What and how to feed ostriches at home. What do ostriches eat in Africa? What do giant birds eat in nature?
The diet of ostriches at home is not very different from their diet in natural conditions a habitat. But since in captivity birds move less, and therefore spend less energy, they need little food. The basis of the diet of ostriches consists of various parts of green herbaceous plants, of which a significant part falls on the consumption of alfalfa, both dry and fresh. One adult bird consumes one and a half kilograms of feed per day.
From this article you will learn in detail what ostriches eat at home and what food should be selected for them. It describes feeding features depending on the breed and time of year.
The organization of feeding depends on what food supply system the farmer has chosen. Thus, with an intensive system, green feed is supplemented with grains and legumes, as well as vitamins necessary to maintain productivity. In the extensive system, preference is given to alfalfa, grass and mixed feed. The semi-intensive system is a cross between the first two.
Each of these systems has generally accepted rules (picture 1):
- Cereals are served in the form of derti;
- Before feeding, the proteins must be thoroughly chopped and mixed with pieces of vegetables;
- Small pebbles (pebbles, gravel) should be poured into a separate feeder;
- Drinking water should always be clean and fresh.
Figure 1. Main types of feed If these conditions are met, feeding will be effective, and the birds will have high egg production and quickly gain live weight.
What you need to know
The bird's diet consists mainly of plant foods: green parts of plants and seeds (Table 1). This is caused by the special structure of the digestive system of these birds. Firstly, they completely lack a crop, which is characteristic of other birds. For this reason, they are able to quickly digest roughage.
Table 1. Example of a diet for ostriches Secondly, the presence of a powerful stomach and an elongated posterior part of the intestine allow the bird to remove coarse plant fibers from the microflora. However, he will never refuse treats in the form of small invertebrates. It is important to know that at different stages of an individual’s development there are dietary features, which we will consider below.
Feeding the chicks
Proper feeding of ostrich chicks directly affects their survival rate, and therefore determines the size of the entire family.
Note: Newly hatched chicks do not need to be fed, since they receive nutrients for some time from the yolk sac located in the umbilical cord. However, soon you will still have to constantly fill their feeders.
Up to 4 months of age, the chicks feed on liquid mash, which consists of concentrated food and crushed alfalfa leaves (Table 2). It is important to know that when preparing food, you should always remove plant stems, since they are poorly digested by chicks and lead to severe intestinal problems. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to graze chicks in alfalfa fields until they are four months old. They feel great in their assigned pen, eating shells chicken eggs, pieces of apples, carrots, lime.
Table 2. Approximate diet for feeding chicks It is important that lime and ground shell rock are always available to the chicks, as these substances are extremely important for the proper formation of the bird's skeleton. It is also necessary to organize a mound of sand in the pen, which stimulates digestion. If there is a lack of vitamins in natural food, they can be added to drinking water. Individuals under the age of one year receive food 3-4 times a day.
Feeding adult ostriches
Determining what adult ostriches eat is very simple. The basis of their diet is alfalfa, both fresh (green mass) and dry (hay). A special combined food must be added to the plant food. In this case, the correct ratio between vitamins, fiber and minerals must be maintained.
Table 3. Annual diet of an adult Typical feed ingredients for feeding: ground corn, crushed millet and wheat, soybeans and soybean flour, hydrolytic yeast, certified salt, mixes of vitamins and microelements, fish and alfalfa meal (Table 3). IN winter period From time to time, the diet of adults also includes hay from herbal mixtures.
As an additive to plant foods, various food waste and cakes, as well as pieces of vegetables and boiled potatoes, meat and bone meal. In parallel with feeding, it is advisable to organize the drinking regime of the birds, giving them the opportunity to drink plenty and a lot. Adults and young animals over one year old receive food twice a day.
What does the African ostrich eat?
As noted above, the ostrich feeds mainly on parts of green herbaceous plants: stems, leaves, shoots, flowers, seeds, fruits. If plant food is not available, the bird will catch and consume mice, lizards, and some insects (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Feeding characteristics of African ostriches Accordingly, it is possible to determine what the African ostrich eats based on the traditional diet of birds. IN natural environment habitat, an adult consumes up to 4 kg of food per day, giving preference to plant foods and small invertebrates.
Features of feeding
Feed consumption in captivity is significantly lower, since the bird requires much less energy to move. At the same time, the diet remains the same: preference is given to green mass with the addition of concentrates, vitamins and mineral supplements.
