[S2E2] Ostrich Farmer
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In 2016, the Somali ostrich was named a separate species from the common ostrich. They were previously a subspecies. Both ostrich species are the largest birds in the world. They are flightless and rely on strong legs with two clawed toes used for running and kicking. Males are black with white wings and tail feathers, while females are brownish-gray.
The ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird. Males are typically larger than females, weighing 220 to 287 pounds and measuring 6.9 to 9 feet in height. Meanwhile, females weigh 198 to 242 pounds and range in height from 5.7 to 6.2 feet.
Ostriches are the largest and heaviest birds in the world. Given their weight, they are flightless and cannot fly into the sky. Instead, ostriches are great runners and are able to reach speeds of up to 43 miles per hour. One stride can be 10 to 16 feet long. They have long, strong legs with two clawed toes, allowing them to reach these high speeds.
Humans pose other major threats to ostrich populations and their habitats. As human populations grow and expand, ostriches are losing their habitat. Ostrich feathers have long been popular in fashion. In the 18th century, ostrich feathers were so popular in fashion, particularly in the hat industry, ostrich populations declined. Ostrich farming helped the population recover and still continues on a smaller scale. Ostriches are farmed and hunted for feathers, skin, meat, eggs, and fat.
Strict protection and farming are needed to conserve the remaining ostrich populations. Conservation groups and government agencies work to protect these populations. For example, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park works with the red-necked ostrich in Niger and provides technical expertise and funding to develop and manage a breeding program for the birds. This helps to establish secure and self-sustaining populations in that country. The African Wildlife Foundation helps to conserve ostrich populations by working with local communities to decide on an appropriate plan to bring tourism to the area.
The ostrich is equipped with long, muscular legs built for running. Unlike other birds, who have three or four toes, ostriches have only two toes on each foot which allows for greater speed. They can sprint as fast as 70 km/h (43 mph) and hold steady speeds of 50 km/h (31 mph). One stride can span 3-5 m (10-16 ft.)! When confronted with danger, ostriches can usually outrun any animals posing a threat.
Despite popular belief, ostriches do not stick their heads in the sand when threatened. Sometimes ostriches flop on the ground with their heads outstretched in front of them. The pink/peach/grey coloring can blend in with the sandy ground making it appear like their heads are buried.
Because the ostrich has an elongated neck and large protruding eyes shadowed by long lashes, it has been likened to a camel. (Its scientific name is Struthio camelus!) But the similarities do not end there. Ostriches can also withstand hot temperatures and go for long periods of time without water, usually getting enough moisture from the plants they eat.
Their diet consists mainly of roots, leaves, and seeds, but ostriches will eat whatever is available. Sometimes they consume insects, snakes, lizards, and rodents. They also swallow sand and pebbles which help them grind up their food in their gizzard, a specialized, muscular stomach. Because ostriches have this ability to grind food, they can eat things that other animals cannot digest.
If the eggs are kept safe from hyenas, jackals, and Egyptian vultures, they hatch after around 6 weeks. The chicks are born about the size of a chicken and grow 30 cm (1 ft.) each month! By six months, the young ostriches have grown nearly as tall as their parents.
Chicks are born with a spiky, greyish-brown down. They grow brown feathers after 4 months. Then around 3-4 years, ostriches reach sexual maturity. Males develop a striking black and white plumage while females continue to have a brown plumage. In the wild, ostriches live around 40 years.
Today, ostriches are classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. They have a large range, but their numbers are declining. They are threatened by habitat loss due to human development and agriculture. They are also still hunted for their feathers, skin, meat, eggs, and fat.
Shelters are useful as a means for temporarily holding the birds. For adult birds, the holding pen should provide at least 6m per adult ostrich. Interior height should be no less than 0.3m above the heads of the birds. If the birds are to be housed for longer periods, more space must be provided.
Due to their inquisitive nature, ostriches are particularly susceptible to the ingestion of foreign bodies, which can prove fatal. The enclosure should be checked for foreign bodies daily and anything which could cause harm should be removed.
