How long does an ostrich grow: the number of years before slaughter and the average lifespan

Ostrich farms, which are now ubiquitous in the farms of the southern and temperate latitudes, are gaining popularity and moving into the rank of a profitable business project. Meat, eggs, feathers and skins of birds are in demand. To correctly determine the cost of maintaining livestock, you need to know how long an ostrich grows in an artificial environment before the optimal, economically beneficial slaughter time for the breeder.

How long does an ostrich grow before slaughter

The main parameter for determining the term of slaughter is considered not age, but body weight. Physical performance, including weight gain, depends on:

breeds;
gender;
Containment Conditions;
food quality;
features of the development of an individual from an early age.

Newborn ostriches weigh, on average, from 1.2 to 1.5 kilograms. With proper care, chicks grow quickly. Body weight for the first 3 months of life increases more than 10 times. Males are initially born larger than females, and by the age of three months, the difference in weight reaches 1 kilogram.

The rate of weight gain in ostriches at an early age usually determines the further growth of the individual. The stronger the chick, the more intensively the adult bird grows in mass.

With a balanced diet in the second year of life, ostriches gain body weight from 100 to 120 kilograms, which is considered the optimal weight for slaughter. They are guided along the lower border when determining the term for slaughtering females, and along the upper - males.Intensive fattening reduces the period of gaining the desired weight to 1 year. More often, the livestock is ready for slaughter at the age of 1.5 years. Maintenance beyond this age becomes unprofitable for the owner.

Females destined for eggs are left for a long time. Under artificial conditions, birds lay eggs more actively, the number of which reaches 100 pieces per year. Adult domestic ostriches, on average, weigh between 120 and 150 kilograms.

The mass of representatives of heavy breeds with good fattening can exceed 200 kilograms. Sexually mature males are usually 20-40% heavier than females.

How many years does a bird live

Ostriches reach sexual maturity by the age of three. The productivity of males lasts up to 40 years, and the egg production of females - up to 25-30 years.The life expectancy of ostriches under favorable conditions can reach a record 75 years, the average life expectancy is 30-50 years.

In the natural habitat, living to old age is difficult. You have to defend yourself from predators, fight rivals, and get food. In the poultry yard, the lifespan of birds depends on the goals of the breeder, nutrition, conditions of keeping and care.