EMU
Ostrich
1.0 Health
consciousness in the modern civilisation has led to diversified food
habits. The European communities have gone in search of foods which
contributed mainly to the health diets of population. In this
process, animal and avian species have contributed to a large extent
in providing the required health foods like milk, meat and eggs.
The tendency to go for low calorie foods has resulted in increased
demand for new species for meat purpose. At present the ostrich
meat ranks highest among health foods in Europe. The recognition of
ostrich meat in terms of health value is attributed to “zero”
percentage fat, low cholesterol and calories, rich in protein and
iron. The demand and interest in ostrich meat has been increasing
especially after the threat of ‘mad cow’ disease. The unique
culinary tastes of ostrich meat have been developed into Sashin,
stir-fry and steak type meats. These meats have flooded the
restaurants in Europe, Japan, Australia and China in a big way.
2.0 Besides meat,
the ostrich has been able to produce high premium feathers, oil and
other by-products. The ostrich skin converted into luxury leather
is used for making variety of articles. The bleached dyed feathers
are used as the raw material for fashion accessories, show business,
brush industry and automobile accessories.
3.0 Ostrich a
large flightless hardy bird of African origin can survive in
temperatures ranging from two degrees to fifty degrees Celsius. It
can be reared on barren land and mainly consumes Alfa-alfa, Lucerne
and water. It belongs to running bird family. It has long neck and
small head, with large eyes and short broad beak. It spreads small
wings while running. The long powerful legs are used for defence.
The feet have only two toes. Male ostriches are black, with white
wings and tail. The white feathers of the male, which are large and
soft, are the ostrich plumes of commercial value. The female is
dull greyish brown. The males are polygamous, and move with three
or four females or in groups of four or five males accompanied by
mates and young ones. The females lay their yellowish white eggs
together in a single large depression in the sand. The eggs weigh
about 1.48 kg. each and have a volume of about 1.4 liters. The male
sits on them at night and the female incubates them by day. The
life expectancy is about 60-70 years. The general characteristics
are given in table - 1.
4.0 The first
organised ostrich farm was established for feathers in about 1863 in
Karoo and Eastern Cape region of South Africa. The act for the
preservation of the wild ostrich was passed in 1870 in Cape Colony.
In 1884 Cape Government imposed high export duty on ostrich, and
eggs to protect their monopoly supply of feathers to European
markets. In the same period people from North and South America,
and Australia who became interested in ostrich farming transported
the birds to their countries. Several shipments of birds were
imported into Australia during period of 1881-1905 and several farms
were established in South, West Australia and Queensland. The
scientific management of ostrich farms showed good profits, and edge
over other enterprises. This resulted in popularity of ostrich
farms in Australia. The formation of Australian Ostrich Association
(AOA) and Australian Ostrich Co. Ltd. resulted in development of
ostrich industry to a large extent. At present the Australian
Ostrich Association has 4000 members with 70000 ostrich birds. The
ostrich farms are found in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel,
USA and France.
5.0 The increased
demand of ostrich over the past few years has given way to rearing
birds under controlled systems. The intensive system became popular
because of adoption of scientific technologies, reduced risk of
diseases through improved bio-security measures, genetic selection,
nutritional innovations, health regimes, and extensive disease
surveillance. Scientifically proven management practices resulted
in low cost production and improvement in quality of ostrich
products.
6.0 The
comparative economics of ostrich v/s beef cattle presented in table
2 indicates that ostrich farming has an edge over cattle farming in
terms of high returns on investments. Added to the high returns the
operational advantages found are :
i.The bird can be reared in paddock
alongwith sheep, goat and cattle.
ii.The birds need no dipping, drenching,
milking and shearing.
iii.The adaptability of the bird is
equally high on annual and perennial pastures or scrub.
iv.The bird can be reared both in hot
and freezing temperatures.
v.The bird has shown high sustainability
in irrigated as well as rainfed farming environments.
vi.There is virtually no waste products
in the bird.
vii.The size of the farm is not a
limiting factor.
viii.The added value segments all along
the products is very high.
