How to Raise Ostriches? A Detailed Introduction to Ostrich Farming Methods

The ostrich is a bird with an enormous body and extremely fast running speed, and it is also the largest living bird in the world, mainly living in grasslands and desert areas. So, what farming methods are there for ostriches? Come and find out!

1. Breeding site

To farm ostriches, you must choose sandy land with good drainage, and raise them in pens on a slope with an incline of about 20 degrees. The breeding site must be far from noisy places such as urban areas and traffic zones. Around the site, wire mesh at least two meters high must be set up with iron wire; this is to prevent the ostriches from getting injured and from escaping. In addition to the breeding site, an exercise yard for the ostriches must also be set up. The exercise yard should face south with its back to the north. In the resting area, adult birds and chicks must be kept separate for rest. The resting area must be warm, protect against wind and rain, and have good ventilation. The floor of the bird house must be clean, hygienic and dry. Ostriches need the ground to be completely dry; ostriches cannot survive in a damp environment.

2. Feed selection

The ostrich is an omnivorous animal. Its digestive function is relatively good, and it has a rather special digestive system. It can extract energy from crude fiber, so when providing feed to ostriches, do not provide feed with too much energy. If there is too much nutrition, plus the energy in the green feed, it will cause excess nutrition in the body, increase body fat, and affect the ostriches' reproductive capacity. Moreover, ostriches grow quickly and have a fast metabolism. In order to effectively promote the establishment of a region for microbial growth in the hindgut, the amount of roughage should be increased after two and a half months.

3. Mating period

The estrus behavior of female ostriches is very obvious. They become much gentler in their movements than before, will actively approach the male ostrich, walking over with their heads lowered, with their heads almost touching the ground, and their wings also drooping down, with their beaks opening and closing. After mating, the female bird will lay eggs within 1-2 weeks. If the laid eggs are taken away, the female bird will continue laying eggs continuously, one per day, for about 20 days. For artificially raised ostriches, letting the ostriches hatch the eggs themselves is very uneconomical. Some with strong breeding capacity can lay more than 40 eggs continuously, which is still related to good feeding management.

4. Disease prevention and control

The brooding period of ostriches is a period of high incidence of various diseases, and it is also the key period determining the success or failure of rearing. The main disease of ostriches during the brooding period is respiratory infection, generally caused by reasons such as poor air quality, dirty and messy environment, and damp ground. Respiratory diseases will have a certain impact on the growth and reproduction of ostriches, and may even cause death. Therefore, ostriches during the brooding period should be managed by dedicated personnel, who should pay attention to the ostriches' condition and feeding situation at all times, clean the bird house thoroughly, disinfect regularly, immediately isolate sick birds when found, examine their condition and provide treatment, and provide a good living environment for the ostriches.

The above is an introduction to ostrich farming methods. I hope it can help you!