is also an area for further investigation. The value of skin and effecting factors on our climate as well as adaptability of the species are also worth for further investigation together with the nutrition what differs from other ostrich breeding countries. Nowadays, there is a great emphasis placed on animal welfare too.&#x0D;

Whole Genome Characterization and Genetic Evolution Analysis of a New Ostrich Parvovirus.

Ostrich diseases characterized by paralysis have been breaking out in broad areas of China since 2015, causing major damage to the ostrich breeding industry in China. This report describes a parvovirus detected in ostriches from four different regions. The entire genomes of four parvovirus strains were sequenced following amplification by PCR, and we conducted comprehensive analysis of the ostrich parvovirus genome. Results showed that the length genomes of the parvovirus contained two open reading frames. Ostrich parvovirus (OsPV) is a branch of goose parvovirus (GPV). Genetic distance analysis revealed a close relationship between the parvovirus and goose parvovirus strains from China, with the closest being the 2016 goose parvovirus RC16 strain from Chongqing. This is the first report of a parvovirus in ostriches. However, whether OsPV is the pathogen of ostrich paralysis remains uncertain. This study contributes new information about the evolution and epidemiology of parvovirus in China, which provides a new way for the study of paralysis in ostriches.

OSTRICH BREEDING IN CHINA

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) has become one of the valuable agricultural enterprises in many countries of the world. China has become Asian's number one ostrich species raiser with about 20,000 ostrich bred farms. China started in 1992 to import some ostrich species from South Africa. Ostrich was raised globely since the 1980s for its feathers, meat, egg, hair and bone are all of high economic value. China's progress in producing ostriches has improved it's rank from fifth to the second globely in recent years, due to the following factors: The area of pastures which reached 40% of the area of ​​China.Large amounts of agricultural wasts. China has been producing iron and thus has produced the cheapest agricultural machines, such as irrigation machines, cutting and pressing the feed. China achieved progress in the electronical industries which have enabled it to produce hatchery machines to promote the poultry industry .China is making use of solar energy and producing cheap energy used to irrigate agricultural land and operate farm machinery. Thus, the price of feed is cheap and therefore it costs to feed the ostriches as little as possible.Use of seawater desalination technology and cultivation of saline-tolerant fodder crops such as fodder beat, bonicam and blubank .The use of leather processing tectology and production of the finest leather industries of shoes and bags .China has imported large amounts of ostriches from South Africa and used the best breeding and ostrich production systems in South Africa. The most important factors leading to the success of the ostrich industry in china are limited into three factors. First: Nutrition and cheap feed should be provided by planting enough alfalfa. Using solar energy to irrigate these lands. Sowing saline and drought tolerant genotypes, such as blubanks and bonecam, as well as machines for cutting and making pellet for green feed. Second: Hatching Third: Health.

Effect of varying levels of protein concentration on production traits of ostriches (&lt;i&gt;Struthio camelus&lt;/i&gt; var. &lt;i&gt;domesticus&lt;/i&gt;)

The ostrich industry is poised to recover from the recent lifting of the four-year export ban on fresh meat products to the European Union EU). However, during this period profit margins were severely affected and the need to minimize input costs was as important as it ever was, particularly nutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of varying protein concentrations in the diets of slaughter ostriches on the production traits. Five treatment diets were formulated for each feeding phase (pre-starter, starter, grower and finisher), with a control diet, two diets that decreased in protein content and two diets that increased in protein concentration. There were three replications per treatment, resulting in 15 camps, which contained 20 chicks each. Differences were found in live weight of the birds at the end of each feeding phase, except for the finisher phase. Differences were found among the diets for dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The control diet and the two diets that were formulated with higher protein concentrations had higher DMI values, better ADG, and more efficient FCR. Differences were found in cold carcass weights and thigh weights for the birds that were exposed to the treatment diets. The results indicated that the birds on the control diet and on the diets containing higher concentrations of protein, although not differing from each other, consistently outperformed the diets with lower concentrations of protein. From a financial standpoint it can be concluded that it does not make sense to increase the protein concentration in the diets beyond that currently used in the ostrich industry, while a decrease in protein concentration resulted in decreased production performance.Keywords: amino acids, financial, growth, nutrition, slaughter

Extensive human presence and regular gentle handling improve growth, survival and immune competence in ostrich chicks

