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This study discusses the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological characteristics of two outbreaks of ocular infection in ostriches (Struthio camelus) caused by the trematode Philophthalmus sp. The outbreaks occurred in the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte in Northeast Brazil. Ostrich farming was categorized as semi-intensive farming with free access to the weir and river. The clinical symptoms for infection included nictitating membrane inflammation, epiphora (tearing), eyelid edema, ocular congestion, eyeball destruction, emaciation, and death, and the infection period ranged from 8 to 16 months. Macroscopically, thickening of the eyelids and conjunctiva were observed, with orange parasites infestation. Histologically, the lesions were characterized as lymphoplasmacytic and heterophilic, multifocal to coalescing, moderate, chronic conjunctivitis associated with hyperplasia and ectasia of the Harderian gland, and numerous parasites. The parasites were oval and flattened with an oral suction cup, acetabulum, and thick cuticle containing spicules. The diagnosis of philophthalmiasis was based on epidemiological, clinical, and pathological findings associated with the morphological characteristics of the parasites present in the conjunctival sacs which were similar to the trematode Philophthalmus sp. Philophthalmiasis can occur in ostriches raised on urban and rural properties in Northeastern Brazil, probably associated with the contact of birds with contaminated water, and is characterized by severe conjunctivitis that can result in the loss of the eyeball and death of the animals. RESUMO: Descrevem-se as características epidemiológicas, clínicas e patológicas de dois surtos de infecção ocular pelo trematódeo Philophthalmus sp. em avestruzes ocorridos nos estados do Ceará e Rio Grande do Norte no Nordeste do Brasil. As propriedades tinham em comum, a criação semi-intensiva e livre acesso a açude e rio. Os sinais clínicos incluíam protrusão da membrana nictante, lacrimejamento, edema palpebral, congestão ocular, destruição do globo ocular, emagrecimento e morte. A evolução clínica variou de oito a 16 meses. Macroscopicamente, observou-se espessamento das pálpebras e conjuntivas associado a numerosas estruturas parasitárias alaranjadas. No segundo surto, as lesões eram mais graves e consistiam em perda do globo ocular direito e anexos. Histologicamente, as lesões caracterizavam-se por conjuntivite linfoplasmocítica e heterofílica, multifocal a coalescente, moderada, crônica associada a hiperplasia e ectasia da glândula de Harderian e numerosas estruturas parasitárias. Os parasitas eram ovalados, achatados com ventosa oral e acetábulo e cutícula espessa contendo espículas. O diagnóstico de filoftalmíase foi realizado com base nos achados epidemiológicos, clínicos e patológicos associadas as características morfológicas dos parasitas presentes nos sacos conjuntivais compatíveis com o trematódeo Philophthalmus sp. A filoftalmíase pode ocorrer em avestruzes criados em propriedades urbanas e rurais no Nordeste do Brasil, provavelmente associado ao contato das aves com água contaminada e caracteriza-se por quadros de conjuntivite grave que pode resultar com a perda do globo ocular e morte dos animais.

