Practical Handbook on Ostrich Husbandry

by Gnanaraj, P Tensing & S T Selvan

ISBN: 9789354615542
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Imprint : Daya Publishing House
Year : 2023
Price : Rs. 5295.00
Biblio : x+136p., col., tbls., figs., 25 cm

Author Profile

Dr. P. Tensingh Gnanaraj is the Registrar of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Being born in the southernmost district Thoothukudi (Tamil Nadu), he pursued his under graduation and post-graduation from Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal. He did his Ph.D., research work in Madras Veterinary College. He has more than 24 years of research experience in the field of Livestock Production and Management. Dr. Tensingh Gnanaraj also holds a Diploma in Livestock: Technology and Farm Management from Galilee International Management Institute, Israel. For more than six years he acted as Principal Investigator of Ostrich Research Unit, Livestock Research Station, Kattupakkam. During which he established Ostrich Breeding Unit first of its kind in the country. He also improvised an inverted cycle handle bar to control aggressive birds. He also designed a hood from black cloth to restrain the Ostrich at the time of handling. He standardized package of practices for rearing Ostrich Chicks. A low-cost Ostrich egg Candler was improvised using low cost materials for effective Ostrich egg incubation. He has handled more than 36 research projects and guided more than 10 MVSc, M.Phil and Ph.D students. He organized more than 25 training programmes for the farmers and has more than 75 publications in International and National Journals of repute. He was instrumental in establishing University innovation and Instrumentation Center in which many farmer friendly instruments are fabricated. He has visited many countries like Israel, Australia, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Sri Lanka to share and gain knowledge in the Field of Livestock Production and Management. Dr. S. T. Selvan was born in the year 1966 in the cosmopolitan city of Bangalore in the state of Karnataka, a southern state of India. He graduated in the year 1988 and did his Masters (1991) and later his Ph.D in Poultry Science (1999) from the Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal, TANUVAS. He joined as faculty of Poultry Science in the year 1993 and has been elevated to the current position of Professor in the year 2009. He is currently the Professor and Head, Department of Poultry Science at Madras Veterinary College. He has more than 27 years of service in the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, a premier University in this country. He has spent more than 20 years in various capacities at the various Research Farms of the University. He has been associated with the Ostrich Research Unit at the Post Graduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences, Kattupakkam from 2003 to 2019. During his tenure, SOP for the ostriches in the field of nutrition, breeding, reproduction, chick, grower and adult management were standardized. This intense and passionate research resulted in highest egg production, fertility, hatchability and chick livability during the subsequent years. This paved way in guiding and providing research facilities in ostriches for 10 postgraduates and 1 doctorate student. More than 28 research papers and 21 research abstracts on ostriches are published and presented in various national and International forums. The thirst for Ostrich welfare and research resulted in visiting Australia (Melbourne and Brisbane) and China (Qingdao and Hangzhou) twice and once to South Korea, Hong Kong and Italy. He has visited one of the biggest Ostrich facilities in the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia during 2000.

About The Book

This book has been written for the sole purpose of reaching those who are interested to establish an Ostrich farm. Ostrich farming is as old as any other traditional farming, but with higher rate of return. Ratites (Ostrich and emu) are the only poultry species which have wide variety of products which are accepted universally. This book provides all the recent and relevant information required for the establishment of Ostrich farming. There have been very few authors who have written on Ostrich farming. Both the authors had been closely associated with Ostrich rearing for many years. The wide gaps felt during their days of rearing ostriches have been filled up in this book for the new comers. Ostrich farming has been one of the money spinners in South Africa for many decades. The market for Ostrich products has not been as steady as expected in other enterprises. Initially they were reared for their beautiful flumes, then for their priceless skin and now for their exceptional health beneficial meat and oil. Lack of technical knowledge on nutrition, breeding, reproduction, health cover, etc. have further led to the decline in Ostrich rearing. The contents of this book has been conscientiously experienced and written. This book deals with the topics from the history of Ostrich farming to the future of Ostrich farming covering all aspects of Ostrich farming from chick to adult management, their nutrition, their health, their housing, their breeding, saleable products, etc.

Table of Contents

Foreword v Preface vii 1. Introduction 1 2. History of Ostrich Farming 8 3. Classification and Features of Ostrich 17 4. Systems of Management 24 5. Housing and Paddock Management 29 6. Handling and Restraining of Ostrich 35 7. Sex Determination in Ostrich 40 8. Chick and Grower Management 43 9. Breeder Management 51 10. Mating Behaviour and Fertility 64 11. Artificial Insemination in Ostrich 69 12. General Behaviors and their Indications 75 13. Incubation and Hatchery Management 80 14. Nutrition and Feeding Management 91 15. Health Management 100 16. General farm Bio-security 109 17. Transportation of Ostriches 114 18. Ostrich Slaughter and their Products 117 19. Future of Ostrich Farming 124 20. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 128 References Index