Authors : E.Z. Mushi , M.G. Binta , R.G. Chabo and O. Galetshipe
Abstract: A study to investigate problems associated with hatchability of artificially incubated ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggs was conducted on a farm in Lobatse district, Botswana. Out of 1935 eggs set in the entire breeding season, 1306 chicks hatched, thus depicting a 67.5% hatchability rate. Some of the identified causes of hatchability depression (32.5%) included infertile eggs (0.9%), early embryonic death (8.3%), egg rots (7.3%) and "dead in shell" (5.9%). Hatchability depression was maximal during the month of November 2001 at a rate of 42.7 and lowest (20.4%) in August, 2001. These findings suggest that breeding should be maximised during the month of August when hatchability depression would be relatively minimal.
E.Z. Mushi , M.G. Binta , R.G. Chabo and O. Galetshipe , 2008. Problems Associated with Artificial Incubation and Hatching of Ostrich (Struthio camelus) Eggs in Botswana. Research Journal of Poultry Sciences, 2: 21-26.