Struthio camelus spatzi Stresemann, 1926: 139. Holotype: Egg, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, ZMB B.1180a (not examined). Referred specimen: Adult male skeleton ZMB 36879 Stresemann, 1927: 135. Remark: The skeleton ZMB 36879 comes from one of three birds, referred to by Stresemann (1927) as ‘cotypes’, kept at that time in Berlin Zoo. Expanded diagnosis: Smaller than the living subspecies (with most dimensions 88–100%) except for the synsacrum (Supporting Information, Table S3), postacetabular pelvis (Supporting Information, Table S4), distal ends of the humerus (Supporting Information, Table S2), femur except for a smaller corpus diameter (Supporting Information, Table S5), and pedal phalanges III/1 and III/2 (Fig. 2; Supporting Information, Tables S9 and S10). Tarsometatarsus length S. c. syriacus). The ratio of the length of tibiotarsus to tarsometatarsus is> 1.15, compared with 1.11–1.14 in extant ostriches. Phalanges III/1 and III/2 are as in extant ostriches, with the respective total lengths of ~ 90 mm (in the lower range of S. c. camelus) and 60 mm (as in S. c. camelus). The ratio of the length of tarsometatarsus to phalanx III/2 is 7.1, compared with 7.6–9.0 (8.0–9.0 for males) in extant ostriches. The pattern of egg pores of the intermediate type is as described by Schönwetter (1927), Sauer (1968, 1972) and Mikhailov & Zelenkov (2020). crista plantaris mediana; ct, crista trochanteris; dl, foramen dorsale laterale; dm, foramen dorsale mediale; em, epicondylus medialis; fd, facies tibialis distalis; ff, facies femoralis; fg, facies glenoidalis; fl, fovea ligmenti capitis; fm, foramen plantare mediale; fp, facies tibialis proximalis; fpl, foramen plantare laterale; il, impressio ligamenti collateralis medialis longi; l, condylus lateralis; ll, labrum laterale; lm, labrum mediale; m, condylus medialis; p, processus procoracoideus; pc, processus craniolateralis (sternocoracoideus); pm, foramen plantare mediale; sf, semicondylus fibularis; sp, sulcus patellaris; st, semicondylus tibiofibularis; t, trochanter; tf, tuberositas femoralis; ti, tuberculum m. iliofibularis; tIII, trochlea metatarsi III; tIV, trochlea metatarsi IV; tl, trabecula lateralis; tt, tuberositas tibialis. For explanation of measurement tags, see Table 1. SKELETAL VARIATION AND SEXUAL DIMORPHISM Although the coefficients of variation of most measurements in the living ostriches do not exceed 6% (Supporting Information, Tables S2–S 13), some of them are distinctly higher as a result of variable ossification (intrinsic variation) or, in addition, some indeterminacy owing to the absence of exact measurement points when taking minimum width or depth measurements across continuous surfaces. A high intrinsic variability affects single details, such as the sternal interspinal width (CV = 7.4), pelvic angular width (CV = 10.1), the cranial (CV = 8.5) and caudal (CV = 12.1) interforaminal distances of the tarsometatarsus and the proximal width between the cotylar margins of phalanx III/1 (CV = 7.1). The indeterminacy and variability of measurement position might have contributed to the variation of the sternal postcostal width (CV = 9.6), pelvic postacetabular width (CV = 8.9), fibular corpus width (CV = 8.8), tarsometatarsal corpus depth (CV = 8.4) and many transverse measurements of phalanx III/2: corpus width (CV = 9.1), apical width (CV = 7.0), trochlear depth (CV = 7.1) and foveal width (CV = 7.1), with the foveal width also being highly variable in phalanx III/3 (CV = 9.5). The most variable and thus the least usable measurement turned out to be the interischiadic width (ischiadic span) of the pelvis (CV = 19.9), suggesting a strong intrinsic component of this variability in addition to the indeterminacy of the measurement point. With a notable exception for the length of the tibiotarsus (Supporting Information, Table S6) and, especially, the tarsometatarsus (Supporting Information, Table S8), most measurement values (71 of 95medians), including the transverse measurements of the tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus, tend to be higher in females. However, the differences proved to be statistically significant or near-significant in only 14 measurements (Table 2). In ten of them, the ostrich females have consistently wider and/or deeper ends of limb bones, which suggests that the female skeleton (at least the appendicular skeleton) is more robust even if the males are taller owing to longer tarsometatarsi and tibiotarsi. Only three bones, namely the scapulocoracoid, humerus and pedal phalanx III/3, are significantly longer compared with males., Published as part of Elzanowski, Andrzej & Louchart, Antoine, 2022, Metric variation in the postcranial skeleton of ostriches, Struthio (Aves: Palaeognathae), with new data on extinct subspecies, pp. 88-105 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 195 (1) on pages 95-97, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab049, http://zenodo.org/record/6530641, {"references":["Stresemann E. 1926. Die Vogelausbeute des Herrn Paul Spatz in Rio de Oro. Ornithologische Monatsberichte 34: 137 - 139.","Stresemann E. 1927. Ueber die einstige Verbreitung von Struthio camelus in Algerien. Ornithologische Monatsberichte 35: 135 - 136.","Schonwetter M. 1927. Die Eier von Struthio camelus spatzi Stresemann. Ornithologische Monatsberichte 35: 13 - 17.","Sauer EGF. 1968. Calculations of struthious egg sizes from measurements of shell fragments and their correlation with phylogenetic aspects. Cimbebasia A 1: 27 - 55.","Sauer EGF. 1972. Ratite eggshell and phylogenetic questions. Bonner Zoologische Beitrage 23: 3 - 48.","Mikhailov KE, Zelenkov N. 2020. The late Cenozoic history of the ostriches (Aves: Struthionidae), as revealed by fossil eggshell and bone remains. Earth Science Reviews 208: 103270."]}