ABSTRACTA total of 416 day-old ostrich chicks were randomly allocated to one of the three different husbandry practices for 3 months after hatch; HP1 (extensive human presence with gentle human voice, visual and gentle physical stimuli), HP2 (similar to HP1 but without physical stimuli) and S (human presence limited to supply of feed and water). Chick weight (kg) was measured at 6 and 12 weeks of age, while mortalities were recorded daily to calculate the survival rate. Finally, chicks’ antibody responses to vaccination against Newcastle disease (NCD) was measured using the Hemagglutination-Inhibition (HI) test at 20 weeks of age. While HP1 chicks were heavier and survived better to 6 weeks of age than HP2 and S chicks (p < .05), no difference was observed thereafter (p > .05). Furthermore, HP1 chicks had an improved immune competence, as illustrated by their lower percentage of positive HI titers, compared to HP2 and S chicks (p < .05). Hence, integrating extensive human presence with positive human-chick interactions may assist in alleviating challenges related to chick rearing in the ostrich industry.

ROLE OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS IN PATHOGENICITY OF SOME DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Clostridium perfringens, is an anaerobic, gram-positive, pathogenic and spore-forming bacillus and broadly gave out in our territory. This bacterium has spore formation capability and creating gangrene and gastrointestinal disease, for example food poisoning and necrotic enteritis in human, whilst in other animals, gastrointestinal and enterotoxemic diseases more happening. Prevalence of necrotic enteritis, created by C. perfringens, has been often stated in sheep, chickens and ostrich throughout the world. The most critical problem for epidemiological investigations and vaccines improvement is accurate recognition of C. perfringens variants. Moreover, Small ruminants, especially native breed types, play an important role to the livelihoods of a considerable part of human population in the tropics from socio-economic aspects. Therefore, integrated attempt in terms of management and genetic improvement to enhance production is of crucial importance. Poultry provide humans with companionship, food and fiber in the form of eggs, meat and feathers. Many people love to raise and show chickens and other poultry species at fairs and other poultry shows. Others just love to raise them for backyard pets and for fresh eggs every day. In the last few years, ostrich farming has progressed dramatically and the world ostrich industry has achieved some economic stability. There is considerable scope for improvement in the areas of artificial incubation, chick nutrition, environmental requirements and selective breeding. Hence, the aim of this paper was to study role of Clostridium perfringens in pathogenicity of sheep, broilers and Ostrich. In conclusion, recognition of toxins producing by C. perfringens is very momentous because their toxin types are related to particular gastric and intestinal animal sickness and PCR has become an essential research and diagnostic tool, being a powerful technique with a vast and increasing range of applications. Hence, it is better that animal breeders identify different types of C. perfringens using PCR technique to prevent the damage caused by this bacterium.

Description of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in domestic ostriches (Struthio camelus) in South Africa in 2011

In 2011, the commercial ostrich production industry of South Africa experienced an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), subtype H5N2. Surveillance using antibody and antigen detection revealed 42 infected farms with a between-farm prevalence in the affected area of 16%. The outbreak was controlled using depopulation of infected farms, resulting in the direct loss of 10% of the country’s domestic ostrich population. Various factors in the ostrich production system were observed that could have contributed to the spread of the virus between farms, including the large number of legal movements of ostriches between farms, access of wild birds to ostrich camps and delays in depopulation of infected farms. Negative effects on the ostrich industry and the local economy of the ostrich-producing area were observed as a result of the outbreak and the disease control measures applied. Prevention and control measures applied as a result of avian influenza in South Africa were informed by this large outbreak and the insights into epidemiology of avian influenza in ostriches that it provided, resulting in stricter biosecurity measures required on every registered ostrich farm in the country.

Quantifying network resilience: comparison before and after a major perturbation shows strengths and limitations of network metrics

Summary The resilience literature often assumes that social–ecological reorganization will result in either the removal of deficient system elements (components, interactions) or social learning. Major perturbations are expected to lead to either adaptation or, if accompanied by a regime shift, transformation. This has led to a conflation of the concepts of resilience and adaptation, which has in turn made it difficult to quantitatively distinguish between cases in which a system returned to a previous state, and adaptation or learning occurred, and cases in which the system was resilient but adaptation or learning did not occur. We used a network analysis of nine years of ostrich movement data to explore the social–ecological resilience of the Western Cape ostrich industry, which nearly collapsed following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2011 and has gradually rebuilt. The system that emerged following the outbreak contained fewer farms but was more connected than at any period prior to the outbreak. As system reorganization proceeded, network traits began to fluctuate seasonally and to approach values similar to those observed prior to the outbreak. It was estimated that it would take 4–5 full seasonal cycles for the system to return to a similar state to that prior to the disease outbreak. In other words, although the system reorganized following the system collapse, it remained within the same regime and showed no obvious evidence of adaptation or learning. Policy implications. The majority of previous work on studying system response to disturbance has focused on outcome‐based adaptation and learning. This study highlights the need to understand systems that respond to disturbance without learning or adaptation. Network analysis offers a useful quantitative tool for exploring social–ecological resilience and tracking changes in vulnerability. However, the development of better ways of incorporating additional data from multiple scales into network analysis remains an important priority for improving the predictive power and policy relevance of network approaches to analysing resilience.

