[Animal nutrition in veterinary medicine--actual case reports. Nutritionally related disturbences in bone development in emus and rheas].

Two cases of disturbed health and growth of the skeleton in emus and rheas caused by faults in feeding and mineral supply are reported. 13 of 37 emus developed (beginning in the 3rd week) more and more signs of perosis. The diet fed in this case was based mainly on pelleted diets for piglets and rabbits and unpelleted supplements. The ingesting behaviour (selective intake and refuse of fines and supplements) resulted in an imbalanced mineral intake. In the second case 3 of 15 young rheas showed unphysiological postures of the necks vertebral column. Disposed by an absolutely insufficient calcium supply (the real ingested diet was based on corn and white bread mainly) fractures of vertebrae were provoked by unprofessional handling. During the healing process (uncalcified) connective tissue near to fractures localization led to the abnormal posture of the neck.