The limiting factors that can be
prudently managed are :
i.High capital investments for setting
up of the farms.
ii.The markets for meat and its
byproducts are not easily accessible.
iii.The high penalties for slaughtering
older birds (20 months and above) in the European countries.
iv.The birds are potential and
vulnerable for avian disorders particularly for Newcastle disease.
7.0
Liberalised economic policies adopted in 1991 and GATT agreement has
given boost to Indian agriculture. After the success of poultry
industry during last two decades ostrich farming has opened new
vistas for development. The temperate climate of India with zero
temperatures of sub Himalayan ranges and 45+ temperatures of
Rajasthan desert are found congenial for setting up ostrich farms in
the country. A beginning has been made to promote ostrich farms in
India through Indo-French Seminar on “Advanced Food Technology and
Ostrich Farming” organised on 25 February 1997 at Bangalore by
Greater Mysore, Chamber of Industry (GMCI) in association with
Karnataka Agro Industries Corporation (KAIC), and was co-sponsored
by Indian Overseas Bank. Later an “Exhibition cum Seminar on
Ostrich Farming” was organised at Bangalore on 3-4 November 1997 by
a newly formed Global Ostrich (India) Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture
company of Australia. The entrepreneurs, businessmen and
progressive farmers in large number attended the same. A decision
was taken, in the seminar to take up franchise programme for setting
up ostrich farms. Meanwhile, a Forum on Technology for Ostriches (FOTO)
has been formed which will act as an umbrella group to bring
together farmers and entrepreneurs interested in ostrich farming and
to act as a nodal agency to collaborate and negotiate with worldwide
ostrich agencies like Auxavia France, South Ostrich Farmers
Association and CCI Global Ostrich Group, Australia and also to
develop and establish a network with similar agencies at Singapore,
Hongkong, South Africa, China and New Zealand.
8.0 As to the new
farming activity, the Karnataka Government has announced to allot
government lands to those interested in taking up ostrich farming in
the state. Some of the interested entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu and
Karnataka have approached banks to extend financial support for
setting up of ostrich farms and also for taking up research on
ostriches.
9.0 Animal
Welfare Organisation of Bangalore and Beauty without Cruelty,
International Charitable Trust for Animal Rights, Pune have started
campaign to oppose this venture. It is argued that India with its
heritage of non violence does not need to go in for business that
involves killing of beautiful innocent birds for meat purpose to
satisfy whimsical food faddists.
10.0 New economic
activity which need to be experimented always finds opposition in
one or the other ways. There is always scope for improvement in
farming systems which can be modified and changed to suit the
economic and social needs. A beginning in the country has been
already made. It is prudent to welcome such new ventures which is
beneficial to our farmers and the national prosperity. Let the laws
facilitate business and production and not smoother the genuine
spirit of business. This may also open a new investment opportunity
for banks in the near future.
TABLE - 1 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
FOR OSTRICHES
A.
FAMILY
Running birds Place of Origin
Ostrich Africa
Emu Australia
Rnea South
America
Cassowary New-Guinea
Kiwi New-Zealand
B. General
Identification Male
Female
Colour
black grey
Sexual Maturity
30 months 24 months
Height
2.60 m 2.40 m
Weight
150 kg 130 kg
Speed
70 km/h 70 km/h
C. Breeding specifications
Social Life
1 male for 2 females
Duration of life 70 years
Breeding years
30 years
Laying 60 eggs
average per breeding
Fattening birds 30 (12
months)
Egg weight
1.6 kg (24 hen eggs weight)
Mortality
Nil (upto 3 months age)
Food
secial diet and fresh food
Particular nature growth
of 1 cm/day during the 1st 6 months
Slaughtering age 12
months
Meat Output
30-35 kg fillet and steak
Skin output
1.40 m2
D. PRODUCTS
UTILITIES
|
Products |
Characteristics |
Outlets |
|
Leather |
Pearl or grain Suppleness, Rusticity
|
Luxury Moroco-Leather Goods Baggage, High
Fashion Shoes |
|
Meat |
Red, Tender, Tasty Dietic |
Roasted, Grilled, Panful, Nature
|
|
Feather Tourism
|
Suppleness, Anti-Static |
Decoration, Brushes, Festivals Show-Farm,
Natural or Painted Egg Shells |
E. DISTRIBUTION FOR
INDUSTRY
|
Leather
Meat
Feather
|
Finished skin
Raw skin
--
Natural, Bleached,
Dyed |
HERMES
Tannery specialised in Luxury & exotic
products
Restaurant, Butchery
Delicacies, Supermarkets
Festivals, Fashion Show and
Theatre show, brush industry |
F. PRODUCTION SYSTEM :
i) Is based on the symbosis of 2
different rearing technics : poultry and cow farming.