Ostrich farming can be easier and more profitable than raising chickens or cattle. While ostriches are not nearly as widespread as conventional animals, they do offer great opportunities for homesteaders and farmers looking to enter a less saturated market.
You only need around one acre to keep a small flock of ostriches and earn from ostrich products like meat, eggs, feathers, and hides. But you do need some patience, as it takes 2 to 3 years for an ostrich to reach full maturity.
Recently I had the chance to visit an ostrich farm managed by a friend of mine who has been in the business since 1996. I took the opportunity to learn all I could about keeping ostriches and took a lot of notes. This article summarizes our hour-long conversation. I hope you will find it as enlightening as I did.
Ostriches are the largest birds in the world. While native to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and some parts of Asia, extensive hunting and the destruction of their habitats have wiped out most of the wild ostrich population. Today, wild ostriches are found mostly in Africa.
However, farmed ostriches are sprouting all over the world. While there are many ostrich varieties, the black African ostriches are most commonly raised in farms because they are less aggressive. Some profitable ostrich products are:
However, you will need to allocate land for sheds and other farming facilities. Depending on the kind of business you want, you will need areas for incubation, raising chicks, and raising ostriches for slaughter. Keeping your ostriches in separate, specially equipped sheds can help lower the risk of disease, and provide the right temperature and conditions for growth.
Your ostrich chicks will also need their own outdoor pens where they can exercise and graze. Initially, you can keep about 20 chicks in a 210 meter pen. As they grow older and bigger, they will need more space. By the time they are 12 months old, they will need about 1000 square meters.
A female ostrich will usually start producing eggs when it is two years old. Unlike chickens, it will not lay eggs all around the year. Instead, it follows a breeding season. After mating, an ostrich will lay about one egg every day in a nest. In its first year, it may produce about 10 to 20 eggs, but an older female may produce up to 40 to 50 eggs.
You will need to remove the eggs from the nest, because it increases egg production and enables you to place them in an incubator. While some farmers prefer natural hatching for breeding ostriches because only the strongest chicks survive, this is often impractical for commercial farms.
Store the clean ostrich eggs on a roller tray. Place them on their sides or with their larger end facing up. Turn them at least three times a day. Be sure to place them in egg incubator within 2 to 4 days to for higher chance of hatchability.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'poultryparade_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-poultryparade_com-banner-1-0');
Once your ostrich chicks are about 6 weeks old, you can keep them outside during the day. You can keep about 25 to 50 birds in one pen. Make sure the area is free of sharp objects, and adjust the height of their feeders and waterers so it reaches their chest. Transfer the chicks back to their sheds at night and bad weather.
At his age, farmers and caretakers should also interact more frequently with the ostriches. This helps them get more accustomed to human beings, and prevents any aggressive attacks when they are older.
Just bear in mind that ostriches can become more excitable in warm weather, so avoid going near them during the hottest hours of the day. Noise and crowds can also increase their territorial instincts, so try to place these pens in a clear and quiet area.
When your ostriches are about 3 months old, you can move them from the brooding facility to a larger pen. While they will still need a shed where they can stay during extreme weather, these older birds will likely prefer to spend most of their time outdoors. While it is not a hard and fast rule, most farms prefer to separate male and female ostriches to prevent aggression, fighting, and damage to the skin.
In the wild, ostriches prefer open and short-grass plains, so a grassy field helps mimic their natural habitat. The outdoor pens should have grass, clover, alfalfa, or some other ground cover. Depending on the plant variety and your location, you may need to regularly mow this area to prevent it from becoming too thick and tall.
In the southern hemisphere, it starts in August and ends in March. However, there are often exceptions. For example, Philippines ostrich breeders reported that mating season can last as long as February to October.
During mating season, all ostrich farmers need to do is to let Nature take its course. Just leave the male and female ostriches to interact and select their mates. However, you can prepare your birds to increase their chances of producing more eggs by providing nutritional pellets and supplement with fodder, vegetables, apples and root coops. 59ce067264