Feeding Practices, Growth Rate and Management of Ostrich Chicks in Sudan

Seventeen male Ostrich chicks (Ostruiothio, Camelus camelus) aged one month old were brought from Radom National Park to the research farm of University of Nyala, both in Sudan, and reared indoor, concentrate rations were formulated and provided ad-libitum and water equally supplied. During the study period, chick behaviour were observed, body weight gained (g/day), feed intake (g/day), water consumption (liter/day) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were found to be 178.64, 447.91, 4.18 and 2.39, respectively. Rapid growth rate during the age of 2 to 4 months resulted to leg deformation which eventually leads to the death of some chicks with mortality rate 41.20% at the end of the experiment. The body measurements at different ages of chicks were highly significant (P< 0.05). There were high positive correlations between live weight and other parameters estimated (shank diameter and length, nick diameter and length, wing length, body length, heart girth and bird high).