Four Key Points to Note in Ostrich Farming
Ostrich farming is a very popular specialty farming breed recently. Ostrich meat is now increasingly accepted by the general public, and ostrich eggs also have high nutritional value. Let's take a look at the technical key points of ostrich farming below!
1. Site Selection and Pen Design
Site selection for a new ostrich farm is very important. Choose a location with higher terrain, convenient drainage, sufficient sunlight and good ventilation. Sandy soil or sandy loam soil is the best. This is because sandy soil or sandy loam soil has more capillary pores, good air and water permeability, low water retention, will not become excessively muddy after rain, and is easy to keep dry. The farm area must be able to provide sufficient and clean drinking water. The surrounding environment is also an important factor to consider when choosing a site. Ostriches are particularly sensitive to stimuli from the surrounding environment and are easily startled and prone to stress responses. Therefore, the environment around the ostrich farm should be quiet. It is best to plant greenery around the farm area so that the ostriches live in an environment close to nature, thereby better realizing their production potential.
2. Selection of Ostriches
The selection of good ostrich breeding stock is the key to establishing a farm and the most important factor determining future economic benefits. African ostriches were introduced into China relatively recently and are now in a stage of population expansion. Because the sources of ostrich introductions among domestic enterprises are complex, the germplasm of introduced ostriches varies greatly. Therefore, farmers must be very careful when purchasing ostriches. Choose ostriches with pure germplasm and good production performance to lay a good foundation for future development.
Ostriches are generally divided into three types: red-necked ostriches, blue-necked ostriches and domesticated ostriches (domesticated ostriches are what are commonly called African black ostriches). African black ostriches have the characteristics of a compact body, gentle temperament, fine feathers, early sexual maturity and high egg production, and are currently the main breed raised.
When purchasing ostriches, pay attention to pedigree records and bloodline matching. Pedigree records document in detail the ostrich's origin, breed, sex, age, parents and its own main production performance. Based on this, you can understand the ostrich's production performance and bloodline and carry out reasonable bloodline matching.
In addition, when purchasing ostriches, observe their health status. The observation methods are generally: 1. Behavioral observation: healthy ostriches are full of energy, sensitive to external stimuli, and strongly gregarious;
2. Body surface health observation: healthy ostriches have full muscles, no exposed bones, no injuries anywhere on the body, and a steady, normal gait;
3. Feeding observation: healthy ostriches have a strong appetite. When the keeper enters the pen, they will actively come forward and wait to be fed;
4. Droppings observation: healthy ostrich droppings are dark green, fine and well digested, with a large urine output, transparent urine, and a small amount of white urates.
3. Feed Supply for Ostriches
The African ostrich is a monogastric herbivorous bird. Its digestive tract is completely different from that of ruminants, and also different from that of non-ruminants or poultry. Ostriches have no teeth and no crop; their saliva contains no digestive enzymes. The esophagus leads directly to the proventriculus. The proventriculus has a relatively large volume and can store large amounts of ingested food. Digestion in the stomach begins in the proventriculus. Next is the gizzard, which is spherical. The gizzard contains stones for digestion. In addition, the biggest feature of the ostrich digestive tract is that it contains two large ceca and a very long colon, which are the conditions for fermentative digestion in ostriches. Therefore, the feed absorption and conversion rate of ostriches is the highest among current livestock species.
In the process of raising ostriches, concentrate feed supply can be divided into seven stages, namely chick ostriches (0-2 months), young ostriches (2-4 months), growing ostriches (4-6 months), fattening ostriches (6-9 months), replacement ostriches (9-14 months), maintenance (14 months to the start of laying and the non-laying period) and laying ostriches. The nutritional requirements differ at each stage, and the feed ratios also differ. But all are mainly based on grass. Ostriches have a wide range of eating habits and can feed on various pasture grasses and feeds as well as many root and tuber crops, vegetables, etc.
4. Common Diseases of Ostriches and Their Prevention and Treatment
Because ostriches have not been domesticated for long, their disease resistance is extremely strong. During the farming process, attention should be paid to diseases caused by improper feeding. First, pay attention to the quality of the feed to prevent ostriches from being infected with mold poisoning due to eating moldy food.
