Breeding ostriches as a business at home for beginners. Breeding ostriches as a business Why ostriches are bred

Ostriches are gigantic birds, successfully domesticated by man. Appearing in the hot African savannah, they gradually reached the expanses of the European continent. From Greek, “ostrich” is translated as “camel sparrow”: the inventive Greeks succinctly noticed its belonging to birds and the large size characteristic of animals. Breeding ostriches is a profitable and profitable investment. The enterprise turns out to be almost waste-free: meat, feathers, eggs, fat and even claws are in demand both in domestic and foreign markets. If you strictly adhere to all components of the business plan, the initial investment will pay off within 2 or 3 years.

If a few decades ago these giant birds were considered an exotic curiosity exhibited exclusively in zoological parks, now Africa has become closer by several tens of thousands of ostriches! The number of ostrich farms is increasing every year.

The secret to the success and profitability of this business lies in several terms:

• high profitability, which, with an average of 100%, sometimes even reaches 150%;
• product needs: ostrich meat is not only nutritious, but dietary. Due to its unusual origin, it is in demand among chefs of restaurants and active recreation clubs, as well as among the population who cares about the health and beauty of physical forms;

  

• a constant increase in the cost of food, including an increase in the never-democratic price of ostrich products. Interest in ostrich products is constantly increasing;
• free access to the national market for products of domestic manufacturers, unlike foreign counterparts. Restrictions on the import of foreign products give carte blanche to domestic producers;
• subject to all appropriate conditions, the ostrich business may qualify for benefits and other favorable conditions;

  

• the unpretentiousness of these birds: thanks to good immunity, they rarely get sick, demonstrate excellent survival rates and calmly react to the cold Russian winters;

  

• income is brought not only by the sale of meat and eggs, but also by the sale of lard, leather, feathers and even claws of birds.

  

Ostrich meat can easily become an alternative to all other varieties of meat products. In addition, birds are known for their high productivity: annually one female produces at least 40 babies, some of which by the 10th month gain up to 100 kg of live weight.

For 1 year from one pair of ostriches you can get:

• 1800 kg of meat;
• 50 m 2 leather;
• 36 kg of feathers.

Birds retain their reproductive qualities from 25 to 35 years: the duration of this period cannot but please farmers, since the purchase of ostriches is a long-term investment.

Valuable ostrich products

The uniqueness of these birds lies in the fact that, in addition to their aesthetic appeal, if we consider them exclusively from a consumer point of view, they are an invaluable source of meat, eggs, feathers, fat, and skin. Even the claws of these birds can be used as accessories.

dietary meat

It is famous for its low cholesterol content: up to 34 mg per 100 g. But the presence of proteins so useful for the body, on the contrary, reaches 22%. In addition, it contains the most luxurious set of micronutrients. If you look at this meat from a culinary point of view, it is difficult to find any drawback in the mass of positive aspects. It is perfectly impregnated with spices, which made it so popular in Mexico and Asian countries. Europe and the United States also could not resist its "charms": as of 2000, the level of beef consumption by Europeans decreased due to an increase in the purchase of ostrich.

ostrich eggs

One egg weighs an average of 1.5 kg. By analogy with meat, it is also low in cholesterol. The gigantic size of eggs attracts more and more buyers. The hard boiled egg process can take over 75 minutes! In South African countries, exotic bird eggs are successfully used to make bakery products. In Europe, restaurants are interested in gigantic eggs, luring guests with huge fried eggs, which can easily be divided into 10 servings.

Ostrich skin

It enters the luxury category and is increasingly becoming an alternative to the skin of animals belonging to endangered or protected species. The skin of these birds has a unique texture. It is valued due to such positive characteristics as wear resistance, elasticity and moisture resistance. The most popular skin is located on the back and in the chest area: it is in these areas that a pattern resembling air bubbles is inherent in it. The skin that covers the limbs of birds is mainly used to make boots.

Ostrich fat

From a medium-sized ostrich, you can get from 5 to 7 kg of fat, and if the bird ate well and managed to accumulate a sufficient amount of fat, then the amount of fat can reach up to 16 kg. Despite the fact that the most valuable and healthy fat is extracted from Emu ostriches, African ostrich fat is also popular on the market. It is famous for its hypoallergenic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, it perfectly complements and enriches the useful components of cosmetics. Fat is able to penetrate deep into the epidermis, paving the way for the rest of the ingredients there, and prevents the loss of priceless moisture. Ointments based on it are successfully used to treat muscles and joints.

ostrich feathers

The most popular are the white feathers of males located in the area of ​​​​the wings and tail: they are used mainly for decorative purposes. The rest of the plumage also did not go unnoticed: due to its anti-electrostatic properties, it is often used to clean dust on electrical appliances.