A desinfecção dos ovos incubáveis é um processo importante e necessário, pois no momento da postura os ovos adquirem uma quantidade de microrganismos que se aderem à casca, uma vez que à maioria dos problemas resultantes da invasão de microrganismos deve-se a falhas na sanitização dos ovos. O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar a eficiência de diferentes princípios ativos na desinfecção de ovos de avestruz sobre a contaminação dos ovos e os índices produtivos da incubação. Foram utilizados 16 ovos distribuídos em dois grupos experimentais em Delineamento Inteiramente Casualizado. Os princípios ativos utilizados como desinfetantes foram amônia quaternária e formaldeído. A fim de detectar e quantificar a contaminação realizou-se análise microbiológica na superfície da casca dos ovos após desinfecção. Os parâmetros de desempenho da incubação foram avaliados por meio do peso dos ovos nos dias 0 e 38 de incubação (g), índice de perda de peso do ovo (%), taxa de mortalidade (%), embriodiagnóstico (%) e eclodibilidade (%). Os resultados obtidos mostram que não houve diferença entre os princípios ativos utilizados quanto à capacidade de desinfecção, uma vez que os resultados da análise microbiológica foram negativos para todos os microrganismos pesquisados nos dois tipos de desinfetantes. Para os parâmetros de incubação não houve efeito significativo (p>0,05) entre os tratamentos em nenhuma das variáveis analisadas. Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que os dois métodos são eficientes na desinfecção dos ovos, mantendo-os livre de agentes microbianos durante os processos de armazenagem e incubação, além de não afetar os parâmetros da incubação.

Semen analyses have gained momentum in various livestock industries. However, in farmed ostriches, semen analysis is still in its experimental stage, and males are not screened for sperm quality before breeding. This study investigated the correlations between computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) technology and the traditional, yet affordable, mass sperm motility score. Semen was collected from nine South African Black ostrich males (mean age ± SD: 5.25 ± 1.21 years), using the dummy female method for 5 consecutive days monthly, for 8 months. Mass sperm motility scores were recorded on a scale of 1–5 (1: little to no sperm movement; 5: rapid sperm movement). The CASA traits recorded were: total motility (MOT), progressive motility (PMOT), curve–linear velocity (VCL), straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), wobble (WOB), and beat-cross frequency (BCF). The results revealed positive correlations between mass sperm motility and PMOT, MOT, VCL, and VAP ranging from 0.34 to 0.59 (p < 0.0001). In contrast, negative correlations were recorded between mass sperm motility and LIN, STR, and BCF, with correlations ranging from −0.20 to −0.39 (p < 0.0001). VSL, ALH, and WOB were not correlated to mass sperm motility (p > 0.05). Ostrich farmers may thus be able to evaluate sperm motility reliably and potentially select breeding males by using the affordable mass sperm motility scoring method. Determining the correlation between these methods and fertility after artificial insemination or natural mating is however needed.

Struthio camelus camelus Linnaeus, 1758 LITERATURE. — Dowsett (1993); Portier et al. (2002); Dowsett et al. (2013); Borrow & Demey (2014). STATUS. — Probably extinct in the wild., Published as part of Boano, Giovanni, Belemsobgo, Urbain, Silvano, Fabrizio, Hema, Emmanuel M., Belemsobgo, Aristide, Dimobe, Kangbéni & Pavia, Marco, 2022, An annotated checklist of the birds of Burkina Faso, pp. 27-107 in Zoosystema 44 (2) on page 32, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2022v44a2, http://zenodo.org/record/5999691, {"references":["DOWSETT R. J. 1993. - Afrotropical avifaunas: annotated country checklists, in DOWSETT R. J. & DOWSETT- LEMAIRE F. (eds). A Contribution to the Distribution and Taxonomy of Afrotropical and Malagasy birds Tauraco Research Report 5, Tauraco Press, Liege: 1 - 322.","PORTIER B., LUNGREN C. & OUEDA G. H. 2002. - Birding in Burkina Faso, more than just birdwatching. Dutch Birding 24: 127 - 141.","DOWSETT R. J., ATKINSON P. W. & CADDICK J. A. 2013. - Checklist of the birds of Burkina Faso: 1 - 12. https: // www. africanbirdclub. org / [accessed 14 October 2013].","BORROW N. & DEMEY R. 2014. - Field Guide of the Birds of Western Africa. II edition. Christopher Helm, London, 592 p."]}