Ostrich farming has very high requirements for feed quality. Moldy food and moldy raw materials are harmful to ostriches. Second, pay attention to the lignification of green feed fiber. Because severely lignified green feed can easily cause digestive system diseases in ostriches. Finally, during the farming process, attention should be paid to avoiding the possibility of traumatic injury to ostriches.
Ostrich Farming Profits
A young ostrich weighs more than two jin at birth, let alone a large ostrich. A single adult ostrich can weigh as much as 220 kilograms. Ostriches are the largest birds currently existing in the world. They are very good at running, can cover eight meters in one step, and can reach a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour. Some ostriches can reach a height of more than 2.6 meters, with a very large build. If a male ostrich's face turns red and its feet also turn red, this indicates that it is in estrus, and when they are in estrus they will show some “dancing” behavior. The annual estrus period is from February to October, with June and July being the peak of egg laying. Each female ostrich lays one egg every one or two days. An ostrich egg generally weighs as much as 4 jin. A few years ago, one ostrich egg could sell for more than 200 yuan, with very generous profits. One ostrich can lay 50 or 60 eggs a year. This business is worth doing, right?
Ostriches come from Africa, but they are not afraid of cold and are easy to raise. For example, even in places as cold as Northeast China, there is no problem raising them. Ostriches are animals tolerant of coarse feed and are relatively easy to raise. Ostrich eggs have a special characteristic: they are especially hard. Even something weighing one or two hundred jin pressed on top will not break them. They have small brains and are stupid. When you catch them, you can use a hook to lasso their neck, then cover the ostrich's eyes with cloth. As long as it cannot see light, this creature becomes docile.
Ostrich skin and ostrich meat have always been very popular. If selling eggs does not work out, then hatch them, expand production, and sell ostrich skin and meat. But when raising young ostriches, you must pay attention, because they have little ability to discriminate and will eat whatever they pick up. They are typical gluttons. You can add green feed to their food to help ostriches that have eaten sand expel the sand from their bodies. Catching an ostrich is a difficult task. If you let an ostrich kick you, it could seriously break your ribs. The legs of an African ostrich are strong enough to kick a male lion to death.
Ostrich Processing Industry
Ostrich farming for 10 months generally allows them to grow to 80 kilograms. If you sell them directly, perhaps you get just over 1,400 yuan, but the farming cost may be around 1,000 yuan, so the benefit is relatively small. But after deep processing, one ostrich can generate more than 3,000 in benefits, doubling the benefit.
You can slaughter and process them yourself, break them down and sell the parts to increase benefits. One ostrich can be divided into more than 40 portions when broken down, and different parts have different prices, somewhat similar to beef. A pair of ostrich feet can sell for more than 160 yuan. Farmers can consider making an ostrich banquet; for example, ostrich neck tastes especially good, with gamey, tender flavor and better taste, so the price will naturally be higher.
Advantages of Ostrich Farming
1. Ostriches are not prone to illness, do not require epidemic prevention, are not afraid of cold, and are not afraid of heat.
2. Ostriches are mainly herbivorous, with low feeding costs and fast growth speed, and can grow 300 jin in a year.
3. The rearing site is simple, and they can be raised in a rural courtyard without investment.
4. High benefits: a 90-year lifespan, 50 years of egg laying, each ostrich can lay about 150 eggs per year, with a market price of more than 100 yuan each. Each ostrich can create 400,000 yuan in benefits over its lifetime.
Prospects for Ostrich Farming
Ostrich meat is green and healthy, rich in nutrition, and a high-grade meat. The market price is more than 60 yuan per kilogram. The egg is the king of a hundred eggs, each weighing about 3 jin. The market price is around 200 yuan each. Ostrich feathers are soft in texture, full and elegant, and feel good. They have excellent thermal insulation performance and do not generate static electricity, making them an excellent ingredient for the garment industry. In international ballroom dance competitions, the decorations on dancers' costumes are all made with ostrich feathers. Wealthy ladies in Europe and America use ostrich feathers as hat decorations to show nobility and beauty. In addition, ostrich oil and ostrich blood have relatively high medicinal value and can be made into high-grade cosmetics and pharmaceuticals with excellent performance. It can be said that the whole ostrich is a treasure. The economic benefits are very high.
Ostrich farming is a very popular farming breed in recent years, but any farming involves risks. Only by mastering farming techniques well and also understanding market conditions can you achieve your own success in the farming industry.