After slaughter from one ostrich you can get:

• 1–1.2 kg of short feathers, up to 22 cm long;
• 0.4-0.5 kg of medium and long feathers, more than 22 cm long.

The share of feather sales is only 10% of the total production.

In addition to selling products, income can be obtained from organizing excursions to ostrich farms. In addition to sightseeing tours, you can offer tourists dishes prepared with ostrich meat or eggs.

In addition, feathered claws can also be sold: some factories use them as fasteners. The large shape inspired the craftsmen to sell painted eggs, from which the contents had previously been extracted.

Main breeds

The ostrich is the largest bird of our time. The resemblance to a camel, so clearly noticed by the Greeks, is confirmed by bulging eyes, long eyelashes and the ability to feel good in the vast desert expanses.

There are 3 ostrich breeds:

Breeding ostriches in Russia: how profitable?

Russia has always been famous for cattle breeding, pig breeding and sheep breeding. However, the pace of development of the "ostrich business" is so rapid that, based on the results of the profits received, it will soon be able to compete with them. For home cultivation, the African black ostrich is recognized as the best option among all varieties of this overseas bird.

The average ostrich is characterized by:

• growth of a mature male - 2.7 m;
• live weight - up to 150 kg;
• the growth of a mature female is 2 m;
• live weight - 120 kg.

By nature, ostriches are quite calm and obedient birds, so they do not cause much trouble in keeping them. Only males show concern during the mating season. An additional bonus is their rapid growth: as early as 10 months, young animals reach the weight required for slaughter.

Productivity characteristic

If in the natural environment, females begin to lay eggs from about 4 years of age, then in private farms, the ostrich lays its first egg at 2 years old.

To understand how profitable it is to breed ostriches in the temperate continental climate zone inherent in the European part of the Russian Federation, it is enough to refer to the indicators of ostrich fertility, which impresses with its results:

• egg production - on average from 40 to 80 eggs per productive season, sometimes from 100 or more;
• egg weight - from 1400 to 1900 g;
• egg length - from 15 to 21 cm;
• diameter - 15 cm;
• shell thickness - 0.6 cm;
• the duration of the incubation period is from 42 to 45 days;
• female productivity - from 25 to 35 years;
• productivity of males - 40 years;
• egg fertility - 90%.

Females enter sexual maturity between two and three years, and males are 1 year behind them, although sometimes laying hens begin to lay eggs as early as 1.5 years. Females lay eggs 2 times a year: in winter and autumn. Usually laying lasts up to 2 months: the ostrich lays eggs approximately every 2 days. During the first season, she lays from 10 to 30 eggs, with time this figure increases significantly. Eggs received at the beginning and end of the productive season are characterized by a lower percentage of fertility.

Ostriches are considered long-lived: with good maintenance, they can live up to 70 years. These birds are extremely hardy in relation to temperature extremes, which allows them to be bred not only in the European territory of the Russian Federation, but also in Siberia.

Market price

The result of farm work on growing birds is in demand on the national market. Recently, poultry farmers are increasingly inclined towards the ostrich business.

Name	Cost, rub.
Ostrich chicks: 1 day	7 000
Ostrich chicks: up to 1 month	10 000
Ostriches: 2 months	12 000
Ostriches: 6 months	18 000
Ostriches: 10 to 12 months	25 000
Sexually mature ostriches: 2 years	45 000
Adult ostriches: 3 years	60 000
Family: 4─5 years	200 000
hatching ostrich egg	3 000
Table ostrich egg	1000―2000
Souvenir ostrich egg	500
Melted fat, 1 kg	1000
Ostrich meat (fillet), 1kg	1100―2200 depending on quality
Wet-salted ostrich skin 1.2 - 1.4 m 2	3 000
Dressed ostrich skin 1.2─1.4 m 2	7000
Ostrich feather, 60 cm	400

Sample business plan for breeding ostriches

Although this idea may seem bizarre at first, it is based on the solid foundation of a well-thought-out and tested business plan.

Starting points to start the project:

• determine the volume of sales of products;
• paint the expenditure side: the purchase of feed, the consumption of water and electricity;
• plan the main components of marketing;
• find suppliers of products necessary for the implementation of the plan;
• assess risks;
• fix the expected profit.