In addition to pasture, birds are fed up to 1.5 kg of compound feed daily, and, if necessary, supplemented with protein foods: lupine, soybeans, meal, cake, crushed chalk and bone meal. The winter diet consists of herbs, plant leaves, vegetables, grains, as well as feed with a high protein content (cake, meal, bone meal, baker's yeast). Bird food also includes vitamin supplements in the form of grass meal, alfalfa hay and silage.
Diet
The diet of ostriches has important for breeding at home. So, good nutrition provides good growth young animals and increases the productivity of females.
The basis of the diet of African ostriches is greens: fresh in summer, in the winter - in the form of hay. A significant part of the diet consists of alfalfa with various additives (feed, cereals). In this case, the feeding rate is 1.5 kg per adult bird. They also readily eat cabbage leaves, beet tops, various root vegetables, as well as zucchini and apples. Table scraps will also serve as food for these giants.
If necessary, protein-rich plants (lupine, soybeans, meal, cake), amino acids are introduced into the diet for better absorption of protein foods, as well as minerals(chalk, bone meal, eggshells, crushed shell rock). Dried alfalfa, soybeans, silage and grass meal are used as vitamin supplements.
Features of seasonal nutrition
It is especially important to determine what to feed ostriches at home depending on the season. Like the other one Domestic bird, they must receive a certain amount nutrients for full life. Moreover, their diet varies depending on physiological processes and seasonal changes in the life of birds.
Note: Throughout the year, the main ones are green food, grain plants: corn, millet, wheat, soybeans and flour from them, complexes of vitamins and microelements.
In the summer, African ostriches are kept on pastures, with the necessary substances added to special feeders. In winter, the birds' diet consists of herbal mixtures, including meadow fescue, cocksfoot, red and white clover, fodder sainfoin and seed sainfoin.
Feeding ostriches: example diet
If you are planning to breed these exotic birds, you need to know what ostriches eat at home in winter and summer (Table 4).
Table 4. Examples of winter and summer diets In order for the birds’ diet to be varied and provide adults with enough energy, it is necessary to prepare in advance different types feed, although in summer ostriches can get by on pasture in the pasture.
Summer diet
In the summer, the diet largely consists of fresh greens in the form of alfalfa, plant leaves, as well as various root vegetables in combination with mixed feed. You can also use food scraps and bread.
To provide the birds with nutrients and vitamins, additional feed and mineral supplements are introduced.
Autumn-summer diet
IN autumn-winter period Since then, ostriches eat mainly alfalfa hay with the addition of feed, vitamins and microelements.
It is better to buy mineral fertilizers in specialized stores, but if this is not possible, you can use crushed shells, chalk and limestone.
Watering ostriches
Although ostriches are accustomed to hot weather conditions, however, they do not refuse fresh and clean water. Therefore, when home care For this bird, it is recommended to fill the drinking bowls in parallel with the supply of food so that the ostriches can drink to their heart's content. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of water and drinking bowls, since the quality of water directly affects the health of this bird.
You will find more information about keeping and feeding ostriches in the video.
Breeding and raising ostriches – profitable business, which is gaining increasing popularity in last years. But breeders who are just starting to breed these birds often have the question of feeding the birds. Many people think 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.
Ostrich diet
Ostriches are omnivorous birds, and not herbivores, as many people think. They eat equally well and plant foods, and food of animal origin.
The basis of nutrition consists of grass and leaves, various seeds and roots. However favorite treat adult birds - insects and reptiles. There is a slight difference between what ostriches eat in their natural habitat and at home.
In natural conditions
Ostriches are inhabitants of spacious savannas. In open, spacious areas they eat greenery and young shoots. Grass is the basis of the diet. The bird can go for a long time without water, so for nesting it chooses an arid semi-desert, where there is less chance of encountering predators. In desert areas they feed on seeds, roots and branches of bushes. The lack of fresh grass is compensated for by insects, small reptiles and even mice. An adult bird requires about 4 kg of feed per day. This amount of food is necessary for fast and long running and active energy exchange.
At home
At home, feeding this large and strong bird is not difficult, but proper nutrition is necessary 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 ostriches eat. There are several bird feeding systems:
- Intense,
- Semi-intensive,
- Extensive.