A survey of current ostrich handling and transport practices in North America with reference to ostrich welfare and transportation guidelines set up in other countries

Appropriate management of an ostrich's exposure to stressors during preslaughter handling and transport practices can improve its well-being and product quality. Because of the lack of information about ostrich farming and transportation in North America and lack of developed Codes of Practice for ratite transport in Canada and the United States, the first objective of our research was to identify current preslaughter handling and transport practices of the ostrich industry in Canada and the United States, and to identify potential welfare issues based on the current practices. The second objective of this research was to review ostrich transport welfare standards and guidelines from Australia, European Union, New Zealand, and South Africa to investigate if those guidelines are applicable to Canadian and American ostrich production systems. Preliminary producer interviews, on-farm visits, and literature review information sources were used to design a producer questionnaire that was used to survey producers by Internet and mail surveying methods to identify existing ostrich transport norms in Canada and the United States. Based on the results of our producer survey and review of the transport standards and guidelines, we conclude that following factors are potential ostrich handling and transport welfare issues in Canada and the United States: lack of scientific information about welfare of ostriches during handling and transport; unfamiliarity of handlers and birds with handling and transport practices; not considering birds' social bounds, sex, behavior, and physical state in mixing them during handling and transport process; lack of an established specific maximum water and feed withdrawal duration for ostrich transport in Canada and the United States; lack of a specific vehicle designed for ratite transportation in Canada and the United States considering different physical body characteristics of ostriches compared with other species; exposure of birds to natural light during transport inside the trailer; overcrowding; and long transportation in Canada and the United States. Results of this research will contribute toward developing Codes of Practice for preslaughter handling, transportation, and slaughter of ostriches in Canada and the United States.

Tracking socioeconomic vulnerability using network analysis: insights from an avian influenza outbreak in an ostrich production network.

BackgroundThe focus of management in many complex systems is shifting towards facilitation, adaptation, building resilience, and reducing vulnerability. Resilience management requires the development and application of general heuristics and methods for tracking changes in both resilience and vulnerability. We explored the emergence of vulnerability in the South African domestic ostrich industry, an animal production system which typically involves 3–4 movements of each bird during its lifetime. This system has experienced several disease outbreaks, and the aim of this study was to investigate whether these movements have contributed to the vulnerability of this system to large disease outbreaks.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe ostrich production system requires numerous movements of birds between different farm types associated with growth (i.e. Hatchery to juvenile rearing farm to adult rearing farm). We used 5 years of movement records between 2005 and 2011 prior to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N2). These data were analyzed using a network analysis in which the farms were represented as nodes and the movements of birds as links. We tested the hypothesis that increasing economic efficiency in the domestic ostrich industry in South Africa made the system more vulnerable to outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N2). Our results indicated that as time progressed, the network became increasingly vulnerable to pathogen outbreaks. The farms that became infected during the outbreak displayed network qualities, such as significantly higher connectivity and centrality, which predisposed them to be more vulnerable to disease outbreak.Conclusions/SignificanceTaken in the context of previous research, our results provide strong support for the application of network analysis to track vulnerability, while also providing useful practical implications for system monitoring and management.

Direct methane and nitrous oxide emissions of monogastric livestock in South Africa

There are increasing concerns about the impact of agriculture and livestock production on the environment. In this the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from South African pigs, ostriches, horses, donkeys, mules and poultry were calculated, using 2010 production data on a provincial basis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology adapted to tropical production systems was used to calculate methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The non-ruminant sector is a minor GHG contributor compared with ruminant CH4 and N2O emissions. The pig industry and ostrich industry both contribute approximately 8 Gg (Giga gram) CH4 /year. The poultry industry is the largest direct N2O producer of the non-ruminant livestock industries, contributing 2.3 Gg/year or 92.8% of the total non-ruminant N2O emissions.Keywords: Greenhouse gas, pigs, horses, ostriches, broiler, layer

Bacterial contamination of dead-in-shell embryos in ostrich hatcheries and antimicrobial resistance patterns of isolated Escherichia coli

