Evaluation of Grindazium-p in barley containing diets on Performance Traits and Nutrients Digestibility of Growing Ostrich (Struthio camelus var. domesticus) in Different Age

The effects of enzyme and age of ostrich were evaluated on performance and nutrient digestibility in African ostrich chicks. There were two treatments as follows; common or control diet without enzyme (Treatment 1), control diet plus multi enzyme (0.5 gkg -1) (Treatment 2). The experiment conducted with 16 male ostrich chicks (8 birds per treatment) and completely randomized design was used in this experiment. Performance traits were initial weight, average daily gain and final body weight. The diets and feces composition such as dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber was determined based on AOAC methods in 10 and 12 month age of ostrich. Acid insoluble ash (AIA) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were measured in feed and feces as internal marker. There was significant effect of enzyme was detected on performance traits, feed intake, dry matter intake parameters (P>0.05). With increasing age of ostrich from 10 to 12 month, digestibility of DM, CF, NDF and NFC were increased. Enzyme in diet could not significantly increased the digestibility of Crude fat (EE) and NFE (69.79 % vs. 74.31 % for CP and 67.25% vs. 71.55 % for NFE. Generally, the use of Enzyme (0.5 g/kg) in diet was particularly effective to improve performance traits and nutrient digestibility, especially DM, OM, CP, CF, NDF, ADF and NFC in growing ostrich chicks.