Intensive feeding
The intensive system consists of no pasture and keeping birds in small enclosures. With this housing and feeding system, it is extremely important to provide the birds with the required amount of hay and green feed. Every day an adult requires about three kilograms of feed mixed with finely ground green food. If the bird has not eaten the food, the amount is reduced. Green food should consist of forbs, spinach leaves, rapeseed and alfalfa. Outside the breeding season, it is recommended to feed corn-based feed mixtures.
With an intensive feeding system, the composition and amount of feed depends on the age of the bird:
| Ingredients (in grams per kilogram of live weight) |
0-2 months | 2-4 months | 4-6 months | 6-10 months | 10-14 months | Over 14 months |
| alfalfa | 23 | 260 | 430 | 810 | 885 | 420 |
| corn | 578 | 502 | 464 | 173 | 100 | — |
| corn oil | 18 | 18 | — | — | — | — |
| soybean oil | 230 | 90 | 30 | — | — | — |
| fish flour | 120 | 105 | 60 | — | — | 9 |
| dicalcium phosphate | 5 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 15 |
| chalk | 18 | 13 | 3 | — | — | — |
| methionine | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| vitamin and mineral | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 |
| zinc bicitrate | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | — | — | — |
| alfalfa hay | — | — | — | — | — | 552 |
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. The breeding stock receives an additional kilogram of concentrates in December and January, and by March the amount of concentrated feed increases to three kilograms. All concentrates are given only together with chopped green food.
Extensive feeding system
An extensive feeding system involves minimal feed costs - in summer months Birds find their own food.
The only exception can be if there is drought or excessive rainy summer. Concentrated feed is given to birds only in winter time and in small quantities.
Regardless of the chosen feeding system, it is worth remembering that at home, birds’ energy consumption is much lower than in the wild, which means they also need less feed. On average, an ostrich requires about three kilograms of food per day. Protein balance throughout the year is well replenished with lupine, legumes or cake. Adult birds are fed once a day, often in the morning.
in winter important role vitamin supplements play a role - grass meal, silage, vegetables, fruits and root vegetables. Vegetables and root vegetables must be thoroughly washed and finely chopped. Ostriches love cabbage, as well as carrots, apples, pears, and fodder beets. Some birds feast on zucchini, lettuce, watermelon and melons. They can also be given crackers and fresh bread. You should not feed ostriches potatoes and parsley. The substances they contain lead to digestive problems and death of young animals.
A separate feeder should always contain shell rock, fine gravel or pebbles.
It is necessary to install drinking bowls in enclosures and pastures. Ostriches can go without water for a long time, but it is better to provide the birds with a good watering hole.
Many breeders prefer to install automatic waterers - they keep the water fresh and clean.
Diet of ostriches during breeding
During the breeding season, males and females require different diets. Females require 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 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 poor nutrition birds. It is recommended to keep males in an adjacent enclosure, releasing them to the female for several hours for mating. However, you should first make sure that the female has eaten and remove the remaining food from the feeder.
Feeding ostrich chicks
Separately, it is worth considering the issue of feeding ostrich chicks. Proper organization nutrition and living conditions not only affect their growth and development, but also their survival in general.
For the first four days of life, chicks do not need food - nutrition occurs due to the resorption of the yolk sac, which makes up 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 mash is made from concentrated feed with the addition of alfalfa leaves. It is better to remove alfalfa stalks - they lead to digestive problems. In addition to mash, young animals are given crushed boiled chicken eggs.
Ostrich chicks can be given sand with small pebbles, crushed shells, pieces of lime, as well as finely chopped carrots and apples in a separate feeder. In the enclosure where the chicks are kept, you can organize a sand mound. Young animals not only willingly take sand baths, but also dig into the sand in search of pebbles, shell rock, pebbles and even insects. Shell rock, limestone and shells not only provide good digestion, but also play an important role in the process of skeletal formation. Every month, an ostrich baby grows 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 young animals B vitamins at the rate of five grams per chick. IN natural conditions chicks peck their parents' manure, obtaining from it what they need for digestion and development immune system microorganisms. At home, the breeder decides for himself whether or not to feed the chicks manure. The downside is the possibility of infecting young animals with worms. Plus – fewer digestive problems in the future.
If the weather is good, the first walks 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 drinking bowls. In rainy weather, ostrich chicks need additional heating - for this purpose, heaters are installed in poultry houses. Wet feathers threaten hypothermia and illness.
With the arrival of winter, the number of walks decreases. 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 mixed-grass meadow hay, alfalfa, and concentrates. It is better to separate the young animals intended for fattening and slaughter, and the breeding young animals. During fattening, it is recommended to give birds more concentrates and feed, as well as vegetables and root vegetables.