When evaluating potential failures, it should be remembered that ostrich farming, like any other activity, comes with certain risks. There is always a risk of natural disasters that can cause the death of the entire livestock.

In order for the “ostrich” event to be doomed to success, you should follow simple recommendations:

1. Purchase or lease a large plot of land.

   

2. Prepare the necessary documentation and deal with obtaining appropriate permits, for example, from the veterinary control service. Without the necessary permits, it is impossible to start an ostrich farming business.
3. Hire staff, ranging from a livestock specialist to a watchman. Breeding ostriches alone will be problematic.
4. Buy an ostrich incubator. The average cost of an apparatus with a capacity of 128 eggs is 120,000 rubles.

   

5. Buy ostriches.

   

6. Stock up on all the necessary feed.

   

After completing the above points, you can begin the exciting process of breeding these amazing birds.

In order to increase income, you can do the processing of leather, feathers and lard. An additional source of income may be the opening of outlets for the sale of products.

Home care and maintenance

The cultivation of these birds is conditionally divided into 3 types:

• intensive;
• semi-intensive;
• extensive.

The first type resembles the features of keeping cattle in a stall, the principle of the second lies in copying the natural habitat of birds, and the third is a mix of these two systems.

To provide birds with a comfortable content, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of important points.

Territory

First of all, one should take into account the fact that the ostrich is a large bird: the growth of a mature male can reach 2.7 m, and its weight is 150 kg. Therefore, the area for maintenance should be extensive. In addition, the bird is quite mobile, therefore, it needs a lot of open space.

1. Earth. When choosing a place to create an ostrich farm, one should take into account the terrain, the presence of a forest belt that protects from the winds, remoteness from the city limits and highways, and the provision of electricity and sewerage.

   

2. Locality. You should choose dry land with a groundwater level of at least 1 m. It is desirable that there be a slight slope of the relief to the south: in this position, the sun will better illuminate the area.

   

3. The length of the run. Birds love open areas: the minimum length of the paddock should be 40 m.

   

4. Walking area. It is recommended to allocate at least 0.4 hectares for walking birds. It is also desirable to equip the territory with 2-meter fences.

   

5. Territory fencing. In the case when a metal mesh is used instead of a fence, an option with small cells should be purchased: curious birds will not be able to stick through and damage their heads through small holes.

   

   The size of the cells in the fencing net should be much smaller than the head of an ostrich, approximately 30x30 mm

After arranging the territory, you can proceed to the equipment of the premises for the placement of ostriches.

Containment room

"Ostrich House" must meet a number of requirements, without which it is impossible to grow a full-fledged livestock.

1. As a room for keeping, you can rent an abandoned pigsty or build a new stall. It is desirable that its height be from 3 m. For a family consisting of one male and two females, the occupied area should be 12x16 m. The doors should be made wide, from 1.2 m.

   

2. If the stall has a concrete floor, it is necessary to use a sufficiently large layer of hay or shavings as bedding. Otherwise, the birds may freeze.

   

3. Male ostriches are polygamous individuals: up to 4 females can be present in one family. Separate maintenance of families is recommended: for this, the stall should be equipped with partitions separating one “social cell” from another.

   

4. The part of the corral adjacent to the room must be covered with sand: birds love to treat themselves to a sand bath.

   

5. Nests that the male will make after the "honeymoon" should be lightly covered with gravel to ensure drainage, and topped with clean sand.

   

6. Feeding troughs and water tanks are recommended to be installed directly into enclosure fences. This will greatly facilitate the work of the service personnel, since employees will be able to update food inventory without entering the ostrich territory. For one polygamous family, a feeder 1.2 m long and at least 15 cm deep is suitable. The size of the drinker should be about 75 cm long and 20 cm deep. It is not advisable to give the birds cold water.

   

From mid-spring to mid-autumn, it is recommended to keep birds outdoors.

Bird health care

In addition to providing comfortable living conditions, no less attention should be paid to the health of birds. To keep the birds always cheerful and energetic, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules.

It should not be forgotten that on an ostrich farm it is necessary to strictly observe all the prescribed technological conditions of production and periodically check the birds with a veterinarian.

From the first minutes of their birth, chicks can see and move. The first 3 weeks they must be kept on the floor with bedding. Stocking density should be at least 1m2 per individual, since ostriches are born quite large, with a body weight of at least 1 kg. It is not recommended to keep more than 40 chicks in one group.

