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Growth curves of ostriches (Struthio camelus) from Oudtshoorn in South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

S. C. Cilliers ,
J. J. du Preez ,
J. S. Maritz  and
J. P. Hayes
S. C. Cilliers
Affiliation:
Little Karoo Agricultural Centre, PO Box 313, Oudtshoorn, 6620, South Africa
J. J. du Preez
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
J. S. Maritz
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
J. P. Hayes
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
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Abstract

Growth results of 43 ostrich males and females were used to compile growth parameters of a flock that is representative of Oudtshoorn birds, using the Gompertz model. Growth results comprised 19 recordings of body weight for each individual commencing from 1-day-old to day 520. Individual fits of data to the growth model were exceptionally good, resulting in low CV values of 0·02 and 0·03 for the mean values of all estimates of mature live weight for male and females respectively. The estimated mean mature body weights for the flock were 119·2 kg for males and 122·3 kg for females. Rates of maturing were 9100 and 8500 for males and females respectively which corresponded to ages of 180·83 and 199·2 days at which maximum gain in weight were achieved. None of these parameter estimates differed significantly between sexes. Results in the present study suggested substantial adjustments to growth parameters for Oudtshoorn ostriches published by du Preez, Jarvis, Capatos and de Kock, 1992.

Keywords

growth curveostriches
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 61 , Issue 1 , August 1995 , pp. 161 - 164
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1995

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References

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