Introduction to Ostrich Livestock Farming

Ostrich farming is an opportunity in Pakistan. At present the ostrich

meat ranks highest amonghealth foods in Europe. Ostrich is a large flightless
hardy bird of African origin can survive intemperatures ranging from two degrees
to fifty degrees Celsius. It can be reared on barren landand mainly consumes
Alfa-alfa, Lucerne and water.Male ostriches are black, with white wings and
tail. The white feathers of the male, which arelarge 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
fivemales accompanied by mates and young ones. The females lay their
yellowish white eggstogether in a single large depression in the sand. The
eggs weigh about 1.48 kg. each and have avolume of about 1.4 liters. The
male sits on them at night and the female incubates them byday. The life
expectancy is about 60-70 years.
Our Goals
The primary goal of Ostriches On Line is to put Ostrich meat onto all the food
tables of theworld. This goal will be further enhanced and supported by making
available to a worldwideclientele a vast array of products from one of the
most remarkable and resourceful animals inthe world.Our goals will be
achieved by educating the world to the phenomenal benefits of farmingOstriches
to produce Ostrich meat and the unequalled by-products of this unique animal.

Advantages of Ostrich farming

i. The bird can be reared in paddock along with sheep,goat and cattle.ii. The birds
need no dipping, drenching, milking andshearing.iii. The adaptability of the bird
is equally high onannual 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 rain fed farming
environments.vi. There are 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
Europeancountries
.iv. The birds are potential and vulnerable for avian disorders
particularly for Newcastle disease.

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 eggsweight)
Mortality ------------------ Nil (up to 3 months age)
Particular nature ------------ growth of 1 cm/dayduring the 1st 6 months
Slaughtering age ------------------ 12 months
Meat Output ---------------------- 30-35 kg fillet and steak
Skin output ---------------------- 1.40 m

PRODUCTION SYSTEM:
i) Is based on the symbiosis of 2 different rearing technics : poultry and cow
farming.ii) Production is a semi-intensive farming : indoors and outdoors
(building and free space)
Age Indoor Outdoor
1-21 Days building 0.5 sq.m./bird according to climate (3-
5sq.m/bird)
22-90 days 1.00 sq.m/bird About 10sq.m./bird
90-300 days open shelter minimum 50 sq.m
12 Month and Older* open shelter 500-800 sq.m./bird

Feeding
The natural habitats of Ostriches are dry savannahs andsemi-arid
plains, where ostriches live on poor grazing.
They are able to survive where cattle and sheep cannot.
Ostriches eat grass, leaves of dicotyledons (e.g. lucerne),seeds,
berries, but also insects and small rodents.
Ostriches can digest crude fibers much better than otherpoultry.
Fully grown Ostriches can digest fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose,
lignin) for more than60% of their diet.

Food consumption & food conversion rate

It is said that Ostriches eat until their energy demands aremet. Therefore
if the food is richer in energy they will eatless of it. This may be true for
chicks, but adults usuallyeat until their stomach is full, up to 5kg per day.
Ostricheshave very few taste buds and select their food mainly forits colour,
texture and general appearance.

Daily consumption table of concentrated food

Age (Months) Live Weight (Kg) Avg. daily intake (Kg)
0-1 (Chicks) 0.75-3 0.120
1-2.5 3-15 0.360
2.5-60(Grower) 15-60 1.5
6-11 60-80 2.5
11-14 80-100 2.2
>14(Adult) 100-120 2.3
>30(Adult breed) 110-120 2.5

Ostrich products
MEAT
Ostrich meat is 100% red meat. It is extraordinarilydelicious and is
served as a main menu item in some of thefinest restaurants in the
 world.
The meat is so similar to prime beef in color, texture andtaste but is lower
in fat content than the leanest cuts of chicken or turkey.
Add to that, its also lower in calories and cholesterol.