BACKGROUND: The bacterial contamination of fertile eggs is the most common cause of embryonic death in ostrich hatchery units leading to financial loss in ostrich industry. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to investigate the bacterial contamination status, with emphasis on Escherichia coli, of ostrich hatcheries and the antimicrobial resistance profile of isolated Escherichia coli. METHODS: A total of 120 ostrich eggs with dead embryos, at weekly intervals, were collected from three ostrich hatcheries. The dead embryos were sent to laboratory and samples were collected aseptically from different organs. Bacterial detection and identification were performed by using standard bacteriological and biochemical techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out by agar disk- diffusion method against 27 antimicrobial agents. RESULTS: Different types of bacteria were isolated from 56 eggs (46.7%). Twenty-four ostrich eggs were shown to carry E. coli. In some eggs, in addition to yolk sac, E. coli was also isolated from meconium, liver, or heart blood which increased the total number of E. coli isolates to 32. All E. coli isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim + sulphamethoxazole, danofloxacin, and flume- quine, whereas all were resistant to carbenicillin and erythro- mycin. Resistance to other agents was variable. Multi-drug resistance pattern was found among all E. coli isolates and included 2 to 12 drugs. Thirty-two E. coli isolates generated 30 different resistance profiles against 27 antimicrobial drugs. CONCLUSIONS: This was the first comprehensive report regarding the bacterial, particularly Escherichia coli, contamin- ation of dead-in-shell ostrich embryos and antimicrobial resist- ance status of the Escherichia coli isolates from ostrich eggs in Iran.

Avian influenza multiple: Enacting realities and dealing with policies in South Africa's farmed ostrich sector

This paper draws on Annemarie Mol's empirical philosophy as a way of handling the science of avian influenza in South Africa's ostrich industry. This is an agricultural industry in rural South Africa that has recently suffered severely from infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The paper draws on the ‘materials and methods’ section of scientific papers, and interviews with scientists, veterinarians and ostrich farmers, to argue that the practices associated with the disease enact multiple avian influenzas. The paper describes these different avian influenza realities and how they relate. Finally, I examine the relationship between multiplicity and policy.

Heritability of embryonic mortalities in ostrich eggs and factors affecting hatching failure of fertile eggs during artificial incubation

The high rate of embryonic mortality during artificial incubation of ostrich eggs is a major concern in the ostrich industry. Data from 48 126 individual egg records were available to derive genetic parameters for embryonic mortalities, modelled as a trait of the individual egg. Embryonic mortality was classified according to stage of death, i.e. early embryonic mortality that occurred before 21 days of incubation (EEM), late embryonic mortality that occurred after 21 days of incubation (LEM) and overall embryonic mortalities (OEM). LEM increased significantly for eggs laid by females &gt;10 years old. Transfer of eggs between incubators during incubation also impaired hatchability. An increase in OEM occurred for eggs freshly set (43%) as well as for eggs stored for more than 6 days (50%). Medium heritability (h2) estimates were derived for all the embryonic death traits and ranged between 0.16 ± 0.02 for LEM and 0.22 ± 0.03 for EEM. The dam permanent environmental effect was low ranging between 0.021 ± 0.005 for LEM and 0.046 ± 0.008 for EEM. Hatchability of fertile ostrich eggs may consequently be improved by removing older females from breeding flocks, setting of eggs between 2 and 6 days after collection, and by refraining to transfer of eggs between incubators during incubation. Moderate h2 estimates indicate that breeding may be used as a tool to enhance chick production in ostriches. This contention is supported by the fact that selected breeding for chick production and liveweight appeared to result in genetic changes in embryonic mortality rates.

A study of bacteriologic status of infertile ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggs

There are many obstacles which impede progress in the ostrich industry. Despite a century of commercial ostrich production, there has been little progress in scientific research which deals with management practices, health care, nutrition, or breeding. The fertility of ostrich eggs is poor in comparison with more conventional domesticated birds and is a major problem in the efficient production of ostriches under farming conditions. In order to study the bacterial populations of ostrich eggs that were determined infertile by candling, swab samples were prepared from the contents of 40 infertile eggs and inoculated into tryptic soy broth and selenite-F broths. The media was incubated at 37°C and then subcultured on solid media. The identification of the isolated colonies was performed using standard bacteriological and biochemical procedures. Microbiologic investigations showed bacterial isolation in 45% of the samples from infertile eggs including: Bacillus spp. (33.4%), Staphylococcus spp. (29.1%), Escherichia coli (12.5%), Proteus spp. (12.5%), Streptococcus spp. (8.3%), and Klebsiella spp. (4.2%).