Cardoso de Albuquerque N.

There are many myths surrounding the breeding of ostriches, but the stress of the animals during production and the lack of technical and scientific information on the nutrition of these birds has resulted in diets being prepared by extrapolating the nutritional needs of other poultry species, such as broilers and laying hens. Thus, in order for the animals to develop and achieve optimum production rates, it is necessary, among other factors, to have an excellent nutritional strategy, which can be achieved through knowledge of behavioral and feeding habits, adaptive development and feeding management, anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, nutrient requirements and limitations in the use of food.