RESUMO A indústria de fertilizantes no Brasil vem crescendo de forma acelerada puxada pelo aumento do agronegócio, porém essa cadeia industrial envolve operação contínua em meio agressivo, gerando paradas para manutenção corretiva devido ao desgaste da cadeia industrial por corrosão. Nos últimos anos, o custo da indústria com manutenção chegou a 4% em relação ao faturamento bruto. Com o objetivo de diminuir esse custo e visando à sustentabilidade, têm-se investido em novas técnicas para proteger a planta de produção contra os efeitos severos da corrosão, objetivando o aumento da produção, diminuição das paradas para manutenção, prorrogação da vida útil da planta e diminuição de resíduos tóxicos. Vários estudos com extratos de origem animal e vegetal têm sido realizados como possíveis aditivos de proteção à corrosão de superfícies metálicas, por serem considerados ambientalmente corretos, formando um filme na interface metal-meio corrosivo. Esse trabalho mostra estudos de corrosão por técnicas eletroquímicas em aço 1020 contendo extratos de Struthio Camelus (avestruz), Crolatus Durissus (cobra cascavel) e de Elaeis Guineensis (palma) em solução de Cloreto de Sódio (NaCl) e Ureia 3%. Os resultados indicaram uma diminuição significativa nas taxas de corrosão do aço quando submetido a Ureia 3% na presença de todos os extratos, quando comparado com os resultados obtidos na presença de NaCl 3%. O aço carbono com extrato de Crolatus Durissus em Ureia 3% apresentou taxa de corrosão de 0,003 mm/ano, o melhor comportamento nesse meio, seguido do extrato de Elaeis Guineensis, 0,009 mm/ano. O aço na presença de Elaeis Guineensis com NaCl 3% apresentou uma taxa de corrosão de 0,05 mm/ano, sendo o melhor resultado para esse meio corrosivo. ABSTRACT The fertilizer industry in Brazil has been growing at an accelerated pace driven by the increase in The fertilizer industry in Brazil has been growing at an accelerated pace driven by the increase in agribusiness, however this industrial chain involves continuous operation in an aggressive environment, generating stops for corrective maintenance due to the wear and tear of the industrial chain due to corrosion. In recent years, the cost of the industry with maintenance has reached 4% in relation to gross sales. With the objective of reducing this cost and aiming at sustainability, new techniques have been invested to protect the production plant against the severe effects of corrosion, aiming at increasing production, reducing maintenance stops, extending the plant’s useful life and decrease in toxic waste. Several studies with extracts of animal and plant origin have been carried out as possible corrosion protection additives for metallic surfaces, as they are considered environmentally correct, forming a film at the corrosive metal-medium interface. This work shows corrosion studies by electrochemical techniques on 1020 steel containing extracts of Struthio Camelus (ostrich), Crolatus Durissus (rattlesnake) and Elaeis Guineensis (palm and palm kernel) in a solution of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) and 3% Urea. The results indicated a significant decrease in the corrosion rates of steel when submitted to 3% Urea in the presence of all extracts, when compared with the results obtained in the presence of 3% NaCl. Carbon steel with Crolatus Durissus extract in Urea 3% showed a corrosion rate of 0.003 mm/year, the best behavior in this medium, followed by Elaeis Guineensis extract, 0.009 mm/year. Steel in the presence of Elaeis Guineensis with 3% NaCl showed a corrosion rate of 0.05 mm/year, being the best result for the medium.

SUMMARY: Ostrich females producing eggs in the absence of males was a major breakthrough for the development of an artificial insemination (AI) protocol. This study evaluated monthly egg production (EP) and average egg weight (EW) for 71 individually penned female ostriches from 2009 to 2020 and estimated the genetic parameters for these traits. EP was highly variable compared to EW (coefficients of variation: 124.9 vs. 10.27%, respectively). EP continued throughout the year with maxima from July to December and minima in February and May. The two-trait heritability (h2) for EP was low at 0.13, while EW had a higher h2 of 0.40. EP and EW were not genetically correlated. The genetic improvement of EP and EW for females used for AI is feasible. Further studies should target incubation and hatching traits after AI.