U Ostrich chicks reach fighting weight at the age of 9-11 months, weighing about 120 kilograms.
Further fattening is unprofitable - although ostriches continue to gain weight, the taste of the meat deteriorates significantly.
In our article we want to talk about, although not flying. The ostrich is a funny and unusual bird. Generally speaking, each breed is unique and has its own characteristics. Ostriches fascinate, first of all, because they are different from others. In our country, these beautiful birds can be seen rarely, and that is why it is so interesting to watch them.
What kind of bird?
It is believed that these special birds appeared on the planet 12 million years ago. Absolutely all types of ostriches belong to the subclass (flightless), they are also called running ones. Ostriches live in warm countries Australia and Africa, preferring semi-desert areas and savannas.
These special birds are completely different in behavior from their counterparts. An interesting fact is that, translated from Greek language the word "ostrich" means nothing more than "camel sparrow." Isn't it a funny comparison for such a person? How can one and the same creature at the same time resemble two completely different individuals? It’s probably not for nothing that people who hide from problems are called ostriches. After all, there is even such a popular expression: “Hide your head in the sand like an ostrich.” Do birds actually behave this way and what did they do to deserve such an unflattering comparison?
It turns out that in real life Ostriches don't hide their heads. In a moment of danger, the female may rub her head on the ground to be less noticeable. In this way she is trying to save her offspring. From the outside it may seem that the bird is sticking its head in the sand, but this is absolutely not the case. Animals in the wild have many enemies: lions, jackals, eagles, hyenas, snakes, predator birds, lynx.
Appearance
No other bird on earth can boast of such large sizes. Ostrich is undoubtedly the most large bird on the planet. But at the same time so strong and big creature can't fly. Which, in principle, is not so surprising. The weight of an ostrich reaches 150 kilograms, and its height is 2.5 meters.
At first it may seem that the bird is rather awkward and awkward. But this is not true at all. The difference between this creature and all other birds is simply confusing. Ostriches have a large body, a small head, but at the same time very long neck. Birds have very unusual eyes, which stand out on the head and are bordered thick eyelashes. The legs of an ostrich are long and strong.
The bird's body is covered with slightly curly and loose feathers. Their color can be brown with white, black with white patterns (mainly in males). What distinguishes all types of ostriches from other birds is the complete absence of the so-called keel.
Types of ostriches
Ornithologists classify ostriches as running birds, which include four families: three-toed creatures, two-toed ones and cassowaries, as well as kiwis (small wingless ones).
Currently, several subspecies of African birds are distinguished: Massai, Barbary, Malay and Somali. All these types of ostriches still exist today.
But two more species once lived on earth, but are now considered extinct: the South African and the Arabian. All African representatives are of impressive size. It is difficult to find another bird with such parameters. The weight of an ostrich can reach one and a half centners (this applies to males), but females are more modest in size.
It is also worth remembering the rheas. This is the second species that is very often classified as ostriches. It includes two representatives: Darwin's rhea and the great rhea. These birds live in the Amazon basin and on the plateaus and plains of the South American mountains.
Representatives of the third order (cassowaries) live in New Guinea and Northern Australia. It includes two families: cassowaries (cassowary muruka and common cassowary) and emu.
But the latter type includes kiwi. They live in New Zealand and are even its symbol. Kiwis are very modest in size compared to other running birds.
African ostriches
The African ostrich, although it is the most big bird y on the ground, but deprived of the ability to fly. But nature has endowed him with the amazing ability to run incredibly fast.
The bird has one more feature that we mentioned - it is a small head, which gave rise to talk that ostriches have very poor mental abilities.
On foot African ostrich there are only two fingers. A similar phenomenon cannot be found in other representatives of the avian world. The interesting fact is that these two fingers are very different. The larger one is more reminiscent of a hoof, while the smaller one is much less developed. However, this does not at all prevent you from running fast. In general, an ostrich - strong bird, you shouldn’t get too close to her, because she can hit you with her powerful paw. Adults can easily carry a person. The animal can also be considered a long-livers, since it can live up to 60-70 years.
Lifestyle
The ostrich is a polygamous animal. In nature, during the mating season, males are surrounded by a whole harem of females, among which there is the most important one. This period lasts from March to October. Over the entire season, the female can lay from 40 to 80 eggs. Ostrich egg has very large sizes. The shell is very white on the outside, giving the impression that it is made of porcelain. In addition, it is also durable. from 1100 to 1800 grams.