When the babies reach 3 weeks of age, the area occupied by the territory is increased to 5 m 2, and after the chicks are 6 months old, each of them needs a personal space of 10 m 2.

Features of poultry breeding

Features of behavior during the marriage period

With the onset of the mating period, the male sometimes becomes hostile: it is important to be extremely careful when interacting with a bird. To calm a male with too much hormones, a 2-meter hook is used, with which he is laid on the ground for disorientation. If this measure does not work, a cloth bag with slots for the beak should be put on the head.

How do ostriches breed?

It is important for a novice farmer to know how the birds he plans to breed breed. From you will learn everything about the reproduction of farm birds and how the mating and incubation of eggs takes place.

What to feed ostriches

The main dishes of the culinary menu of these fast-running birds are plant foods and seeds. As a dessert, ostriches feast on insects: they have excellent eyesight, so they can notice these small creatures from afar. In addition, the search for bugs facilitates a long, well-developed neck.

The amount of food needed for food is determined by age, the degree of mobility of birds and the nutritional value of the feed:

• young individuals daily eat from 3 to 4% of food from body weight;
• adults - 2.5%.

As they grow older, the proportion of weight gain and the amount of feed consumed changes:

• chicks: 1.4 - 2.1 to 1, which is deciphered as follows: in order for one baby to gain weight by 1 kg, he needs to be given from 1.4 to 2.1 kg of concentrated feed;
• young animals from 3 to 6 months: 2.6 -3.0 to 1;
• individuals from 7 to 12 months: 4.1 - 15.0 to 1.

Birds are allowed to feed food developed for other farm animals or birds. If there is no financial means for the constant purchase of expensive concentrated feeds, it is recommended to prepare mash and dry mixes for birds. It is advisable to mix them with good quality hay, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements.

Types of feed used to feed ostriches

Type of feed	Description
	The basis of the feathered nutrition system is: alfalfa; White cabbage; clover; nettle; beetroot and spinach leaves; fodder cereals; quinoa; tops of carrots; rape.
	meadow hay; straw. After vegetable feed, hay is the second most important element of the diet.
	carrot; radish; turnip; cucumbers; watermelon; apples.
	pumpkin seeds; wheat; cowpeas; corn; sunflower; rye; oats; millet; barley.
	meat and bone and fish meal; gravel; limestone; crushed shell; shell rock. Meat and bone meal is an important mineral supplement.

Ostriches also like to eat silage.

The volume of drinking water is determined by weather conditions, dietary habits and the amount of food fed. For example, at high temperatures and a lack of succulent feed, one mature ostrich needs at least 10 liters of water daily.

The diet of ostriches

The balance of all elements required for the body of babies is very significant for the growth of a healthy livestock. For example, an illiterate ratio of calcium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc is fraught with limb deformity and metabolic disorders.

The first 3 days of chicks are not recommended to be fed: high-calorie substances in their bodies come from the yolk sac, which makes up 25% of the total weight of babies. When its contents are exhausted, you can start giving water from the drinkers. And on the 4th day, the chicks are already able to eat finely chopped clover leaves, thoroughly mixed with compound feed for chickens.

To help the digestive system, you should pour fine gravel into separate feeders from 3 weeks.

The topic of compiling a diet for ostriches is immense. Learn more about feeding ostriches from: Digestive System Features, Intensive and Extensive Fattening Methods, Feeding During Laying, and Young Stock Diet. And we answer the question, what is the drinking regimen of ostriches?

Video - Growing ostriches at home

Video - Keeping ostriches at home

Evgeny Malyar

# Business ideas

Advantages and disadvantages of a business idea

The average income from one ostrich is approximately 27 thousand rubles. subject to slaughter (only for meat). The eggs of one female will add another fifty thousand.

Article navigation

• Brief information for beginners about breeding ostriches
• Advantages of an ostrich breeding business
• Problems
• Business plan for an ostrich farm
• Livestock purchase
• Room and space
• Equipment
• Staff
• Organization of market promotion and sales
• Business setup costs
• Stern
• Ostrich productivity
• What income from an ostrich can you expect
• Conditions for keeping ostriches
• Which ostriches breed better in the northern regions of Russia
• Is it possible to breed ostriches at home
• Content Modes
• conclusions

The ostrich is a foreign and exotic bird. It began to be bred in Russia relatively recently, and agricultural producers are still wary of this business. Fears are justified: growing such a large creature at home seems problematic - the bird is demanding and needs special care.

