spadona, noun

/spəˈdəʊnə/
Forms:
Also spadone.
Origin:
ItalianShow more From Italian spadone large sword; see quotation 1896.
Ostrich-farming
An imperfectly developed feather taken from a young ostrich in its first year. Also short form spad. See also chick.
1877 J. De Mosenthal Ostriches & Ostrich Farming 226Spadones. White and Light femina.
c1881 A. Douglass Ostrich Farming 9115 oz. light Spadona..5 oz. femina Spadona.
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 235‘Spadonas’ refers to the imperfectly developed first year’s crop from young birds. These feathers are pointed like a sword, hence the name.
1908 J.E. Duerden in Agric. Jrnl of Cape of G.H. XXXIII. 789The size of the adult plume is not determined by that of the spadona.
1909 J.E. Duerden in Agric. Jrnl of Cape of G.H. XXXIV. 518Chick feathers..taper towards their tip in a spear-like manner, hence their name of spadona.
1909 J.E. Duerden in Agric. Jrnl of Cape of G.H. XXXIV. 524The first or chick wing-quills, clipped at about six months, are much smaller and more tapering than those produced later, and receive the special name of spadonas.
1910 A.B. Lamont Rural Reader 142The feathers of young birds are called ‘spadonas’, from an Italian word meaning sword-shaped.
1930 M.F. Wormser Ostrich Indust. in S. Afr. 10Spadonas are the only feathers of commercial value on the chick.
1932 Grocott’s Daily Mail 14 Jan. 3Spadonas: white and light, 7/6 to 9/6; coloured, 4/- to 6/-.
1968 F. Goldie Ostrich Country 20Chick feathers, called spadonas or spads, are not nearly as valuable as those of later clippings.
1973 D.J. Maree in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. VIII. 398The first feathers..taken off the chick at the age of six to eight months..are known in the trade as ‘spadonas’.
An imperfectly developed feather taken from a young ostrich in its first year. Also short form spad.
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Italian
spaansriet, nounn.span, nounn.1
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