LEATHER
Perhaps the finest in the world and the strongestcommercially
available.
Boot owners take special pride in their favoritepairs, and they pay
high prices for those specialboots that provide the comfort, fit and
durability.
Ostrich leather yields and stretches to provide avery comfortable fit, but
somehow it simply doesnot wear out.
In the past, the superior qualities of Ostrich leather could only be enjoyed
by people whocould afford the very best. But in the future, this highly
prized natural material will beappearing in more and more products,
from hand-bags to car-seats, supplanting inferiorleathers as it
becomes more widely available.

BY-PRODUCTS: feathers
Ostriches have long been known for their fine feathers.
They have been used as adornments for centuries, and arestill
unsurpassed by anything, natural or man-made.
They are used in costumes worn by show girls, for Ostrichfeather
dusters and for final paint surface-preparations.
They are naturally oil-free, and anti-static.

BY-PRODUCTS: Oils
Ostrich Oil is now being used extensively around the world in Skin Care
Cosmetics.
Long recognized as having tremendous therapeutic values, Ostrich Oil is
more andmore being used as a natural Cosmetic alternative.

Empty Egg shells for Decoration

When nature takes its course and the Ostrich egg is infertile, asmall hole
is drilled into the base - the inside and outside is thencleaned.
When this empty egg shell is put into the hands of askilled "egger" the
results can be astounding.
Empty Egg shells for Decoration.
When nature takes its course and the Ostrich egg is infertile, asmall hole
is drilled into the base - the inside and outside is thencleaned.
When this empty egg shell is put into the hands of askilled "egger" the
results can be astounding.

FINANCIAL:
Ostrich livestock farming can be termed as the future of Pakistan
in livestock farming. A thirdworld country where agriculture is the
backbone of the economy, where there is too muchpoverty this can
serve as a vital role in providing job and business opportunities. The poor canbe
encouraged to participate in livestock farming.In the current Economic
crisis, where the commodities/raw materials of the industry are
subjectto inflation. This innovative idea provides an ideal opportunity for
investors and entrepreneurs.The in foreign investment due to the current
situation of the Pakistan is hampering the
countrys economy. This will boost the confidence level of the
investors towards Pakistan.

Capital Requirements:
1. A virgin market in Pakistan.
2. Pakistans Government provides land for Ostrich farming on
leasing, which is a great
3. support to this business.
4. The Government provides duty free import that is a Plus point
towards the capitalrequirements the business.
5. A veterinary staff to deal with the diagnosis of diseases and also
there injuries.
6. Managerial staff at the farm to oversee the breeding process.
7. Feeding expenses.
8. Fencing.

Cost Of one trio chick (4 weeks) Rs.36,000Cost Of one trio chick (6-8
weeks) Rs.45,000Feed Cost one year for three chicks(Rural areas)
Rs.10,000Feed Cost First Year for three
chicks(Urbanareas)Rs.15,0002 and year for Three birds (Rural
areas) Rs.18,0002and year for three birds (urban areas)
Rs.24,000Related expenses Rs.16,000Expected income per trip per
year Rs.2,00,000.

Estimated Earnings:
Can generate 1, 00,000 PKR/hen.
Huge profits.
Low food requirement.
More profitable than any other Livestock farming.
Low feed to weight ratio: This ratio is 2:1
Leather products:
Ostrich leather is thick, soft and durable. It can be manufactured
into a number of products.It is the most expensive part of an
ostrich and it can fetch almost 80 % of thetotal revenue earned
from an ostrich.
Feathers:
Ostrich feathers are used for cleaning fine machinery and
equipment as well as fordecorations and in the fashion industry.
Export:
Due to low labor costs in Pakistan, Ostriches can be exported at a
cost lower than theother ostrich exporting countries.
Ostrich Oil:
Ostrich oil obtained from fats of the ostrich is highly demanded in
the cosmetics,chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
 An ostrich farm of 50 birds can earn minimum 10 million rupees
per year y sellingchicks for only 3000 PKR/chick

Return on Investment:
1. Improved Hatching rate: During incubation the eggs may
break and the ostrich may losesome of the eggs, the hatching
percentage is 60 normally, but it can be improved to 95%by
using an incubator.
2. Good Mortality rate:
3. Supporting Environment Factors