Efficacy of probiotics in intensively reared Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) chicks

The efficiency of probiotics was studied through their administration with the feed to intensively reared Greater rheas from birth to three months of age. Efficiency was evaluated in terms of increase in survival and growth rates, compared with chicks that received an untreated diet. Although the groups treated with probiotics had slightly higher survival rates than the control group, the differences were not significant. Mean total survival rate was 60.7%. No significant differences were observed in growth rate among groups. Mean total growth rate for a Gompertz growth curve with 25.6 kg of asymptote was 0.0057323 +/- 0.0002738 (S.E.). It is concluded that none of the probiotics administered with the feed enhanced survival or growth of Greater rhea chicks.