2019 Ostrich Chick Prices and Farming Profitability Analysis
The ostrich is the largest bird in the world. Ostrich feathers, skin and meat all have high economic value, and ostriches are now widely raised in many countries. So how much does an ostrich chick cost in 2019?
1. How much does an ostrich chick cost in 2019?
The price of ostrich chicks is fairly high. An ordinary ostrich chick costs around 200 yuan each. If the breed is good and the appearance is good, the price may be higher, and some ostrich chicks may even reach 1000 yuan each. The specific situation depends on the market and the season.
2. The economic value of ostriches
At present, the economic benefits of raising ostriches are still decent. There is relatively high demand for ostriches on the market. Ostrich meat is edible, and its current price is still relatively high, so quite a few people will try it. The feathers and skin are both good craft materials, so the economic benefits of farming are relatively high.
1. Ostriches grow quickly, have strong disease resistance, wide adaptability, a high feed conversion rate, a high reproduction rate, a long lifespan and a long effective breeding period, so their economic value is high. The meat is red, high in protein and low in cholesterol, and contains 21 amino acids essential to the human body. Its meat is delicious and its nutritional value is similar to beef, making it fairly suitable for modern consumers' tastes.
2. The feathers all over an ostrich's body are down feathers (with only a shaft and barbs). The feathers are fine in texture, good for warmth, soft to the touch, and can be made into noble clothing and headwear. Its feathers do not carry static electricity and can be used to wipe high-grade precision instruments and computers.
3. The ostrich egg is the largest and heaviest egg among existing birds, and the egg can weigh about 1% of body weight. One egg is equivalent to the weight of 20 chicken eggs. The shell is hard, about 0.2—0.3 cm thick, has an ivory luster, and can be made into high-grade carved ornamental pieces. After processing, the eggs of the African ostrich taste more delicate than chicken eggs, have no fishy smell, and are delicious, making them a high-grade nutritional tonic.
4. Ostrich skin can be made into excellent leather. Its characteristics are: light and soft, beautiful, with a unique pore pattern, good breathability, high tensile strength, not easily aging, durable, and can be curled. After being made into products, it has a long service life, and as time goes on, the product surface becomes even brighter.
3. How are ostriches raised?
1. Raising site: To raise ostriches, you must choose sandy land with good drainage and use fencing to pen them on a slope with an incline of about 20. Stay away from noisy places such as urban areas and traffic zones. Around the site, wire mesh at least two meters high also needs to be set up with iron wire; this is to prevent the ostriches from being injured. In addition to the raising area, an exercise yard for the ostriches should also be set up, and the exercise yard should face south with its back to the north. In the rest area, adult birds and chicks must be separated for rest, and the rest area must keep warm, protect against wind and rain, and have good ventilation. The floor of the bird house must be clean, hygienic and dry. Ostriches need the ground to be completely dry; ostriches cannot survive in a damp environment.
2. Feed selection: The ostrich is an omnivorous animal. Its digestive function is relatively good, and it has a rather special digestive system. It can obtain energy from crude fiber, so when providing feed to ostriches, do not provide feed with too much energy. If there is too much nutrition, plus the energy in green feed, it will cause excess nutrition in the body, increase body fat, and affect the ostriches' reproductive capacity. Moreover, ostriches grow quickly and have a fast metabolism. In order to effectively promote the establishment of a region for microbial growth in the hindgut, the amount of roughage should be increased after two and a half months.
3. Mating period: The estrus behavior of female ostriches is very obvious. Their movements become much gentler than before, and they will actively approach male ostriches, walking over with their heads lowered, with their heads almost touching the ground. Their wings also droop down, and their mouths open and close. After mating, the female bird will lay eggs within 1-2 weeks. If the laid eggs are taken away, the female bird will lay eggs continuously, one per day, for about 20 days. It is very uneconomical for artificially raised ostriches to hatch the eggs themselves. Some with strong breeding ability can lay more than 40 eggs in a row, which still has a certain relationship with good feeding management.
4. Disease prevention and control: The brooding period of ostriches is a period of high incidence of various diseases, and it is also the key period for the success or failure of raising them. The main disease of ostriches during the brooding period is respiratory infection, generally caused by reasons such as stale air, dirty and messy environment, and damp ground. Respiratory diseases will have a certain impact on the growth and reproduction of ostriches, and may even cause death. Therefore, ostriches during the brooding period should be managed by dedicated staff, who should always pay attention to the ostriches' condition and feeding situation, clean the bird house thoroughly, disinfect regularly, immediately isolate sick birds when found, and check their condition for treatment. Provide a good living environment for the ostriches.
The economic value of ostriches is very high, but note that ostriches mainly live in the desert grasslands of Africa, so a suitable raising environment must be chosen, otherwise it will affect their growth.