It is known that the products that make up the sources of "ostrich" profits are expensive, but whether it will be possible to establish their stable sales is a big question. In addition, it seems that any animal imported from the southern latitudes can catch a cold in Russia and get sick with something, and the risk of losing livestock is one of the main farmer “headaches”.

And yet there are many people who have taken up this business, and did not lose. Is breeding ostriches profitable as a business? How much does it cost to enter? When can self-sufficiency be achieved? All this and much more will be discussed in our article.

Brief information for beginners about breeding ostriches

It is obvious that the majority of Russian citizens have not even tried such exotic products as ostrich eggs and meat. They manage mainly pork, beef, lamb, chicken and other usual food. A natural question arises as to why these birds are bred by some daredevils, sometimes perceived by others almost as adventurers, and most importantly - for whom?

The reality is that the ostrich farm is a highly profitable enterprise, and there are enough people who want to enjoy exotic products. Where to start a business? Of course, with a marketing assessment of its prospects.

Advantages of an ostrich breeding business

To open his own business in poultry farming (albeit so unusual), the entrepreneur is motivated by the desire to make a profit. What are the benefits of this business?

• High profitability. As practice shows, the minimum "rise" on ostriches is half the investment, and in the future it can reach 100%. For agriculture, impressive rates of return.
• Demand stability. It only seems that the expensive meat of these unusual birds may be unclaimed - restaurants willingly take it, and not even the most expensive ones. First, it tastes like veal. Secondly, it is known that ostrich meat is very useful and suitable for dietary nutrition.
• Variety of output products. In addition to meat, ostrich breeding provides well-known feathers used to decorate fashionable toilet articles. Eggs taste similar to chicken eggs, but are 25–40 times larger. There are many who want to try such scrambled eggs. And then there is the shell, the purpose of which is decorative - it is bought by artists for painting. Fat is a valuable raw material in cosmetology. And even droppings and claws can become sources of income, albeit secondary ones.
• Tourist attraction. Yes, the ostrich farm can be called a tourist attraction. People willingly come to see these huge birds and try dishes prepared from their meat and eggs. Tours provide the farm with another source of income. Fees are charged for many services and attractions, including food and bird feeding.
• High livestock survival rate. Despite its exoticism, the ostrich is by no means a sissy. You should know that the range of its South African variety falls on a temperate climate, and sub-zero temperatures also occur in Pretoria. Practice shows that an ostrich farm in Siberia is not a fantasy. These birds easily endure Russian frosts, and heated rooms are required only for chicks. But about the conditions of detention - a little later.
• Demand for young people. Part of the business strategy is to sell the chicks. The competition in this business sector is still low, and one should not be afraid to grow rivals.
• Unpretentiousness. Many farm animals require more care than ostriches.
• Rapid growth of market capacity. Russians who have tasted ostrich meat are getting a taste of it, and there are more and more of them.

So, with the benefits of business, everything is clear. With minimal costs and effort, the entrepreneur receives demanded commercial products characterized by high added value. Now it's time to move on to the technical side of things.

Problems

The main task of a beginner ostrich breeder is to properly document his enterprise. The main problem is that the breeding of poultry requires permission from various supervisory authorities that control this type of activity. You can just sell meat, but in this case, the profitability will be lower and the payback period will be postponed: the ostrich grows for about a year.

The second important problem is the possible case. The ostrich is unpretentious, but the danger of diseases and death of livestock remains relevant. However, she also lies in wait for an ordinary chicken poultry farm.

Business plan for an ostrich farm

When forecasting future profits, one should estimate the initial and current costs. Theoretically, you can limit yourself to the minimum number of ostriches, that is, a couple, but in practice it still makes sense to buy more birds - at least a dozen and a half.

The baseline analysis involves an assessment of start-up costs, running costs and potential sales revenues.

Livestock purchase

The price of ostriches in Russia in rubles, depending on their age, ranges from 7 to 100 thousand.

The farmer chooses an option depending on financial capabilities and existing skills in handling farm animals. The older the purchased livestock, the sooner you can get income and the less associated risks. On the other hand, the price of entry into the business increases with the age of the birds.

Room and space

As it is already clear, keeping ostriches at home is very problematic - these birds need space. The norm for one and a half dozen individuals is about two hectares of open area, and this area still needs to be fenced (also costs).

