Ostrich farming business plan is a field of business that provides care to ostriches. The day-to-day operation includes taking care of the ostriches and keeping them healthy, feeding the ostrich on meat, and providing for their needs.
It is not an easy venture but has a huge potential for profit with large numbers of people in several countries purchasing fresh or processed ostrich meat. An ostrich farm business plan should be prepared to facilitate the purchase of an ostrich farm. Any challenges a person may face in starting an ostrich farm must be resolved before proceeding any further.
Contents
Physical Characteristics
Ostriches are large flightless birds, with a height of over 6 feet and weigh around 450 pounds. They have tough skin that is resistant to grazing and insect bites. They are dark grey, while the neck and the wings are covered with white feathers. Their legs are long and strong, used to support their body weight during flightless periods.
Ostriches have a long neck used for reaching out leaves during the grazing period, along with sharp claws that help them protect themselves from predators.
Uses
They were used mainly for feathers, but now they are used for their meat, eggs, and also skin. They have become a human companion for some people.
Fresh Meat
Fresh ostrich meat is considered to be the most tender and tasty beef on the market. Its unique flavor is tasted in its red raw meat. Ostrich meat is served inexpensive hotels, restaurants, and gourmet specialty stores in many parts of the world, including Africa where it originated from.
The meat has a high nutritional value because of its rich iron content, low fat and protein content as well as vitamins A, B1, and B2.
Eggs
Ostriches lay eggs in large batches throughout the year, which can be collected at the time of hatching. This is a good source of fresh, sticky eggs. Ostrich eggs are sold on the international market.
Skin
The skin of the ostrich and other birds is used to make gloves, boots, and tanned hides for shoes. The leather is more durable than cattle hide and leather, as it does not stretch when mended.
Feathers
Ostrich feathers are clean and soft to the touch. They are used to make feather jackets, pillows, fans, and hats.
Advantages of ostrich farming business Plan
- Ostriches are naturally resistant to parasites, which makes them very nutritious as raw materials for human consumption.
- They can be reared on small farms or commercial farms with a very large number of ostriches.
- Ostriches have strong natural immunity against diseases and other problems that can affect other farm animals.
- The meat is commonly consumed across the world, especially in countries where the ostrich meat is expensive, such as South Africa and Australia.
- Normally, there is a large demand for ostriches by consumers.
- Ostriches do not require much space or resources.
- Since ostriches are used for meat production in many countries, the sale of ostrich meat is a profitable venture.
- They have no natural predators, which makes them very safe animals to rear on farms.
Disadvantages of ostrich farming business Plan
- At times, the meat sale may be affected due to political situations and wars.
- The ostrich farm requires a large space for operations.
- There is a risk of the farm being invaded by predators due to a large number of ostriches.
- There are high mortality rates among ostrich chicks, which makes it very difficult for an ostrich farm to earn profits in the first two years of operations.
- They need much care and supervision for any business venture to be profitable.
- Ostriches can be quite dangerous animals when disturbed or threatened.
How to Start Ostrich Farming Business?
One of the most profitable ostrich farms is where the ostriches are raised in large commercial farms with large numbers of ostriches to feed. This is a lucrative business venture due to the high costs of ostrich meat, which can be sold at a very good price in many countries as well as for its nutritious properties. There are several ways to start an ostrich farm business.
Select a Good Location
For any ostrich farming business, you have to have a good location. The main objective of starting an ostrich farm is high profit. You have to take into consideration the following:
The climate
It has to be in a place where there are hot and long summers that give enough time for farming, especially in egg production. In addition to this, you should consider the area’s soil and water conditions which also influence the kinds of ostrich farms that are ideal for various industries.
Housing
The housing should be well constructed and must provide the required care for the ostriches. It has to protect them from predators and extreme weather conditions. It can be used to keep your ostriches safe from predators. There are various types of fencing materials such as chainlink, wood, steel, or electric fencing.
The fence should be at least one meter high and ten meters in length. Ostriches require much space for roaming about, hence you should find a spacious land. The main objective of the ostrich farming business is to produce eggs, meat, leather, and feathers. Therefore, you should plan on how many ostrich chicks need to be reared on the farm before selling them after they become mature.
Feeding
Ostrich chicks should be fed with high-fiber feed containing vitamins and minerals. Their feed has to be rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins. The eggs can be either incubated by a machine or they can be placed under a brooding chicken or turkey hen. It is advisable to use a feeding and watering system because it is more convenient and cost-effective.
Breeding
Generally, ostriches gain maturity at 2 to 4 years of age. The females generally reach maturity about 6 months earlier than the males. You can breed the ostriches either in a season setting or in a continuous setting. In the continuous setting, it is advisable to give them 2 to 3 weeks of rest.
There are several methods of breeding ostriches. The best method depends on your needs and industry, such as artificially inseminating or using natural fertilization methods.
Other care and management
Proper management of health care is essential in ostrich farming. Animals need to be regularly checked for any signs of sickness. It is advisable to have your veterinarian, who can treat and treat your ostriches whenever they are sick.
You should have a well-equipped office that keeps you updated with current weather conditions across the country. This will enable you to monitor the weather forecast so that you can manage your business better.
Diseases
Ostrich farming business can be affected by diseases, which will result in high mortality rates. such as:
- A fungal infection of the feet is called footrot or “climate streptococcus” which can result in waste.
- Droppings problems: Droppings of ostriches are normally dry and hard. If they are wet, then they need to be wiped with a moist cloth.
- If they become soft, then they should be treated as a case of dehydration and sometimes, they may require urgent medical attention.
It is advisable to vaccinate and de-worm ostriches regularly.
Marketing
Marketing of ostriches is done in the same way as any other type of farm animal. You can sell the meat, feathers, eggs, and skin.
- The skin can be used to produce leather, which can be sold at a very good price.
- The eggs are commonly incubated or used to hatch chicks. They can be sold after they have hatched out.
- The meat is very nutritious and it has high medicinal value.
- The feathers are very popular and could be used for hats, shoes, and other types of decorative items.
Best 8 Breed information
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Struthioniformes |
| Family | Struthionidae |
| Genus | Struthio |
| Species | Nesocracii (banteng) |
Conclusion
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