There is limited quality research concerning the nutritional requirements of Ratites. However, some dependable guidelines have been established because of work completed in Australia and Africa. As in all diet formulations, a variety of high quality ingredients should be used to meet the nutrient recommendations of the Ratite. Using a wide variety of ingredients helps to decrease the effect of variations that are inherent in all ingredients.
Some growers feel that the higher the protein the better.
This is not necessarily true. Protein value is of greater importance. When the amino acids are balanced, protein content can be reduced without decreasing the quality of the feed. In fact, high levels of unbalanced proteins can be detrimental to bird growth and performance. In a worst case scenario, if an amino acid is deficient in the diet, the birds may actually consume markedly more feed without increased performance and possibly decreased performance.