Ostriches love to walk and run, but if the farm is located somewhere in Siberia, then their frost resistance should not be overestimated. Heating indoors is optional, but insulated bedding in aviaries is needed, as is fresh air. Ceilings in poultry houses - not lower than three meters (about why this is so - later). For young animals - a room heated to a temperature of 15 ° C.

The rent of space, premises and the cost of their arrangement should also be added to the expenditure part of the business plan.

Equipment

It should be understood that the ostrich farm is inherently a kind of hybrid of a poultry farm with food production. It is best to buy equipment such that its long-term performance and reliability are ensured - if it fails at the most inopportune moment (and it doesn’t happen otherwise), the whole thing may be in jeopardy.

The typical equipment of an ostrich farm includes:

In order to minimize costs, a novice farmer can perform some types of work manually. But as the number of livestock increases, the labor intensity of operations will increase, and one must be prepared for their comprehensive mechanization.

Staff

Farming is a tricky business. Such a valuable and restless asset as an ostrich population must be protected. Many operations require the constant presence of people, or at least their presence nearby. The staff of an ordinary ostrich farm, even a small one, usually includes:

• two cattlemen;
• one livestock specialist;
• two guards;
• accountant.

All these employees need to be paid, and the farmer himself must live on something. It should not be forgotten that salaries, bonuses and other costs associated with the maintenance of personnel are subject to taxes and fees.

Organization of market promotion and sales

Looking forward to the success of the farm and thinking about how to succeed in the breeding of ostriches, one should not lose sight of the issues of market promotion of the product. By itself, a queue of buyers will not line up - they should at least be notified of the existing offer.

To do this, the farmer will have to participate in specialized exhibitions, personally visit the most promising consumers, order promotional materials, publish ads in publications for livestock breeders and hold many more events. The best option is to have your own website. Participation in international expositions is not excluded.

All this costs money, and a lot of it. A novice farmer, as a rule, minimizes costs, partially compensating costs with personal efforts.

Business setup costs

To open an ostrich farm, an organizational and legal status is required, that is, registration with state bodies and a pension fund, which entails the payment of duties, tax registration and other inevitable actions and costs in such cases. The amount of these costs depends on the region where the enterprise is located and other factors. They also need to be taken into account in business planning.

Stern

To feed one ostrich, three kilograms of feed is needed daily, consisting of greens (cabbage, nettle, clover, etc.), vegetables, fruits, grains, hay, soy, straw and vitamin supplements. On average, such a ration produced by industry costs about 16-22 rubles per kg (for example, KS-300 or KS 420).

By preparing the components yourself, you can save money, but you need to monitor compliance with quality and nutritional parameters. The ostrich does not understand anything about economic problems and does not understand the difficulties. It grows and develops well if it is fed enough.

Ostrich productivity

Under farm conditions, two-year-old female ostriches lay 40–80 eggs per season (sometimes more). Productivity is maintained until the age of 35.

The live weight of an adult ostrich can reach 170 kg, but a centner is considered the slaughter norm. After deboning (separation from the bones) and disposal of offal, approximately 55% of pure meat remains, which costs about 500 rubles at a wholesale price. per kg (fillet up to 850 rubles, retail - 1000 rubles, carcass - 250 rubles / kg).

An ostrich gains slaughter weight within a period of eight months to a year.

Ostrich fat is considered a valuable product, about 8 kg of which is utilized from each bird. Its sale is problematic due to many bureaucratic difficulties, but it can bring an additional 10% of the total profit of the farm.

The skin area of ​​one ostrich is approximately 1 square meter. In a wet-salted form, such an amount is readily accepted for 3 thousand rubles. If a farmer learns how to make ostrich skin, he will receive 7,000 rubles. additionally from each individual.

The cost of an ostrich egg depends on its weight and is 800-1000 rubles. for the dining room and 3000 rubles. for incubation. For an empty shell they give 400 rubles.

One ostrich feather costs from 50 to 350 rubles. according to its aesthetic qualities. Income is also brought by ostrich offal (offal and trimmings). The claws are used to make souvenirs.

What income from an ostrich can you expect

The complexity and multivariance of the conditions of the ostrich business does not allow predicting the rate of return with high accuracy. At the initial stage, investments in the farm are estimated at approximately half a million to a million rubles, based on a livestock of fifteen individuals.

The average income from one ostrich is approximately 27 thousand rubles. subject to slaughter (only for meat). The eggs of one female will add another fifty thousand. High profitability is obvious in any case, but the percentage of its norm depends on the strategy chosen by the farm. Ultimately, it will be higher with self-reproduction of livestock, but the payback of this option comes longer than with the “downhole” method of work.

