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International Journal of Poultry Science

Year: 2005 | Volume: 4 | Issue: 9 | Page No.: 676-678
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Authors

P.C. Glatz

Y.J. Ru

M.Y. Hastings

D. Black

B. Rayner

Z.H. Miao

Keywords

Research Article

Lot Feeding of Ostrich Growers Compared with Lucerne Silage Supplementation or Grazing on Pasture

P.C. Glatz, Y.J. Ru, M.Y. Hastings, D. Black, B. Rayner and Z.H. Miao
Feed is a major cost in ostrich production. As a result there is interest in grazing ostriches on pasture or using silage to reduce feed costs and improve farm profitability. The purpose of this experiment was to conduct an on-farm trial to examine the performance of ostrich growers (49-78 kg liveweight) supplemented with lucerne silage or grazing on high quality pasture. This was compared with lot feeding of ostrich growers fed a commercial grower ration. There were 4 treatments imposed over a 6 week feeding trial; 1) birds fed 80% of their grower diet and allowed 3-5 hours/day of grazing on a lucerne-based pasture; 2) birds fed 80% of their grower diet and 1 kg of lucerne silage; 3) birds fed 50% of their grower diet and 1 kg of lucerne silage; and 4) control group fed a commercial grower feed in a feedlot. Birds fed 80% of the commercial grower diet with 3-5 hours/day grazing on the lucerne pasture or provided 1 kg lucerne silage as a supplement per day had similar (P>0.05) weight gain (14.15 and 14.40 kg respectively) as the control group (14.39 kg) over the 6 week experimental period. Birds fed on 50% of the grower diet with 1 kg of lucerne silage supplement had lower (P>0.05) weight gain (12.72 kg) over 6 weeks, but this was not significant. The results indicate that supplementing diets with lucerne silage or grazing on a lucerne based pasture can replace 20% of the grower diet without a negative effect on ostrich growth over a 6 week period.
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