INITIAL STUDY ON GROWTH CURVE AND MEAT ANALYSIS IN RHEA AMERICANA.
FANTOVA, M., CIAPPESONI, C. G., KRUZIKOVA, L.
Abstract
Our work's objectives were: to study the growth curve
of the greater Rhea chicks from their birth to the 56 days of age and to analyse
chemically the Rhea meat (water and fat content). The meat samples were taken
according to the methodology mentioned in the norm CSN 57 0185. The obtained
results oscillated between 54.71 - 63.60 % and 0.43 - 1.00 % for the water and
fat content respectively. The live weight of the chicks was measured in weekly
intervals in a kitchen scale. The correlation coefficient between the egg and
chick weights was positive and with a high dependence only in the first 7 days
of life. This article also describes some characteristics of the Rhea breeding
(housing, nutrition and sanitary control).
Key words:
growth curve, meat analysis, ostrich, pampas poultry,
Rhea americana.