The ostrich (Struthio camelus, Linnaeus 1758) is the largest bird in the world. It is of great economic importance in Africa and is found across several countries. With developments in breeding systems, morphological studies that facilitate the application of the knowledge are necessary, considering the species has unique anatomical features. The objective of the present study was to describe the major tributaries of the hepatic vein in the species. Ten viscera of adult individuals of both sexes, which were injected with Neoprene latex through the hepatic vein, were used to visualize their tributaries. After the vascular repletion, the tissues were fixed and conserved in 10% formaldehyde aqueous solution. The hepatic carrier system was dissected and photo-documented. The left hepatic vein receives blood from the proventricle and gastric ventricle, while the right hepatic vein is responsible for the drainage of blood into the following organs: spleen, through the proventriculosplenic vein; pancreas, through the pancreaticoduodenal vein; jejunum, through the jejunum trunk; and the colon, which forms the cranial mesenteric vein. Resumo O avestruz (Struthio camelus, Linnaeus 1758) é a maior ave do mundo, com uma importância comercial acentuada na África e expandindo-se para diversos países. Assim, com o desenvolvimento dos sistemas de criação, tornam-se necessários estudos morfológicos que subsidiem as áreas aplicadas, pois a espécie apresenta características anatômicas próprias. O objetivo deste estudo foi a descrição dos principais afluentes da veia porta-hepática nesta espécie. Para a realização do presente trabalho, foram utilizadas dez vísceras de animais adultos, de ambos os sexos, que foram injetados com Neoprene látex por meio da veia porta-hepática para evidenciar os seus afluentes. Após a repleção vascular, os animais foram fixados e conservados em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10%. O sistema porta-hepático foi dissecado e fotodocumentado. Observou-se que a veia porta-hepática esquerda recebe sangue da região do proventrículo e ventrículo gástrico. A veia porta-hepática direita é a responsável pela drenagem do sangue nos seguintes órgãos: baço, por meio da veia proventriculoesplênica, pâncreas, pela veia pancreaticoduonais, jejuno, por meio do tronco jejunal, e o cólon, que forma a veia mesentérica cranial.

Aproximadamente 20% dos ovos de avestruz são inférteis, podendo ser consumidos na alimentação humana. No entanto, seu elevado volume e perecebilidade indicam a necessidade de um processamento tecnológico adequado. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se determinar a composição química de ovos de avestruz in natura, bem como os parâmetros físicos, químicos e microscópicos dos ovoprodutos de avestruz, após desidratação. Determinou-se a composição química de ovos in natura de avestruz e de galinha. As claras, gemas e ovos integrais de avestruz foram fermentados e desidratados em mini spray-dryer. Após a desidratação, determinou-se o rendimento, composição e diâmetro de partículas dos ovoprodutos coletados em ciclone e na câmara do spray-dryer. A gema e a clara de ovos in natura de avestruz apresentaram maior teor proteico (respectivamente 15,21% e 11,54%) e lipídico (respectivamente 38,48% e 0,34%), em comparação aos ovos de galinha. As amostras coletadas do ciclone apresentaram menor percentual de umidade e melhor uniformidade no diâmetro de partículas. Os ovoprodutos de avestruz apresentaram rendimento, uniformidade e valor nutricional satisfatórios, demonstrando que a secagem por spray-dryer é mais uma alternativa para a conservação e aproveitamento desse alimento na alimentação humana.

Some fragments of ancient protein are less prone to degradation because they bind strongly to the surfaces of minerals.

This study was conducted to determine the presence of enterobacteria in the eggs of ostriches reared on a farm with a history of reproductive failure. Ninety samples from twenty eggs were submitted to bacteriological tests. The results showed Enterobacteria growth in 100% of the eggs. The microorganisms isolated were Hafnia alvei in 50% (10/20), Serratia spp. in 20% (4/20), Escherichia coli in 15% (3/20), and Citrobacter freundii in 15% (3/20). All eggs presented poor eggshell quality, which favored enterobacteria contamination. Hafnia alvei was present only in the internal egg structures (albumen and yolk sac), suggesting the possibility of vertical infection.

In recent years, industrial breeding of ostrich (Struthio camelus) has been widely developed in Iran. Growth hormone (GH) is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth and cell reproduction in different animals. The aim of this study was to clone and sequence the ostrich growth hormone gene in E. coli, done for the first time in Iran. The cDNA that encodes ostrich growth hormone was isolated from total mRNA of the pituitary gland and amplified by RT-PCR using GH specific PCR primers. Then GH cDNA was cloned by T/A cloning technique and the construct was transformed into E. coli. Finally, GH cDNA sequence was submitted to the GenBank (Accession number: JN559394). The results of present study showed that GH cDNA was successfully cloned in E. coli. Sequencing confirmed that GH cDNA was cloned and that the length of ostrich GH cDNA was 672 bp; BLAST search showed that the sequence of growth hormone cDNA of the ostrich from Iran has 100% homology with other records existing in GenBank.

