Eggs of chickens, geese, ducks, ostriches, egg incubation. Incubation of emu eggs

The artificial breeding process includes:

1. Availability of suitable equipment and premises for it.
2. Compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards.
3. Setting and timely regulation of optimal temperature and humidity conditions depending on the development period.
4. Selection of material for breeding.

In the final stages, it is important to candling the eggs every day to check the movement of the baby ostrich. First it must break through into the air chamber, and after 24-30 hours it must break through the shell. Sometimes baby ostriches need to be helped through these stages, otherwise they will suffocate.

Incubation of emu eggs

Emu egg incubation process has a number of features compared to other species. The egg itself weighs three times less than any other type, and requires high humidity and temperature to hatch.

Incubation Features

Emu eggs are stored in trays of suitable size with secure fixation. They remain in the removal device longer than other types of material: up to 55 days. Any manipulations are carried out using disinfected gloves.

Incubation of emu eggs takes place strictly in a horizontal position, while in other species they can be incubated both vertically and horizontally. When placing material into the equipment for hatching, the order is observed - first the eggs of the first class, and only after 12 hours - the second.

Rules for incubating eggs

Incubation of ostrich eggs at home includes:

1. Finding them with the air sac up.
2. Temperature regulation depending on the hatching period (from 35 to 36 °C).
3. Humidity control – from 1 to 46 days 24-30%, the next 9 days 60%.
4. Weighing the material.
5. X-raying at the final stages to determine the position of the chick.
6. After hatching from the egg, it is advisable to place the ostrich chicks in a heated room until they dry completely.

How to choose ostrich eggs for incubation

It is possible to hatch chicks only from fertilized material of sufficient mass: for an ostrich this is 1.1-1.8 kg, and for an emu 0.35-0.7 kg. They should not be too fragile: with light pressure the shell remains intact.

Depending on the weight and size, they are divided into categories: 1 and 2.

The material can be held horizontally or with the blunt end up.

IMPORTANT! Due to their structure, eggs are easily affected by microorganisms, so they should not be allowed to become contaminated.

Poultry incubation equipment

Devices for breeding ostriches have significant differences in parameters from chicken or duck ones. Manufacturers from Buckeye and Victoria have proven themselves on the market. Optimally, equipment with a separate section for output and a mechanism for automatic turning over.

For successful breeding, it is also necessary to carry out timely disinfection of equipment. It is advisable to equip it with an alarm indicating a deviation from the specified temperature and humidity conditions.

Temperature and humidity conditions in the incubator

The air temperature in the equipment is maintained at 36.4 °C, deviations are allowed within 0.4 °C. The highest value is observed in the middle of the hatching period, when the embryo is actively developing.

IMPORTANT! When laying a large batch at a time, the temperature may rise sharply to 37 ° C; this is normal.

Humidity also depends on the period of embryo development. For the African ostrich and rhea, the conditions are the same - 19-23% from day 1 to 38, 38-44% the next two days and three days after 55-65% humidity. For emus up to 46 days, 19-30% is typical, after and before hatching: 58-61%.

During hatching, emu eggs need to lose 10-18%, and for other species 12-14% of their weight. To trace this process, they must be weighed every week and, based on the determination that it loses about 0.3% per day, determine the excess or insufficiency of this process and change the humidity regime accordingly. If there is insufficient weight loss, the humidity is reduced and vice versa.

Air ventilation in the incubator

Active oxygen exchange is necessary under conditions of active growth, and therefore breathing, of the embryo. For 1 kilogram of mass, the air supply rate is 0.2-0.3 liters per minute. On the last day of hatching, this value increases to 0.5 liters.

Conclusion

Compliance with the listed parameters will guarantee successful breeding of ostriches in the household with low embryo mortality. It is considered normal not to remove up to 20% of the batch. It is important to remember about modern disinfection, to take into account the level of temperature and humidity suitable for each period of development of a given bird species.

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autoclave for canning

Autoclaves for home canning You can find it in our Fermash online store. Our managers will help you choose autoclave whatever you ask! Here you will find both gas and electric (universal) models, with a capacity of 5 to 28 liter cans.

