This work discusses some of the important considerations of wild ostrich evolution, behaviour and ecology, as items included in ostrich production. In the process considerable research was conducted by collating information from peer-reviewed papers; textbooks; manuals; and PubMed and Agricola searches. Selected areas reviewed included activity of ostriches; feeding and water needs; sexual maturity; egg laying and natural incubation; selected physiological parameters; and predation. There is an immediate and urgent need to conserve and protect the rapidly declining populations of wild ostriches with the committed involvement of governments and funding bodies.
The aim of the current report was to study the literature pertinent to wild populations of ostriches and their ecological and behavioural adaptations in the wild. Selected areas included palaeontology; ostrich distribution; conservation status and relationships with humans and habitat. There is an immediate and urgent need to conserve and protect the apparently rapidly declining populations of wild ostriches with the committed involvement of governments and funding bodies. Wildlife management is an important complement to the farming of livestock. Scientists need to understand the elements of ostrich behaviour in the wild in order to make informed decisions on their management and contact with other animals. Information of the like should be included in readily-accessible and annually updated wildlife manuals. We deemed that such information was an essential part in the conservation of this dwindling ratite.
The objective of this study is to evaluate the average production performance of captive red-necked ostrich raised in the Sudan, pertaining to egg production, egg external characteristics and hatchability over three consecutive production seasons. The parent stock consisted of 9 males and 19 females, 2-3 years old and was in the second season of production, fed on 14% CP and 9.23MJ/Kg. The overall mean seasonal values showed 20.35 ±10.82 eggs produced per hen at a weight of 1650.73 ±215.89 gm with fertility 54.59±20.09 % and hatchability of incubated eggs 32.65± 16.22 %, with fertile ones 57.41± 17.53 %. Mean external physical egg measurements were 44.53 ± 1.13 and 40.35 ± 0.90 for mean circumference length and width, 15.43 ± 0.55 and 12.56 ± 0.38 cm for axial length and width of 139 fresh eggs of the first year lay measured. Shape index value was 81.79 ± 0.76. The overall means of hatching egg weight, water loss % of hatched eggs, one day chick's weight and the percentage of chicks to the egg weight were 1687.80 ±201.47 gm, 10.99±2.07 %, 1094.11± 185.20 gm and 64.58± 05.09 % respectively. Results were compared to similar ones in open literature.
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