Basic Anatomy and Physiology of 0strich (Shutar Murgh)

When dealing with medical and surgical problems of Ostrich we should have a basic understanding of ostrich anatomy to handle the birds safely.The digestive and reproductive systems will be discussed because of their importance in clinical medicine and in the management of these birds. Lets discuss Anatomy and Physiology of Ostrich.

(Ostrich Farming Business Plan)

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The tongue of the ostrich is blunt and folded back over itself rostrally, forming a pouch or pocket. The oesophagus generally traverses the right side of the neck, but all cervical structures are movable. It is markedly wide in diameter and when contracted contains nurnerous longitudinal rugae. The auface of the oesophagus has a cornified appearance. Comparative measurements of the gastrointestinal tract of some ratites are presented in Table 7. It is of great importance to note that the crop is absent in all ratites. The oesophagus enters the stomach (proventriculus) within the thoracic cavity. The proventriculus of the ostrich is a large, dilated, thin-walled structure. It is also important to note that, in contrast with most other birds in which the entire inner surface of the proventriculus secretes digestive enzymes, the enzyme/acid secretory function in the ostrich is restricted to a patch on the greater curvature (see Figure 13). This glandular area of the proventriculus measures 1 x 5 x 24 cm in the ostrich, only 25 percent of the total inner surface area of the proventriculus, and contains some 300 glands that secrete hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin. The distal end of the proventriculus passes dorsal to the ventriculus (gizzard). The opening between the proventriculus and ventriculus is large enough to make it possible to extract any foreign bodies in the ventriculus via an incision in the proventriculus. The entriculus of the ostrich is a thick-walled structure similar to the ventriculus of seedeating birds. It is situated slightly to the left of the midline at the caudal border of the sternum (Figure 14). Although both the proventriculus and ventriculus may normally contain small stones, impaction is common, particularly in juveniles. The dark tough lining (koilin) of the proventriculus and ventriculus is formed by protein secreted from the glands combined with entrapped sloughed cells and cellular debris. The greenish or brownish colour arises from refluxed bile pigments from the duodenum. A duodenal loop is formed, with the pancreas lying between the segments. There is a secondary duodenal loop in the ostrich and the folds of the small intestine occupy the left mid-to-caudal abdomen. The small intestine is relatively short and straight. The ileum is located within the mesenteric attachment between the paired caeca and enters the large intestine at an ileo-caeco-rectal junction. In the ostrich, upon initial incision of the ventral midline abdominal wall, the elongated caeca are visible, and course diagonally from right to left in a caudal direction. Within the lumen of the caeca are spiral folds that produce a sacculated appearance. The rectum in the ostrich is voluminous and occupies the caudal right abdomen. Such a long and large rectum is necessary for digestion of bulky food items and fluid absorption. The rectum enters the cloaca via a rectal pouch and then enters the coprodeum (Figure 15). The rectal pouch is separated from the coprodeum by a rectocoprodeal fold.  The coprodeum is a large dilated sac covered by a dark tough membrane similar to koilin. The coprodeum and urodeum are partially separated by a copro-urodeal fold. The urodeum is short but within it are orifices for the ureters, the oviduct of the female and the vas deferens of the male. A uroproctodeal fold partially separates the urodeum from the proctodeum through which all excretions pass via the vent to the exterior. The brusa of fabricius is on the dorsum of the proctodeum.

 (Ostrich Farming Business Plan)

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

  In the female ostrich, as in all other birds, only the left ovary and oviduct usually develop. Kiwis are the only exception since they are the only birds in which both left and right ovaries consistently develop and become fully functional. In the mature ostrich, a flattened cluster of ova is present, each ranging in size from 1-8 cm in diameter. The fanshaped infundibulum (funnel) is the first part of the thin-walled oviduct, where fertilization occurs. Following the furmel is the magnum where albumen is added and then the isthmus where the two shell membranes are coated over the albumen. The total length of these three parts is approximately 118 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. The uterus is a thick-walled expanded segment of the oviduct. It is in the uterus (also called the shell gland) that the hard shell is formed from secretions of the calcareous glands.   The shell cuticle of the ostrich egg is an enamel-like layer which is deposited over the hard shell, giving the egg its smooth surface. The oviduct continues on to the urodeum of the cloaca. The paired testes of the male overlay the upper lobes of the kidneys. They are bright yellow in immature birds and slightly tanned (greyish-brown) in mature males. Approximately 1 x 1 x 4 cm each in size, they enlarge during the breeding season to over 5 x 6 x 12 cm (115 g in weight). Once the male begins to incubate, they shrink considerably to enlarge again in the next breeding season. All ratites, including the ostrich, have an intromittent organ commonly called a phallus (Figure 20). Although the ostrich phallus is analogous to the mammalian penis, it is not homologous. There is no urethra in the ostrich phallus, and it does not have a urinary function as does the mammalian penis. Ratites have two different types of phalluses. Ostriches (and kiwis) have an intromittent phallus with no internal cavity. When relaxed it is folded on the ventrum of the proctodeum of the cloaca. On the dorsima of the phallus is a phallic sulcus responsible for directing the semen into the cloaca of the female.

(Ostrich Farming Business Plan)

Reproductive organs of adult ostriches

The phallus (penis) of the adult male is bright red and irregularly round in cross-section and lies folded in a wide pocket on the floor of the proctodeum when flaccid (Figure 21-I). The phallus is approximately 20 cm long and is so bulky that it may occupy most of the proctodeum and protrude from the vent to allow defecation and urination. The phallus when erect (about 40 cm long) projects from the cloaca in a ventrocranial curve, with the phallic sulcus on the dorsum at the base (see Figure 21-II). Because of the asymmetry of the fibrolymphatic bodies, the erect phallus tends to deviate to the left. The exact mechanism that stimulates erection is still unknown.   The female ostrich has a diminutive phallus (3 cm long), which projects from a genital mound or eminence on the floor of the proctodeum. There may be a minimal groove on the dorsal surface. The female phallus is flattened in cross-section. Reproductive organs of chicks and juvenile ostriches Juvenile ostriches may be sexed by everting the proctodeum through the vent. Practice is required to identify the structures on the ventrum of the proctodeum consistently. A small bird may be held on its back on the lap of a seated person with the tail directed away from the holder's body. The person examining the bird should place the middle finger of each hand below the point of flexion of the tail. The thumbs may then bend the tail downwards, providing maximum exposure of the vent. The index fingers may be used to evert the proctodeum by exerting pressure cranial to the cloaca and squeezing caudally. Faeces and urates may be expelled in the process. Older juveniles may be held upright by supporting the bird under the sternum.   Alternate methods of sexing chicks and young juveniles include insertion of a moistened cotton-tipped applicator stick or a plastic rod through the vent and lifting the phallus out. In ostrich chicks (less than or equal to 10 kg in weight), a lubricated_fingermay be inserted through the vent to retrieve the phallus. The phallus of the female is flattened, with only a trace of a groove on the dorsal surface (Figure 22-II), whereas the male phallus is irregularly rounded in cross-section with a prominent groove on the dorsal surface (Figure 22-I). The phallus of a sevenmonth 53-kg juvenile male is typically 1.0 x 1.5 x 3.0 cm, and the crura of the phallic bodies are prominent on the floor of the proctodeum.

  You can also find this page by; shutar murgh farming in pakistan, ostrich farming profitability, ostrich business in pakistan,