The profitability of a business also depends on other factors, including:

• depth of utilization of ostrich products;
• rationalization of production processes and costs;
• number of livestock;
• application of the latest meat processing and livestock technologies;
• availability of sustainable distribution channels;
• solvency of the population of the region;
• the variety of commercial products offered by the farm;
• the severity of the competitive environment;
• personal qualities and diligence of the farmer.

It is known that some large Russian ostrich farms have achieved 100% profitability, that is, a double “lift” of invested funds during one annual production cycle.

In part, the conditions for keeping ostriches in captivity in order to obtain commercial profit from the sale of their meat, eggs and other products have already been discussed above in terms of cost calculation. Some questions remain, probably of interest to those who have decided to go into this business and do not know where to start. Let's consider them.

Which ostriches breed better in the northern regions of Russia

There are three main breeds, according to the continents of origin. Emu breeding in Russia is popular due to the ability of Australian birds to quickly adapt to climate. Domestic farmers also grow African ostriches that live in the southern part of the mainland, where, as you know, winter also occurs, only it lasts from May to September. American nandu are too thermophilic, and therefore they are rarely bred in Russia.

In turn, the African variety is divided into subspecies (black, Namibian, Zimbabwean, Masai, etc.), as well as mestizo breeds.

In favor of African ostriches, their large size, weight up to 175 kg and tolerance to low temperatures speak. At the same time, high growth (about 270 cm, and there are three meters) is a factor that sets the height of the poultry house ceiling. Ostriches are very mobile and can be injured by hitting the ceiling.

Another advantage of the South African species is their fertility. The female (by the way, she is larger than the male) rushes very actively, producing up to 80 eggs per year, which can be used both as a commodity and to increase the livestock.

Is it possible to breed ostriches at home

Of course, you cannot breed ostriches in an ordinary apartment. To understand this, it is enough just to imagine in your own home a creature of almost three meters in height and weighing more than a centner, who also loves to run at the speed of a car. Probably the exception is raising ostrich chicks, which do need warmth for a short period. They are also not very small, but they do not pose a danger.

It should be remembered that ostriches are very fond of water. The ideal place for them is a spacious piece of land, bounded on at least one side by a stream, river or pond.

Adults eat twice a day, and chicks need to be fed twice as often.

The sooner the ostrich grows up, the sooner the costs will be reimbursed and profits will be made. Based on this simple formula, the main technologies for breeding and keeping birds in captivity have been developed.

With the intensive method, ostrich eggs are incubated with the help of special electrical appliances (they cost a lot). The territory required is relatively small, but it is kept perfectly clean, feeders and drinkers are regularly disinfected, and the veterinarian conducts examinations and vaccinations.

Birds do not move very actively, but such conditions are created for them that, as it were, there is no need to run. It is understood that with abundant feeding and a quiet comfortable life, meat and fat are gained faster. This method is also called "stall care".

Extensive technology, on the contrary, assumes the maximum proximity to the conditions of the savannah, only without predatory animals and hunters. In the fenced area, farm workers rarely come into contact with birds - only when necessary. Females incubate their offspring themselves, unless the farmer has other plans for the eggs. Ostriches grow up less fat, but more dietary and natural.

As a rule, experienced farmers, in an effort to optimize costs and at the same time achieve high product quality, combine the advantages of stall care and extensive “freedom”. The choice of technology is also influenced by the size of the leased area: not everyone can afford to pay for several hectares. However, Russia is a large country, and in many regions (for example, in Siberia and the Far East) there are no problems with space.

conclusions

For its implementation, initial investments of half a million rubles or more are required.

An ostrich farm requires an area, outbuildings and a certain range of equipment.

The most popular breed of ostriches in Russia is the South African and its subspecies.

In this material:

The business plan of an ostrich farm is a theoretical calculation, the economic background of a new business. With it, you can calculate the necessary investments and estimate the expected profit. The more detailed and thorough the business plan is, the fewer surprises the undertaking will bring.

Ostrich breeding is gaining more and more popularity, ceasing to be an exotic business. Ostrich meat and eggs are used, tourists come to the farms who want to look closely at overseas birds and purchase products.

Features of creating an ostrich farm

Pros and cons of breeding ostriches

Before you start registering a business and buying ostriches, building a farm, you should determine the advantages and disadvantages, decide whether such a business will become profitable and attractive.

• high profitability;
• consistently high demand for products;
• ease of keeping and breeding ostriches.

