Ostrich's eggs: the productivity, quality and hatchability.

Abstract

Almost from three decades, there has been worldwide farming of ratite family especially ostriches for feather, meat, egg, skin and oil production. Ostriches lay the largest eggs in the world; their eggs are very hard and tough, it could be used as table eggs or hatching eggs or in decoration and adornment. Both environment and genetic factors affecting the ostrich egg production, so the egg production varies from 25 to 120 eggs per season. According to several studies, the variability of external and internal egg quality values may be attributed to weather, location of the farm, nutrition and physiological factors. Genetic impact also plays an important role in this concern. Breeder factors that affect hatchability include strain, health, nutrition and age of the flock, egg size, weight and quality, egg storage duration and conditions. Globally, there is no doubt that the ostrich production should take more interest due to their several and unique products not only for human food but also for industrial use (leather, oil, feather and medical industries). This review aims at take an overview about the productivity, quality and hatching traits of ostrich's eggs.