Para avaliar a digestibilidade in vitro de leguminosas do semiárido nordestino usando inóculo cecal de avestruzes por meio da técnica Tilley e Terry Reversa, usou-se o feno de alfafa (Medicago sativa) como referência aos fenos de canafístula (Senna multijuga), de cunhã (Clitoria ternatea), de leucena (Leucaena leucocephala), de mata-pasto (Senna obtusifolia) e de sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia). Verificou-se, pelo teste de Duncan (P

An analysis was made of 30 four-day-old ostriches to evaluate their protein, metabolite, mineral, and serum enzyme profiles, to correlate them with the birds' sex. The values obtained were: Total proteins 3.59±0.72g/dL, albumin 1.04±0.14g/dL, globulins 2.51±0.56g/dL, A:G ratio 0.43± 0.07, total cholesterol 615.10±101.15mg/dL, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) 132.72±20.33mg/dL, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 454.93±90.81mg/dL, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) 27.45±9.96mg/dL, triglycerides 137.23±49.78mg/dL, uric acid 6.24±2.15mg/dL, urea 18.27±12.33mg/dL, creatinine 0.30±0.04mg/dL, total calcium 9.38± 0.76mg/dL, ionized calcium 7.17±0.64mg/dL, phosphorus 6.96±0.91mg/dL, Ca:P ratio 1.37±0.21, iron 24.74±13.02µg/dL, sodium 142.03±6.17mEq/L, chlorides 109.59± 4.99mEq/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 200.67±31.42 U/L, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 3.90±1.92 U/L, γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) 1.18±0.73 U/L, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 597.30± 231.36 U/L, and creatine kinase (CK) 2348.30±755.60 U/L. Males and females showed significant differences in total proteins, globulins, alkaline phosphatase, A:G ratio, and uric acid. A fim de avaliar o perfil de proteínas séricas, metabólitos, minerais e enzimas séricas e correlacionar com o sexo das aves, este estudo analisou 30 avestruzes de quatro dias de idade. Os valores obtidos foram: proteínas totais 3,59±0,72g/dL; albumina 1,04±0,14g/dL; globulinas 2,51±0,56g/dL; relação A:G 0,43± 0,07; colesterol total 615,10±101,15mg/dL; lipoproteína de alta densidade colesterol (HDL-C) 132,72±20,33mg/dL; lipoproteína de baixa densidade colesterol (LDL-C) 454,93±90,81mg/dL; lipoproteína de muito baixa densidade colesterol (VLDL-C) 27,45±9,96 mg/dL; triglicérides 137,23±49,78mg/dL; ácido úrico 6,24±2,15mg/dL; uréia 18,27±12,33mg/dL; creatinina 0,30±0,04mg/dL; cálcio total 9,38±0,76mg/dL; cálcio ionizado 7,17±0,64mg/dL; fósforo 6,96±0,91mg/dL; relação Ca:P 1,37±0,21; ferro 24,74±13,02µg/dL; sódio 142,03±6,17mEq/L; cloretos 109,59±4,99mEq/L; aspartato aminotransferase (AST) 200,67±31,42 U/L; alanina aminotransferase (ALT) 3,90±1,92 U/L; γ-glutamiltransferase (GGT) 1,18±0,73 U/L; fosfatase alcalina (ALP) 597,30± 231,36 U/L; e creatina quinase (CK) 2348,30±755,60 U/L. Diferenças significativas existiram para proteínas totais, globulinas, fosfatase alcalina, relação A:G e ácido úrico entre machos e fêmeas.

Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the topographical, anatomical and histological characteristics of syrinx in five ostriches. It was observed that the syrinx in the ostrich was tracheobronchial type and was composed of three different cartilage groups, namely tympanum, cartilagines (cartt.) tracheosyringeales and cartt. bronchosyringeales. Tympanum and cartt. tracheosyringeales were formed from three and four cartilage rings, respectively, while cartt. bronchosyringeales was formed from three C-shaped cartilage rings. The pessulus did not contain any ossified or cartilaginous tissues and was made up of a double folded mucous membrane extending dorsoventrally from median walls of bronchus primarius into the cavum syringis.

