EGGSHELL CONDUCTANCE AND OTHER FUNCTIONAL QUALITIES OF OSTRICH EGGS

Eggshell conductance was measured and eggshell conductance constants w ere calculated for eggs from ostriches. In addition, egg water, yolk, albumen, shell, and total solids were measured in an effort to determi ne the maternal investment of ostrich eggs. The results of the study s uggest that the optimal incubator humidity for ostrich eggs is less th an 25% to allow a 15% loss of initial egg mass during the 45-d incubat ion period. This low humidity does not preclude increasing humidity du ring the actual hatching process. In addition, incubation temperatures need to be adjusted to allow a longer development time for the embryo to attain an adequate level of maturity to survive the plateau stage in oxygen consumption or to prevent the use of limited energy of the y olk to survive the anoxia of tucking and internal pipping. The optimal incubation temperature of ostrich eggs appears to be between 36.1 and 36.9 C.