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At the beginning of the 19th century, the first canned goods, separated by thermal processing, appeared in sealed containers. However, thermal processing is now abandoned by the most common method of preparing canned food. Sterilization is one of the main technologies of these stages. Sterilization of canned food and thermal processing of the product, which will ensure death bacteria by eliminating microbiological food at temperatures in a moderate climate (15-30 ° C), and sometimes at higher temperatures. It guarantees the safety of canned food for food (according to microbiological indicators). x). Basically, canned food is sterilized at a temperature of 120 ° C, at least above 100 ° C. Sterilization is intended for the preservation of canned products, which means the preservation of food value, organoleptic properties, and costlessness. koristovuyuchi autoclave for canning If you change the hour for preparing canned food, you are guaranteed to lose all bacteria. It is recommended to use sterilization and packaging of all types of canned food in glass containers of various sizes from 0.2 to 3.0 liters in squeezable or sealed jars.

1. Seat the jars filled with food tightly.
2. Place balls in the autoclave - jar on jar, until Golovin. Place a wooden lattice at the bottom.
3. Fill with water, making sure to cover the jars with a ball no less than 2 cm.
4. Close the lid of the autoclave and tighten the bolts.
5. Using a car pump, pump the autoclave up to 1 atm and visually (with additional water) or by ear check the tightness of the seal. difference in the pressure in the autoclave itself and in the middle of the cans .
6. Heat the water in the autoclave to 110 ° C (the pressure will increase). When the temperature rises to 110 ° C, wait an hour and soak the jars for 50-70 minutes. Be sure to do this so that the temperature does not exceed 120 ° C. This processing regime achieves both the death of pathogenic organisms and the savory taste of canned food.
7. Remove from heat (simmer) and leave to cool (you can also use cold water) to a temperature of no more than 30 ° C.
8. The cob giblets will be squeezed in an autoclave. Open the autoclave, pour water through the hose and remove the jars.

It is necessary to add that the pressure gauge of the autoclave will show pressure at a temperature of 110 ° C - 2.5-3.5 atm, and at a temperature of 120 ° C - 4-4.5 atm. Then, keep pressure on the heating temperature of the autoclave and the volume of air between the lid and the jars.

Sterilization modes for canned food

Incubation of emu eggs

If eggs are removed from the nest for incubation, this should be done carefully, placing them in a container and using rubber gloves or a paper towel.

It is possible to accumulate eggs before incubation, provided that the storage temperature is 10 - 16 °C and the storage period does not exceed 7 days. Almost all emu eggs are hatched in forced-ventilation incubators, so they typically accumulate enough eggs for a whole brood. Eggs lose 13-17% of their weight from the start of incubation and are difficult to check by candling as they have very thick shells. Sometimes on the 35th day of incubation you can observe the egg moving if you place it on a clean, flat surface. Incubators should be located in clean, well-lit and climate-controlled areas.

Emu eggs are incubated only horizontally. It is recommended to lay eggs for incubation according to certain schemes:

1. “One batch per cupboard” - eggs are laid in large batches, simultaneously loading the cupboard at 100% of its capacity.
2. “Two batches in the cabinet” - eggs are laid in batches, each of which occupies 50% of the capacity of the incubator. The next batch of emu eggs is laid in 24-28 days. Thus, according to this scheme, there are two batches of eggs in the cupboard at the same time with a difference in the age of emu embryos - 24-28 days.
3. “Three batches in a cabinet” - eggs are laid in batches that occupy 1/3 of the volume of the incubation cabinet. Each subsequent batch of emu eggs is laid 18-20 days after the next one. In this case, three batches of eggs are simultaneously incubated in the cabinet, the embryos in which differ in age by 18-20 days.
4. “Seven batches in a cupboard” - laying emu eggs is carried out in an amount of 1/7 of the volume of the incubation cabinet. Each subsequent batch of emu eggs is laid 8 days after the previous one. In this case, there are 7 batches of emu eggs in the cupboard at the same time, with an 8-day difference in the age of the embryos.

When distributing emu eggs by weight, they are laid in separate cabinets or in one, adhering to a 12-hour interval between layings: first, larger eggs (class I), then - class II. The classes of emu hatching eggs are determined depending on their weight.

It should be remembered that maintaining low relative humidity in the incubator chamber is often difficult to achieve, so in such cases it is recommended to install dehumidifiers in the incubator.

Before the hatching of the young begins, the eggs are transferred from the incubation cabinets to the hatchers. Emu eggs are placed evenly and horizontally in hatcher trays. Emu eggs are transferred to hatching at 46-48 days.

