Ostrich farm in the country - we will solve this problem!
The current landowners began to turn their attention to the breeding of animals, which are not entirely familiar to our natural zone. For example, in Eurasia, ostrich farms are increasingly appearing. And although hot Africa is the historical homeland of this exotic bird, these huge birds feel quite comfortable here.
What is the advantage of breeding ostriches?
A farmer who starts this business will likely receive orders for young stock, adult birds and fertilized eggs from other poultry farmers who dream of starting a similar business.
Restaurants will gladly purchase delicious and healthy dietary meat. It tastes like veal, and all known types of heat treatment are used for its preparation. One adult can produce 28-30 kg of tender red meat.
Ostrich fat is highly valued. Pharmaceutical creams are made from it, which stimulate regeneration, have a moisturizing and softening effect. Fat is also found in soaps and other cosmetics. Up to 15 kg of melted fat can be obtained from one ostrich carcass.
One ostrich egg weighs from 500 grams to 2 kg. It can successfully replace 30-40 eggs chickens... One individual can produce up to 65 eggs per year. And they can be stored in a cool place for about a year without losing their taste.
Many interesting creative things are made from ostrich egg shells: boxes, shades for light bulbs, vases, cups. Among artists today, painting the shell with paints, engraving and carving with a drill is very popular.
Flight and tail feathers were used in the century before last for the manufacture of fans, fans and plumes of headdresses. Today they are bought by fashion designers and dance groups. The rest of the feathers are used to fill down jackets, pillows and feather beds. By selling feathers and down, a farmer can generate almost 15% of the total income from breeding ostriches. Moreover, the feathers of ostriches are not plucked, but cut off close to the skin. This procedure is performed with a bird over 2 years old, since young individuals have low quality feathers and down.
The skin of ostriches is also in high demand. She is extremely flexible. Handmade bags, gloves, wallets, belts, shoes are made from it. In terms of quality, ostrich skin is equivalent to crocodile and snakeskin.
Diseases of ostriches
An interesting fact is that this bird, being a native of Africa, easily withstands frosts of -15 degrees. And the heat is not at all scary to her. She feels great at +56 degrees.
Quite high immunity to various diseases, low mortality makes it easier to grow ostriches. However, they can be overcome by certain infections and diseases. For instance:
- bacterial infections;
- bird flu;
- stasis;
- mycoplasma;
- ingestion of a foreign body into the respiratory tract;
- poisoning;
- worms;
- botulism;
- fungal gastritis;
- deformation of the legs;
- Newcastle disease;
- encephalopathy;
- hepatitis;
- ticks;
- avian pox.
An emergency call to a qualified veterinarian will allow you to make a diagnosis and start treatment on time.
Three Ways to Start an Ostrich Breeding Business
You can buy exotic bird eggs or chicks. Some are inclined to buy adults immediately. But the ostriches themselves are quite expensive, and no one can give guarantees that strong healthy chicks will hatch from the eggs.
Therefore, the best option is to purchase ostrich chicks.Moreover, a square meter of area is enough for one little ostrich. Of course the birds will grow. Along with them, the requirements for their content will also increase. Therefore, the breeder will need to gradually increase the area of walking and stables for ostriches. Also, the portioned mass of feed will become larger over time.
Ostrich feeding
Although this bird is considered exotic in our country, it eats the same food as ordinary chickens. The benefit of breeding ostriches is also that the majority of the diet is greens. They also consume cereals, grains, legumes, grated raw vegetables and root crops, as well as mash of boiled fruits with compound feed and bran. You can offer them non-acidic cottage cheese, chopped boiled meat and liver. One bird should eat 2 to 3 kg of food per day.
Vitamins, mineral complexes are given to ostriches in the same way as other poultry, but the rate is calculated based on the weight of the individual. It is useful to add fish oil and vegetable oils to the mash.
Ostriches should have fresh clean water every day. Although this bird can go without drinking for several days, getting liquid from juicy feed, but it should not be abused. And for comfortable keeping, they need water every day.
Breeding ostriches
Usually the family of these birds consists of a couple of females and one male. But an interesting fact is that the ostrich must choose its own "companions" in life. Forcibly connected families may simply not fit each other and do not produce offspring. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the whole herd together at the rate of 5-10 square meters per individual in a stall and 100-200 meters in a walking enclosure.
At the age of one and a half to two years, females begin to lay eggs. Up to 65 eggs can be obtained from one individual per year. And although this bird lives up to 80 years, its ability to reproduce its own kind is preserved only up to 40.
Usually, the female lays from 12 to 18 eggs in a hole prepared by the male in advance. During the day, the future mother sits on the nest. But at night it is replaced by a male. The incubation period lasts from 42 to 45 days.
But it is considered more rational to hatch chicks using an incubator, since it is possible to get up to 40 ostriches from one female instead of 18.
As you can see from the above, breeding ostriches on your own plot is extremely profitable. And definitely very interesting!