Relative Growth Rate And Daily Body Weight Gain Of Ostrich Chicks As Affected By Certain Natural Feed Sources During 5-16 Weeks Of Age

The contemporary work was conducted to investigate the impacts of dietary hydroponic sprouted fodder seeds (fenugreek, barley and clover) at 5% as supplementation of the diet on relative growth rate (RGR; Live body weight were measured at 5, 11 and 16 weeks of the age then the relative growth rate was calculated) during 5-16 weeks of the age. A total of 24 African black ostrich unsexed chicks were used in the existent study in simple randomized design during summer season of Sharkia governorate, Egypt. The outcomes of the current work indicated that all traits studied were not significantly differed due to different sprouted seeds (fenugreek, barley and clover), except for daily body weight gain and total weight gain during 11-16 weeks of age. Ostrich chicks fed diets containing clover and barley sprouted seeds showed the highest daily body weight gain and total weight gain during 11-16 weeks of age. Birds got fenugreek sprouted seeds showed intermediate daily body weight gain and total weight gain. Results of RGR of ostrich chicks during 5-11, 11-16 and 5-16 weeks of age are presented in figures 1-3. The results of RGR indicated that there are non-significant difference were observed among the different groups. Conclusively, more studies should be done to investigate the relative growth rates of ostrich chicks,