The first sampling of young emus is carried out on the 49th day, and in case of delayed hatching - one day after the start of mass pecking, the next sampling - every day after the previous one, and the final sampling and cleaning of the incubator - on the 55th day. The average incubation time for emu eggs ranges from 48 to 52 days.

Reproduction of ostriches on farms is based mainly on artificial incubation.

Artificial incubation of ostrich eggs has its own characteristics. According to Belgian ostrich breeders, egg weight varies between 1-2.1 kg with an average value of 1.3-1.7 kg. The duration of incubation of eggs weighing 1450-1500 g is on average 42 days with deviations for heavier and lighter ones by 1-2 days.

Also variable is the porosity of the shell, on which the hatchability of eggs significantly depends. This forces during the incubation process to periodically monitor the shrinkage of the eggs (based on their weight) in order to regulate the air humidity in the incubator. It is significant that in ostriches with pink, black or blue necks, the structure of the shell has significant differences, therefore, when incubating eggs, different levels of relative air humidity are maintained.

Rice. 9. Comparative sizes of chicken and ostrich eggs

The absolute mass of an African ostrich egg is 1.5 kg, length is 15-19 cm and width is 13-15 cm (Fig. 9). However, relative to the body weight of the female, the weight of the egg is only 1%, which is significantly less than that of other bird species. For comparison: in chickens the relative egg weight is 3.5%, and in quails it is 8%.

The color of the shell of African ostrich eggs varies from white to yellowish-white, its surface is smooth, the pores are of different sizes and shapes. Australian emu eggs weigh on average 600 g, and the shell has a spongy surface; in freshly laid eggs it is light green in color, but darkens over time. The eggs of the South American rhea ostrich are approximately the same in size as those of the emu, with a smooth, bright yellow shell that quickly lightens and becomes white.

The shell parameters of ostrich eggs are impressive. In the African ostrich it weighs on average 222 g and has a thickness of 1.83 mm. The strength of the shell is high: the egg can withstand a load of 55 kg (chicken eggs - up to 3.5 kg).

The ostrich egg shell has branched pores, unlike the single-channel pores of chickens. There are up to 16 pores per 1 cm2 of shell, that is, several times less than that of a chicken egg (150 pores). The largest and smallest pores have dimensions of 0.0420x0.038 and 0.029x0.026 mm, respectively, that is, they are almost circular in shape. The pores in the shell of chicken eggs are usually oval and smaller (0.029x0.022; 0.011x0.009 mm). In ostriches they occupy 0.2% of the shell area, in chickens - 0.02%. In total, there are an average of 10,000 pores on an ostrich egg, with some females showing significant variations. The channel of each pore begins to branch before reaching the surface of the shell; several channels open in its individual recesses.

The shell shells in an ostrich egg are quite thick: the outer thickness is 0.12 mm, the inner one is 0.08 mm, while in a chicken it is 0.06 mm and

0.008 mm. They are tightly connected to the shell, providing it with even greater strength. There is no cuticle on the shell of ostrich eggs.

The permeability of ostrich egg shells to air is higher: at a pressure of 20 mm Hg it is 60 ml per minute per 1 cm2 versus 19.5 ml for chickens. This feature should be taken into account when storing and incubating ostrich eggs.

Currently, farmers use ostrich eggs primarily for reproduction, so most of them are used for incubation. A major problem that farmers face is low egg fertility. Thus, according to the Agricultural Research Center in South Africa, out of every million eggs produced per year, on average, 25% are unfertilized.

Large eggs require lower temperatures and humidity. This will prevent excessive weight loss. So, if two eggs of different size have the same number of pores, then with a 15% loss of mass, the one that previously weighed 1100 g will “lose weight” by 165 g during the incubation period, and the larger one (1800 g) will lose weight by 270 g. This indicates the impossibility of one thing

the incubator to provide appropriate conditions for them. Setting the humidity and temperature in the incubator with a reference to the average mass of eggs, in this case equal to 1450 g, will create an unfavorable regime for all others - very large and small. The former, due to low moisture loss and less heat transfer, will overheat, the latter will dry out more, although they are not in danger of overheating.

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Unlike other farm birds, ostriches began to be bred not so long ago. In Africa, the duration of domestication of black ostriches is no more than 150 years. Other types of ostriches were domesticated even later. Nevertheless, ostrich meat already has connoisseurs and loyal fans, because ostrich meat has almost no cholesterol and its taste is not much different from veal.

