The Ostrich hen deposits large amounts of Vitamins and minerals in her eggs - is she supplied with all the nutrients she needs? The Ostrich evolved to lay some 6 - 10 eggs in a season, she was able to accumulate most of the nutrients for these eggs throughout the year. Now that we are farming our ostrich we are expecting large numbers of eggs, 60 - 100 per season. We as yet have not selected heavily for egg laying ability in the ostrich like we have in the poultry industry. Effectively we have taken "wild type" birds and placed them in a production oriented situation. These birds have had no opportunity to adapt genetically to the production of large numbers of eggs.

The egg of the ostrich contains approximately 20,000iu Vitamin A. When they are laying regularly this is a demand of l0,000iu per day just to supply egg requirements. This does not account for the birds body requirements. The liver will store Vitamin A to a certain level then release this again as needed. The stored amount will depend on the amount of vitamin in the diet over the past 3 - 6 months. Given that Vitamin A is found mostly in green feeds, the practice of keeping birds in small areas that don't grow much feed means we must supply all the Vitamin A requirements through the hard feed.

Pellets contain about 20,000iu per kg. If fed solely on pellets there should be ample quantities available. However once you start adding grains to the ration you dilute out the vitamin level in the pellet. By the same token if you feed large quantities of lucerne chaff the bulk effect of the lucerne will also dilute the diet specifications. The quality of the lucerne will vastly alter in vitamin content. Any lucerne that has been stored for long periods will have a greatly reduced vitamin level.

Fresh lucerne, on average contains 25,000iu Vitamin A/kg, this level drops as the lucerne is harvested, processed and stored.

Protein (crude) = 16 - 20% DM
Fibre = 22 - 28% DM
Calcium = 1% DM


To overcome the possibility of' vitamin deficiencies leading to reproductive failure, failure of eggs to hatch, failure of chicks to thrive it is necessary to supplement. These are not range run animals, supplementation is critical to their ability to breed.

The use of injectable ADEC, is recommended at the start of the season, and at 3 monthly intervals to ensure that the levels in the liver remain adequate. Clinical experience has shown a vast improvement in chick hatchability when this is given to hand fed birds where the diet is deficient.

The regular use of Soluvet Breeder in the water is also useful. This will supply some 50,000iu per litre of water. Water intake will vary tremendously so it is difficult to calculate the intake from this source. However because Soluvet contains concentrated vitamins of all types its use is a guarantee that a shortage does not occur.

Remember that grains are not considered a source of vitamins or minerals, in the nutrition industry the trend is to supply all the known requirements of vitamins and minerals as a premix (or additive) allowing the bulk feed ingredients to supply energy and protein.

In the ostrich industry where the requirements are not fully known it is wise to add supplements to the diet so holes don't appear.

by Dr. Tony Gestier BVSc. (Hons.), MACVSc.