ii) Production is a semi-intensive
farming : indoors and outdoors (building and free space)
G. PRODUCTION CYCLE (4
STEPS)
|
Particulars |
Age |
Housing |
|
Starters (Chicks)
Fatterens (Ostriches)
Selection (Ostriches)
Breeders (Ostriches)
|
1
day to 3 months
4 to 12 months
12 to 24 months
+ 24 months |
Poultry Building - adjoining 3 free space
Cow Building or sheep fold +
adjoining free space
In free space (Building is optional_
In camps at the ratio of 1 trio to 5
trio per run (Building is optional) |
The general practice is one male for two
females (trio) for an average output of 60 eggs per female for
breeding season, with good rearing condition one can get 30
fatterning birds (12 months period).
H. Technical
specifications for an ostrich farm
|
Age |
Indoor |
Outdoor |
|
1-21 days
22-90 days
90 days - 300 days
Breeders/Selection
12 months and older
|
building 0.5 sq.m./bird
building
1.00 sq.m/bird
open shelter
1 sq.m./bird
open shelter
5 sq.m./bird |
according to the climate 3-5 sq.m./bird
required 10 sq.m./bird
minimum 50 sq.m
100 sq.m./bird (slaughtering)
minimum space 1000 sq.m
500-800 sq.m./bird
minimum space 1000 sq.m. |
Note : (i) The open shelter should offer
protection on 3 sides with a door on the 4th side.
The opening will be minimum 1.50 wide.
The shelter will be minimum 2.50 m high.
(ii) The fence will be minimum 1.50 m
high for the birds and breeders (according to the farm and
objectives) with a post for every 4 meters.
Source: Ostrich farming : Paper
presented by Mt. Laurent Simon, Managing Director, Auxavia, France
in the Indo French Seminar on Advanced Food Technologies and Ostrich
Farming, Bangalore, India on 26.02.1997
Table - 2. Comparison of Beef
Cattle v/s Ostrich
Productivity of Ostriches varies widely
but even a conservative estimate of 30 offspring a year compares
favourably to cattle productivity. This comparison considers
conservative market prices.
|
Sr.No. |
Particulars |
Beef Cattle |
Ostrich |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
A.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
viii)
ix)
x)
B.
i)
ii)
iii) |
Costs
Level required
Gestation
Offspring per year
Meat Production Time Frame
Meat Production per annum (3)
Square Feet of Hide (3)
Number of hides
Cost of Feed per day
Breeding years
Meat Price per pond
Income per annum
Hide value (1)
Slaughter (meat) value (2)
Plumage value (3)
|
10,000 sq.m. per pair
280 days
1
10 months
550
50 to 60
1
$ 1.00 - 1.50
10 to 11
$ 1.00
--
$ 550
--
|
1,600 sq.m. per pair
42 days
30
12 months
1,800
420
30
30 Cents
40 to 45
$ 10.00
$ 10500
$18000
$1500 |
|
Total Economic Value (3) |
550 |
30,000 |
(1) 14 sq.ft.x$25 sq.ft.x30 offspring
per year
(2) 60 lbs (choice cuts)x$1000 lbs x 30
offspring
(3) Assumes an average of 30 birds per
year
Source: Ostrich farming : Paper
presented by Mt. Laurent Simon, Managing Director, Auxavia, France
in the Indo French Seminar on Advanced Food Technologies and Ostrich
Farming, Bangalore, India on 26.02.1997