Commercially reared ostriches at Msengi farm situated in the Chinhoyi area of Mashonaland West province in Zimbabwe were found to be infected with the 'oriental eye fluke', Philopthalmus gralli, in 2001. This was the 1st record of the fluke in Zimbabwe. Trials were conducted to identify a suitable drug for the treatment of this fluke. A total of 12 ostriches confirmed to be infected with the fluke through clinical examination of the eyes and identification of the fluke were randomly divided into 3 equal groups, with each group receiving a different treatment protocol. The 3 drugs used were doramectin, levamisole and closantel. Each of the drugs was used in combination with chloramphenicol as an eye ointment. Levamisole was administered topically into the eye whereas doramectin and closantel were administered parenterally as an intramuscular injection. The results indicated a positive response in levamisole-treated birds but there were no noticeable responses to doramectin and closantel treatments.

Libyostrongylus sp. are nematodes that infect ostriches. Libyostrongylus douglassii was first described in ostriches from several countries in the world. Later Libyostrongylus dentatus was morphologically identified in ostriches in the USA and Brazil, and mixed infection is common in the latter country. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA gene is used for genetic variability assessment and phylogenetic reconstruction for many organisms. Through genetic analysis the status of different species morphologically defined was confirmed and a molecular method was developed to differentiate both species. ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2 regions of L. douglassii and L. dentatus were characterized. Regarding complete ITS region, the K2-p genetic distance between the species was 0.060 (SE 0.008) and the intra-specific distance was 0.002 (SE 0.001) for L. dentatus and 0.006 (SE 0.002) for L. douglassii. NJ and MP phylogenetic analysis of ITS1 and ITS2 regions indicated that both species belong to the Trichostrongylidae family, and are evolutionarily different, suported by high bootstrap value. Based on ITS DNA polymorphisms, a molecular approach was designed to detect both species. These results are the first molecular characterization of L. douglassii and L. dentatus, and provide new tools for the identification of these parasites of veterinary importance.

The aim of the current study was to search for genetic markers, microsatellite loci associated with laying performance in ostriches. The material consisted of two groups of ostrich hens characterized by high or low laying performance (over 75 and less than 25 eggs per season, respectively). The investigation covered 30 microsatellite loci characteristic for the ostrich (the CAU group) and led to identification of significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies between the two groups of hens considered. Out of a total of 30 microsatellite loci examined, 28 showed different alleles in relation to analyzed performance groups. In hens of high laying performance (HP group, n = 12), specific alleles occurred in 23 microsatellite loci (40 alleles of 243 identified), while in those of low egg production (LP group, n = 12), they occurred in 22 (51 alleles of 243 identified). The results indicate the usefulness of the microsatellite loci as the potential genetic markers associated with laying performance that can be applied for genetic improvement of ostrich flocks.

An investigation was carried out with five females and two males (sexual ratio of 1:2.5) of the Black African ostrich (Struthio camelus) during their first and second reproductive seasons. During the whole experimental period the birds were raised extensively. The studied population reached sexual maturity (10% laying capacity) at the age of thirty-three months. The length of the reproductive period increased from 195 to 265 days with the increase of the hens’ age. A similar tendency for both indixes – average yearly laying capacity (52.20 and 60.20 eggs per ostrich hen respectively) and egg weight per year (351.53 and 436.57 kg respectively – ð

Fatal pulmonary aspergillosis and AA type amyloid accumulations in the liver and spleen are described in a female ostrich (Struthio camelus). The animal had had respiratory problems and long-term inappetence over an 8-week period. Necropsy revealed that several soft, grayish to white nodules ranging from 1 to 3 mm in diameter were scattered throughout the lungs and thoracic air sacs. Prominent enlargement of the liver and spleen was observed. No gross lesions were found in the other organs studied. The microscopic examination showed severe, necrotizing, granulomatous pneumonia, and air sacculitis. Aspergillus fumigatus was recovered from the lungs and air sacs as pure culture colonies. Amyloid deposition was demonstrated in the liver and spleen slides by Congo red and immunohistochemistry. To the authors' knowledge, to date no case of amyloid accumulation in ostrich has been reported. We report, for the first time, diffuse AA amyloidosis in the liver and spleen of an ostrich, probably occurring secondary to aspergillosis.