• Intensive, for home breeding in private households. Ostriches are kept in a small area, the birds are walked in pens. , constant control and observation guarantee the safety of the young animals. This system is popular in Europe with its limited territories. The eggs are placed in the incubator. Collecting eggs allows you to increase the egg production of female ostriches to 80 eggs per season.
• Semi-intensive breeding system is popular in America. Ostriches independently hatch their chicks at the end of the nesting season, which increases the survival rate of the chicks. During the entire initial breeding period, eggs are taken away, stimulating egg production in females.
• The extensive system is used in Africa and Australia. In a large area corresponding to its natural habitat, the bird mainly finds food itself and hatches its chicks. There are significant savings on incubators, but a male ostrich covers no more than 15–20 eggs with his body. And the female lays much fewer eggs than with an intensive breeding system, since the presence of a clutch reduces her instinct to reproduce. So the number of eggs obtained with such a breeding system is several times less than with an intensive system.

Incubation

The highest hatchability of ostrich eggs is observed in females of the 2nd–3rd nesting season; first-year eggs often have biologically defective and unfertilized eggs. Young females produce 20–25 eggs, while 6–7 year old females produce 60–70 eggs. The weight of an ostrich egg is 1300–1400 g. Fertility reaches 65–70%, hatchability 79–88%, and livestock safety 66–81%.

The temperature in the incubator is maintained at 35–36°C, humidity 30–33%, and at least 70% when hatching chicks. The incubation period lasts on average 42 days. carried out on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 40th days. In the first week, trays with eggs are turned every 3 hours, then every hour. Ostrich eggs are transferred to the hatcher at the 39th week.

In a nest under natural conditions, they are hatched simultaneously when they hear the special squeal of the brood hen and the tapping of hatching ostriches from neighboring eggs. In incubators without this stimulation, the hatching process is extended by 1.5–2 hours. To stimulate the friendly hatching of ostrich chicks, many incubators are equipped with speakers that reproduce the sound of chicks hatching and the squealing of the brood hen.

The egg cools for 2 hours, an air space is formed inside it - puga, into which air is drawn from the environment through the pores of the shell. Ostrich embryos are especially sensitive to gas exchange; it is necessary to carefully monitor the timely ventilation of incubators and hatchers.

Nutrition

Young black African ostrich up to a year are fed 3-4 times a day with boiled eggs, grains, protein and mineral supplements. It is enough to feed adult ostriches once a day, in the morning. It is advisable to add greens and root vegetables to the diet. Ostriches are omnivores and love to eat small invertebrates. For normal digestion, ostriches need to be given baths with gravel, pieces of quartz, and small crushed stone.

Ostriches are divided into age periods:

• Initial (up to 2 months).
• Growth (3–11 months).
• Final (12–36 months).
• Breeding season (oviposition season).
• Breeding period (outside the laying season).

Composition of the nutritional mixture for adult ostriches:

• 45% barley;
• 29% wheat;
• 15% chickpeas;
• 10% protein, meat and bone and fish meal;
• 1% mineral and vitamin supplements;
• green food, root vegetables;

When raising ostriches for meat, the optimal age for slaughter is considered to be 14 months; the weight of the chicks by that time reaches 94–96 kg. In ostriches older than this age, fat deposition occurs in the body and on internal organs, and the quality of ostrich meat decreases. Feed costs for the period of 12–14 months: 9–11 kg of feed are consumed per 1 kg of weight gain.

Age, months	Black African weight, kg
newborns	1,0
1	3,8
3	16,3
6	52,6
9	74,8
12	94,3
14	96,3

Directions for selling products from the ostrich farm:

• Ostrich leather for shoes, clothes, bags, haberdashery. The best and highest quality leather comes from ostriches aged 12–14 months. Its area reaches 1.2–1.5 m2.
• The meat is similar in taste and tender consistency to veal. It is dietary (1.2% fat), with minimal cholesterol content (0.32/100 g), high in protein (22% protein). The high content of potassium, manganese, and phosphorus is an additional advantage. Despite the low fat content, the meat is not tough and has a delicate consistency. The meat yield is at least 40% (only 100 legs and 25–30 kg of carcass).
• Ostrich fat is successfully used in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals. Emu fat is especially valuable, as it has a bactericidal and regenerating effect.