World Ostrich Association Newsletter No. 97
April, 2011

Included in this edition:
Increasing Food Prices
The UFAW Farm Handbook
The Five Freedoms
Body Condition Scoring

Increasing Food Prices
This title covers both food to our end consumers but is driven by the increasing prices of the raw ingredients – both to the food processing industry and to the livestock computers.  Just today I was reading about increasing prices of vitamins that DSM have introduced.

For many decades we have enjoyed remarkably stable food prices.  This has, for the most part, been achieved by ever increasing efficiencies in production methods.  It is becoming increasingly apparent that this is changing.

A lead article on the FAO web site this week discusses their Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP).   Ostrich has significant potential to produce meat with increasing efficiency at a time when pig and poultry have pushed the boundaries to their limits. 

The UFAW Farm Handbook
The University Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) published the 5th edition of their handbook in March.  In 2007 we were invited to provide a chapter on ostrich for entry into this new edition.  We were informed that in many regions of the world, this book can be the only text book available to students.  Species covered include Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle and Veal Calves, Sheep, Pigs, Laying Hens, Broiler Chickens, Goats, Red Deer, Horses and Donkeys, Farmed Fish, South American Camelids, Turkeys, Ducks, Game Birds and Ostrich.   The Ostrich chapter was submitted in 2008 and contains links to the WOA production targets and standards web pages.  It is the first time for South American Camelids, Game Birds and Ostrich.

The UFAW seeks to promote the humane treatment of livestock within the practical business of modern agriculture.    During my time involved with Ostrich I have been fortunate to visit many different countries, cultures and economies.  Reading the opening chapter, authored by the editor, one can recognise just how challenging it is to balance welfare of animals, the humans who look after them and protect our precious environmental resources.  When we produced the welfare guidelines for ostrich production a member reviewed with the aim of checking the language translation.  Her comments highlighted the contrasts between countries.    She felt the welfare guidelines were better for the birds than the humans looking after them in many countries.   

That comment illustrates the tremendous challenges we currently have with ostrich.  The pig and poultry industries have become extremely efficient over the past decades and more recently moving into developed countries.  To date ostrich has failed in developed countries to develop commercial production yet continues to move into less developing countries.

The Five Freedoms
In October 2007 the newsletter discussed the Five Freedoms as part of the discussion on the Veterinary Health Plan.    As a reminder the Five Freedoms are:

• Freedom from hunger and thirst - By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
• Freedom from discomfort - By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
• Freedom from pain, injury or disease - By prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
• Freedom to express normal behaviour - By providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind
• Freedom from fear and distress - By ensuring conditions and care which avoid mental suffering

The first freedom references hunger and thirst.  Achieving the correct diet for ostrich continues to cause many problems and of course, has a significant influence on ensuring the third freedom is met – Freedom from Pain, Injury and Disease.   We still witness mal-nutrition in ostrich, not from wilful neglect, but rather from lack of knowledge.   Figure 2 are examples of the results of poor breeder nutrition.   The chicks in the first photo were all hatched on the same day, some developed well others failed to live and there were some who were slow to grow.  The chick in the middle is one that failed to live.  These chicks had bright yellow livers and yolk sacs containing no bile to aid the absorption of the nutrients in the yolk sac.  The third chick was shown to me by a concerned owner as they had purchased breeders that were fed grass only during the off season.  All chicks from those hens failed to thrive.

Figure 3 - Various Chick Problems

The chicks in the photos below are an all too familiar problem witnessed in ostrich production.  The causes are nutrient deficiencies which are usually caused by deficiencies in the rations fed to the growing chicks.  These can be made worse if they were weaker chicks at hatch due to breeder rations that are lacking in adequate nutrients.  

Figure 4 - Growing Chicks with leg Problems

Body Condition Scoring
Body condition is a visual and subjective assessment which comes naturally to stockmen/women. Good body condition is achieved by through a combination of the nutritional program, management and the environment. With ostrich, there remains lack of experience on how to fully recognise a healthy body condition.

The subject of Body Condition Scoring (BSC) was referenced in Ostrich at a conference in Hengelo in 1996 or 1997.  Whilst body condition scoring is an excellent guide, the problem at the time was that experience in ostrich was still limited and therefore it was not possible to set any meaningful standards. 
 
Breeder condition will change during the breeder season.  The aim of the off season is to rebuild their body reserves so they start the breeder season in top condition.   Figure 4 is an illustration of body condition scoring for Dairy Cattle.  These illustrations are taken from Pennsylvania State University web page, but there are many examples available.

Figure 5 - Dairy Cattle Body Condition Scoring (BSC)

Figure 5 is a similar photo of comparative ostrich hens.  Comparing these two hens, it is clear which bird will have the resources to withstand a productive breeder season.  The hen on the left was fed a ration that was mainly grain based, with limited vitamins and minerals and some straw.  The hen on the right received rations that are of high nutrient value that included alfalfa, maize, soyameal with high levels of supplemented vitamins and minerals.

Figure 6 - Comparative Ostrich Hens

The condition of ostrich of any age should be evaluated using the normal criteria of judging good health of which body condition is just one component. It is important to understand the difference in a bird in good condition with plenty of muscle as opposed to a bird that is carrying too much fat.  Signs to look for with ostrich are such as things as:

Apart from visual inspection The October 2007 newsletter provided guidelines on how to identify body condition on physical inspection.

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