To determine the effect of different dietary energy and protein levels on bodyweight and blood chemistry, 36 ostriches at 2 to 9 weeks of age for feeding conditions and 18 for blood chemistry parameters was used. The birds were divided into six treatment groups. Energy and protein levels of diet were 2400 and 2600 kcal/kg and 20%, 22%, and 24%, respectively. The feed intake and bodyweight gain were determined a weekly. Blood chemical parameters including glucose, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate amino-transferase and alanine amino-transferase activity were determined. The highest weight gain during the whole experiment was observed in ostriches offered 2400 kcal · kg-1 dietary energy and 20% protein. The lowest level of total cholesterol and protein was observed in treatment V (2600 kcal · kg-1 dietary energy and 22% protein). The lowest level of glucose and triglycerides was noted after treatment I. The highest albumin and globulin concentrations were in treatment III (2400 kcal · kg-1 dietary energy and 24% protein) and treatment II (2400 kcal · kg-1 dietary energy and 22% protein), respectively. The energy level had no effect (P < 0.05) on feed intake and weight gain in all experimental period. The results of this study showed that with increasing energy and protein levels, most blood parameters increased in ostriches but total cholesterol did not.
Keywords: Blood biochemistry; Bodyweight; Energy; Ostrich; Protein.
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