An interesting fact is that all females of one ostrich lay eggs in one nest. The father of the family hatches his offspring with the female he chooses. An ostrich chick is born sighted and weighs about a kilogram. He moves quite well and within a day begins to independently obtain food for himself.
Features of birds
Birds have good eyesight and horizons. This is due to the peculiarities of their structure. The flexible and special arrangement of the eyes makes it possible to view large spaces. Birds are able to focus on objects located at long distances. This gives them and other animals on the pasture the opportunity to avoid danger.
In addition, the bird can run well, reaching speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. In those regions where the ostrich lives, in conditions wildlife he is surrounded by an incredible number of predators. And therefore good vision and the ability to run fast is excellent qualities, helping to avoid the claws of the enemy.
What does an ostrich eat?
Since animals live in hot climates, they cannot always eat well. That's why they are omnivores. Of course, the main food is plants. But ostriches can also eat the leftovers left by predators, insects, and reptiles. In terms of food, they are completely unpretentious and tolerate hunger quite steadfastly.
Nandu
In the mountains South America Rhea lives. This bird is similar to an ostrich, but has a more modest size. The animal weighs about forty kilograms, and its height does not exceed one hundred and thirty centimeters. Externally, the rhea is not particularly beautiful. Its plumage is completely inconspicuous and sparse (it barely covers the body), and the feathers on the wings are not too lush. Rheas have powerful legs with three toes. Animals mainly feed on plants, tree shoots, and seeds.
During the breeding season, females lay from 13 to 30 eggs, each of them weighing no more than 700 grams. The male prepares a hole for the eggs and incubates them all himself and then takes care of the offspring.
There are two types of rhea in nature: common and northern. At the beginning of the twentieth century, these animals were quite numerous, but soon found themselves on the verge of destruction due to mass extermination. And the reason for this is delicious meat and collecting eggs. In natural conditions, rheas can be seen only in the most remote places. Only there they managed to survive. But rheas are quickly bred on farms and kept in zoos.
Emu
The emu slightly resembles a cassowary in appearance. The bird reaches 150-190 centimeters in length, and its weight ranges from 30-50 kilograms. The animal is capable of speeds of about 50 kilometers per hour. This is facilitated by the presence of long legs, which enable birds to take steps up to 280 centimeters long.
Emus have absolutely no teeth, and in order to crush the food in their stomach, the birds swallow stones, glass and even pieces of metal. Animals not only have very strong and developed legs, but also excellent vision and hearing, which gives them the opportunity to detect predators earlier than they can attack.
Features of emu
Emus can have different plumage depending on where they live. The animal's feathers have a very special structure that prevents them from overheating. This allows birds to lead active life even in very hot periods. Emus generally tolerate temperature differences from -5 to +45 degrees very well. Female and male individuals do not have any special differences in appearance, but they make different sounds. Females usually scream louder than males. In the wild, birds live from 10 to 20 years.
Emus have small wings, a long light blue neck with gray-brown feathers that protect their skin from ultraviolet radiation. The birds' eyes are covered with nictitating membranes, protecting them from debris and dust in windy and arid deserts.
Emus are distributed throughout almost all of Australia, as well as on the island of Tasmania. The exceptions are dense forests, dry regions and large cities.
Animals feed on plant foods, such as the fruits of bushes and trees, plant leaves, grass, and roots. They usually feed in morning time. They often enter fields and eat grain crops. Emus can also eat insects. But animals drink quite rarely (once a day). If there is nearby a large number of water, they can drink several times a day.
Emus often become victims of animals and birds: foxes, dingoes, hawks and eagles. Foxes steal eggs, and birds of prey try to kill.
Emu breeding
During the mating season, females acquire a more beautiful shade of feathers. They are quite aggressive and often fight among themselves. They can fight intensely for a lone male.
Emu lay 10-20 eggs per season dark green with a very thick shell. Each of them weighs about a kilogram. Emus are also polygamous, and therefore several females lay eggs in one nest, after which the male incubates them. The hatched chicks weigh about half a kilogram, while their height is 12 centimeters. At a time when males are busy breeding offspring, they become incredibly aggressive, and therefore it is better not to disturb them.
In the Australian wild, birds are protected by law, but this is just a formality. In reality, many populations have long been on the verge of extinction. The emu is the symbol and pride of the Australian continent.
