Sound health practices can reduce or eliminate the spread of disease throughout a flock. It is recommended that ratites and other species (domestic and game birds) on the farm be separated due to the possible spread of disease. Rodents and predators should be discouraged from animal areas by storing food in tightly sealed containers. If you have a variety of birds on your farm, house them in different areas. If isolated housing is impossible, separate species by fences. When introducing new birds to your flock, isolate the new birds for approximately 30 days. This also gives the veterinarian an opportunity to do blood screening and test for parasites and salmonella.
Animal facilities should be sanitized regularly. Feeds should be kept dry and stored off the floor. Water and feed troughs should be cleaned regularly. Good ventilation will help keep indoor pens dry. It is recommended that buildings be disinfected using a soap and water combination. After washing, the area can be sanitized with a 5% bleach and water mixture. Minimize introduction of new disease by reducing the number of visitors to key areas of the farm.
Products
Ratites produce four marketable products: meat, hide, feathers, and oil. The meat of ratites is being marketed as a healthy alternative to beef. In comparison with beef, ratite meat is similar in color, flavor, and texture, but with less fat and cholesterol (see table on next page). It has appeared on some fine American restaurant menus since 1992. Ratite hide possesses a distinctive quill pattern and is very supple, attracting bootmakers and leather artisans. Today, the market for feathers is limited due to cost effectiveness. In the United States, harvesting feathers is labor-intensive, requiring collection, sorting, cleaning, and dyeing. Emu oil, another ratite product, comes from under the belly and is used for skin care products due to its penetrating qualities. An emu’s backfat deposit provides 4– 5 liters of oil that has been used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Aborigines have used this oil to treat joint inflammation for hundreds of years. It is claimed that emu oil can reduce inflammation and can be used to alleviate pain and swelling associated with arthritis.
Statistics
There are no good estimates for the number of ratites currently being raised in the United States. There are probably between 50,000 and 100,000 ostriches and a similar number of emus. The number of rheas is unknown. One farmer estimated that there are about 500 ostriches and 250 emus being farmed in New Jersey. These figures are only estimates, since there is a lack of specific information.
Author
Michael Westendorf, Ph.D., Extension Specialist in Animal Sciences & Bonnie Altizio, Program Associate in Animal Sciences