Ostrich chicks (n=34) were successfully immobilised with intramuscular injections of a tiletamine/zolazepam mixture at dosages of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg kg-¹; with metomidate at dosages of 15 and 20 mg kg-¹ and with a metomidate/azaperone combination at respectively 20 and 6,6 mg kg-¹, and 10 and 3,3 mg kg-¹. Unsatisfactory immobilisation with violent body movements and self traumatisation were observed in an adult ostrich after the intramuscular administration of a tiletamine/zolezepam mixture. Anaesthesia was achieved by the administration of metomidate in combination with azaperone. Medetomidine administered at a dosage rate of 0,1 mg kg-¹ did not result in immobilisation of ostrich chicks (n=4). Findings in ostrich chicks should not necessarily be extrapolated to adult birds.

Full-fat canola seed (FFCS) is a locally produced alternative protein source that has potential for inclusion in the diet of ostriches. Chicks aged 84 days and weighing 24.7 ± 0.36 kg were fed five iso-nutritional diets with varying levels of FFCS. Birds were fed until slaughter at 309 days old (93.2 ± 1.82 kg). In each feeding phase, FFCS replaced soybean oilcake meal incrementally (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of protein source). Dry matter intake (DMI) during the grower phase was lowest (1.52 kg/bird/day) for the 100%FFCS diet. Birds on the 100%FFCS also showed a 34% slower growth rate (average daily gain of 152.0 g/bird/day) compared to the other four diets (average growth rate of 230 g/bird/day) during the grower phase. The 0%FFCS (236.2 g/bird/day) and 50%FFCS (267.8 g/bird/day) diets resulted in a higher ADG. End weights during the grower phase for 0%FFCS, 25%FFCS, 50%FFCS and 75%FFCS (74.8, 72.2, 76.8, and 72.5 kg, respectively) did not differ significantly. The 100%FFCS resulted in a lower end weight (67.4 kg) for the growth phase, when compared to the 0%FFCS and 50%FFCS diets. For the overall trial period, the only differences were in ADG, with the 0%, 50% and 75%FFCS replacement diets showing the fastest growth. Fat pad weight was the only slaughter trait that revealed differences between diets, with 50%FFCS resulting in the heaviest fat pad weight. A maximum of 20.6% inclusion of FFCS should be used in diets in the grower phase, although in the other phases, FFCS could be included up to the maximum level evaluated (100% replacement of soybean oilcake meal) without detrimental effects on production parameters.Keywords: Average daily gain, Brassica napus, dressing percentage, dry matter intake, feed conversion ratio, glucosinolates, Struthio camelus

Background and Objectives: Clostridium perfringens is more prevalent type of clostridia genus isolated from the intestinal tract of ostrich (Struthio camelus). Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a potentially fatal gastrointestinal (GI) disease of poultry and other avian species, which produces marked destruction of intestinal lining in digestive tract caused by C. perfringens. Pathogenicity and lesions are correlated with the toxins produced, thus toxin typing of the bacterium has diagnostic and epidemiological significance. The aims of the present study were to determine the biotypes of C. perfringens among ostrich’s farms either diseased and healthy ones and to screen the isolates for major toxin genes (cpa, cpb, etx, and iA, cpb2, and cpe). Materials and Methods: Thirty isolates of C. perfringens were obtained from NE-positive and NE-negative ostrich flocks in Khorasan-e-Razavi porvince and analyzed by multiplex PCR assay. Results: All isolates were positive for alpha toxin gene (cpa) and five of those were positive for beta toxin gene (cpb). The presence of cpb2 gene was detected in a high percentage of isolates originating from both healthy (93.3%) and diseased flocks (80%). None of the isolates carried enterotoxin gene (cpe). Conclusion: The results suggest that types A and C of C. perfringens are the most prevalent types in ostrich in Iran. Due to detection of beta2 toxin gene in isolates from both healthy and diseased birds, it appears that the presence of cpb2 is not considered a risk by itself.

This study provides a reference for the radiographic anatomy of the thoraco-abdominal cavity of female ostriches as a representative of ratites. One ostrich cadaver, 2 adult and 2 growing ostriches were used. Right lateral radiographs produced by a 6-frame technique and 2 dorsoventral radiographs produced by an adapted 3-frame technique were selected and schematic illustrations of these were labelled to illustrate normal radiographic anatomy. Differences from other avian species and unique features of the ostrich are briefly discussed.