From the history…
It is believed that ostriches appeared on the planet 12 million years ago. And the trade in the feathers of these animals dates back to the early Egyptian civilizations and goes back three thousand years. In some countries, even before the beginning of our era, animals were kept in captivity. IN Ancient Egypt Noble ladies rode ostriches to festive ceremonies. Animal feathers became in great demand at the beginning of the nineteenth century, which led to a significant reduction in the number of birds. In the middle of the century, a period of rapid development of ostrich farming began. The first farm in Africa appeared in 1838. Animals were bred solely for the purpose of obtaining valuable feathers. For example, in South Africa at that time, the export of feathers was in fourth place after the export of gold, wool and diamonds.
Gradually, ostriches began to be bred in captivity in other countries and on other continents: in the USA, Algeria, Egypt, Australia, Italy, Argentina, New Zealand. But during the period of two world wars, this type of business almost ceased to exist, and the number of farms decreased significantly.
Instead of an afterword
African ostriches, rheas and emus are classified in the zoological literature as suborders of running birds. However, as we have already mentioned, only the African ostrich, which is rightly considered the largest bird, can be classified as ostrich-like.
The world around us is full of unusual and outlandish animals. And one of them can be considered ostriches. You just can't help but like these cute and charming creatures with big eyes. Currently, even in our latitudes, ostriches are bred in households to obtain valuable meat, eggs, feathers, and simply as exotic pets.
It is no secret that large African birds today are bred on special farms and live in private households. If you also want to get these record holders in running or you are just curious about what ostriches eat, then don’t waste a second of time.
Before we look at the diet of ostriches, let's find out what they generally eat in the wild. We would like to note right away that these birds are unique and have a special structure. digestive system. By the way, it differs from those possessed by poultry. Firstly, ostriches do not have a crop, which means they digest rougher food faster.
This provides a powerful stomach. Also characteristic of their digestive tract is the elongated posterior part of the intestine. This allows the bird to receive maximum amount fiber and is good at cleaning microflora from coarse plant fibers.
Most experts call ostriches herbivores, although in fact they can easily be classified as omnivores. They eat plant and animal food very well. With an abundance of green food, 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 that in African savannas. There, on the long plains, they graze fresh greens with other herbivores, and also collect leaves of young shoots. Basically, in natural conditions, these birds feed on pasture, that is, grass.
Since ostriches long time can live without water, they often choose semi-arid deserts for nesting. There they find various seeds, roots and branches of bushes for food. In the absence of abundant greenery, birds also hunt for small insects, reptiles and even rodents. An adult in nature eats about 4 kilograms of food per day. This is exactly the amount they need for long runs and high energy consumption.
At home
In principle, at home, ostriches eat everything they eat in nature. True, in such cases they eat less, since they do not need such a large energy expenditure. The basis of their diet is greens: grass and leaves. In winter, they are also given hay, various concentrated feeds and grains. Today, ostriches include cabbage and beet leaves in their diet at home; they are given root vegetables, such as beets and carrots; birds eat apples and zucchini well. Often they are also given table scraps.
Ostrich feeding diet
When at home, great attention is paid to their nutrition. 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 it is given fresh with the addition of mixed feed. Give at the rate of 1.5 kilograms per adult.
There are intensive, semi-intensive, standardized and extensive feeding systems. Alfalfa, grass and mixed feed form the basis of the latter type of feeding. With intensive or semi-intensive greens, grains, legumes, mineral and vitamin feed are added. 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, it has its place. However, you should definitely take into account the place of residence of the African bird, its living conditions, use, age and weight.
IN summer time Ostriches should spend most of their time on pasture, feeding on pasture. Once a day, 1.5 kilograms of feed are added to special feeders. If a bird needs proteins, it is given lupine, soybeans, meal and cake. For their better absorption, amino acids are added. To raise young animals, additional minerals must be added to the feed. These are, for example, chalk, bone meal, eggshell, crushed shell. You can also give bran.
As vitamin supplements, especially in winter, it is recommended to give ostriches grass meal, alfalfa hay, and silage. Let's look at all the food again in more detail:
- green – grass, leaves, vegetables;
- grains – oats, barley, soybeans, corn;
- protein feed - cake, meal, bone meal, baker's yeast;
- hay – alfalfa, forbs, soybeans, silage;
It is important to give birds food in the correct amount. For example, grains should be given in the form of derti, proteins should be given in the form of flour, vegetables and root vegetables should be thoroughly chopped. Small pebbles or gravel should be placed in separate feeders for ostriches. There is a different diet for ostrich chicks; they are not even fed immediately, but only 6-8 days after hatching. But read about this in our next publications.
