Feb 11
24
The role of nutrition is as important in commercial ostrich farming as it is in all commercial livestock farming operations. The challenge is the ability to put in place the correct nutrition when starting an ostrich farming operation. The first step is to understand the basic principles of how to identify if the rations you are using have the ability to support the health, production and end product quality requirements.
The feed has to provide a balance on nutrients that are provided by the different ingredients that make up the rations to supply those essential nutrients. What is meant by nutrients and ingredients?
Nutrients are chemical compounds that living organisms require to live and to grow. Water, Protein, Fat, Fibre, Energy, Vitamins and Minerals are nutrients.
Ingredients are the feed stuffs that provide those nutrients. In ostrich nutrition they are such things as lucerne, grass or grains such as maize, wheat or barley. These ingredients will provide some vitamins, minerals and fat but additional ingredients are required in small quantities to ensure adequate levels of vitamins, minerals along with some other additives to ensure the rations are balanced to ensure they provide the production targets required. An example of additional supplements is certain amino acids.
Productive rations are made up of a number of different ingredients working in combination providing the right balance of nutrients to supply the production potential of that ration.
The pie chart illustrates the degree of importance of each element in a ration and their contribution to the overall productive value of those rations.
50% of a ration’s production potential comes from the ingredients, with ingredient quality and ingredient type equally important.
Ingredient quality: the higher the grade the greater the nutrient density and digestibility.
Ingredient type: ingredients fall into a number of different types such as forage, grain, protein, fat, vitamin, mineral. Too much of one type can cause health problems even if the ration analysis correctly for nutrient content.
50% of a ration’s production potential comes from the vitamins and minerals supply….split equally into their levels, ratios, sources and type.
Levels: this refers to the importance of the nutrient levels of each nutrient’s inclusion in the ration.
Ratios: many vitamins and minerals interrelate to each other to optimize the health of the animal – and ratios of one to another are critical to optimising health and productivity.
Sources: vitamins and minerals are supplied in different qualities.
Type: the particle size is important to ensure similar absorption rates. Is the source organic or inorganic.
A variance from any one of those components specified in the ration impacts on the “productive” ability of that ration whether ostrich farming or farming any other livestock.
