Assessment of Reproductive Efficiency in Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

The effect of age, month and season had a highly significant influence on seminal attributes in ostrich. Biometry of ostrich spermatozoa demonstrated five defined segments namely acrosome, nucleus, mid-piece, principal piece and end piece and were typically filiform in shape closely resembling those of other ratites and galliform birds. Season had a significant influence on both male and female reproductive hormones in ostrich and maximum hormone levels were noticed during winter and summer than southwest and northeast monsoon seasons. Five major protein bands identified in ostrich seminal plasma had a molecular weight ranging between 21.66 kDa and 102.34 kDa and the molecular weight expression were influenced by season. Artificial insemination had significantly improved the fertility and total hatchability compared to natural mating in ostrich. Artificial insemination in ostrich has not been attempted so far even any international research institutes / commercial breeders and this is the only maiden attempt, made systematically in ostrich, which brought out encouraging results and proved worthwhile.