Video “Ostriches on the farm”
In this video you will learn not only how to feed ostriches, but also general rules keeping these birds. One of the private breeders will tell you what they eat and what their diet is.
Ostriches are exotic birds, we don’t know very much about them yet. However, there are more and more ostrich farms; we are increasingly seeing these birds even in the vast expanses of our country. Who knows, maybe one day they will live in every yard, just like the usual chickens? Therefore, it would certainly be useful to learn more about ostriches. For example, about how their digestive system works and what do ostriches eat in the wild and on the farm?
Ostrich is the largest flightless bird on the ground. Due to the fact that the giant has a flat chest bone without a keel, it cannot fly, but thanks to its strong and large legs, the bird is an excellent runner. The feathered giant is considered a completely herbivorous creature, but it is known that it will not refuse animal food, for example, bugs or small amphibians. However, its entire digestive system is adapted to successfully process coarse plant fiber. This suggests that birds were herbivores throughout their entire evolutionary development.
Home distinctive feature The ostrich's digestive system is the absence of a crop and a significantly elongated intestine, especially the long cecum.
It is there that hard-to-digest fiber decomposes sufficiently and releases all its beneficial substances. In addition, ostriches also lack gallbladder. And the bird’s stomach is a very powerful and thick-walled muscular organ.
The role of the goiter in the ostrich is performed by the so-called proventriculus; it is in it that food is preliminarily accumulated. In the bird's stomach you can find sand and small pebbles, thanks to which grinding, grinding and chemical breakdown of food occurs. Next, the food moves to small intestine, which in a bird of medium size is more than 5 m. And the rectum, which is the final organ of the digestive system, is more than 8 m and ends in the cloaca.
What do giant birds eat in nature?
Before thinking about the diet of an African guest at home, it’s a good idea to find out what ostriches eat in their usual environment, in nature. Ostriches live in not very fertile places on Earth - in savannas and prairies. Greens and shrubs, which form the basis of the diet of feathered giants, do not always grow there in abundance. Therefore, ostriches often need to work hard to get themselves green food.
Helps them survive in dry areas unique ability– birds can long time do without water. If there is very little greenery, the feathered giants feed on roots, twigs, and seeds. They do not disdain small bugs, rodents and reptiles.
In addition to their main food, birds swallow small pebbles, which help them digest food. A bird as large as an ostrich requires a lot of food per day - about 4 kg. Therefore, they spend almost the entire day searching for and absorbing food.
What to feed the ostrich on the farm?
What do ostriches eat at home? This issue has not yet been fully studied; the diet for them is often prepared based on the needs of other poultry. The diet of ostriches, as a rule, contains green food, grain and protein. In winter, greens are replaced by hay or grass meal.
It is best absorbed by the ostrich body and carries maximum benefit alfalfa. Therefore, they try to feed birds with it all year round: fresh in summer, in the winter as hay.
In summer, feeding at home is much easier. Birds must spend a significant portion of their time grazing and obtain most of their food for themselves. Of course, this is not all, and the ostriches are “supplemented” with grain or mixed feed. Any grain is suitable for them: wheat, corn, barley, oats - all this is eaten with pleasure.
If you are interested in intensive fattening, it is a good idea to add nutritious legumes to the diet, such as peas, soybeans, beans or meal. Ostriches eat almost all grass; clover, nettles, and dandelions are especially useful. Vegetables are also suitable for feeding at home: cabbage, beets, carrots - they can be given in their pure form, or they can be grated and mixed into mixed feed. And the video further will clearly demonstrate the love of African birds for white cabbage!
Particular attention is paid to fattening young animals; in addition to everything that is present in the diet of “adults,” babies are given mineral supplements and supplements. Basically, chalk, bone meal or fish meal, fish fat, which are given to chickens, are also suitable for ostrich chicks. However, all this begins to be given no earlier than 3-4 days of life, because only at this age do ostrich chicks begin to be fed, before which they feed on the residual yolk.
Due to the fact that ostriches are fed very well on inexpensive feed with a high fiber content, their feed conversion is 2 times higher than that of chickens. Therefore, growing them at home is quite profitable, although it is not yet typical for us.