In recent years, the demand for dietary and hypoallergenic products, which include ostrich meat and eggs, has sharply increased. It is for this reason that with the right organization, there will be no shortage of buyers, both retail and wholesale. In addition, it is likely that there will be those who want to buy feathers and down. The manure is used as a fertilizer.

Unpretentious birds live for several decades, easily endure sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

• the farm requires large investments at the start;
• keeping ostriches is expensive (food, medicine).

Breeding ostriches requires constant investment, but with a clear calculation, both the initial investment and current costs will pay off, while the profit is worth the effort.

Product Description

The main products of the ostrich farm are meat and eggs.

1. The meat is dark red, without fatty layers. Contains vitamins of groups B, E, PP, minerals (potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, manganese, selenium, cobalt, nickel, phosphorus, rich in iron). With a low calorie content, it contains a lot of protein. It is considered a dietary product.
2. Ostrich eggs are much larger than the eggs of other birds, contain vitamins A, E, amino acids, and are famous for their low cholesterol levels. Nutritious, can be stored up to three months.
3. Ostrich feathers are used for decorative purposes.
4. The litter is bought by the population and used as fertilizer.

Market and competitor analysis

To date, there is no need to talk about high competition in this market segment. Farms that have chosen ostrich breeding as their main activity get along well with each other and do not complain about the lack of sales. Since there are legends about the unpretentiousness and stupidity of these huge birds, organizing your own farm becomes more of an economic task (large investments at the start).

Risk assessment

The risks are associated with the stage of breeding chicks on the farm: only a quarter of viable individuals are born from the eggs laid in the incubator.

With improper care, the death of a bird is real, even as unpretentious as an ostrich.

The risk of insufficient demand for products cannot be ruled out. To minimize it, it is necessary to establish distribution channels even before the business from paper comes to life.

Breeding ostriches: business plan

What breed to choose

For breeding, several main breeds are used, which can be crossed with each other to improve product quality:

1. African ostrich. The growth of an adult bird is 2.5 m, weight is up to 170 kg. The ostrich has very well developed eyesight and hearing. Polygamous, eggs are incubated by the male. In captivity, an incubator is needed to breed offspring. For one clutch, the female lays up to 6 eggs. It is realistic to get 60-80 eggs per year. There are African black, Namibian, Zimbabwean and Masai ostriches. To obtain optimal meat performance, it is recommended to cross a male Zimbabwean ostrich and a female African black.
2. Australian emu - grows up to 2 m, an adult weighs up to 180 kg. In addition to meat, skin and ostrich fat are used.
3. American ostrich Nandu. Grows up to 1.5 m, weight - up to 50 kg. The female, unlike the male, has a short neck. The wings have sharp claws for protection. Doesn't run very fast, but swims well. They live in packs of up to 30 individuals, are polygamous, up to 6-7 females can fall on one male.

Despite the fact that ostriches tolerate both high and low temperatures quite well, in the summer they are kept in enclosures, and in the winter they are driven into poultry houses.

Each family needs its own paddock. Families are separated from each other by a wire or dense partition. The size of the grid cell (including for enclosing the enclosure) should not exceed 3 * 3 cm. Ostriches stick their heads into large cells and may die.

The ceiling of the house is at least a meter higher than the height of an ostrich. The room should be well ventilated and lit.

The floor of the house is covered with straw or peat. The bedding is changed at least once every two weeks.

In the warm season, ostriches live on free grazing and feed themselves. Clover and alfalfa are most preferred as nutrient herbs. If there is no pasture, then the ostrich rancher should provide fresh chopped herbs.

Silage and hay are harvested for the winter, birds are fed with chopped vegetables - cabbage, carrots, beets, mixed fodder, bone meal, meal and cake are added to the diet. Young animals up to 3 months are recommended to give soybeans, corn, excluding zhito from the diet.

Young animals are fed 3-4 times a day, adult birds in the morning and evening. At the same time as feeding, drinkers are filled with water (there should be plenty of water).

With a live weight of 120 kg, the ostrich is considered fit for slaughter.

organizational plan

Registration of an ostrich farm

The most rational solution for registering an ostrich breeding business will be the registration of a peasant farm - a peasant farm. This form gives benefits and concessions to a novice businessman, exempts from paying a number of taxes and is more easily subsidized by the state.

For paperwork, you will need to register with the tax office, an application in the prescribed form, a receipt for payment of state duty and a photocopy of your passport. A newly-made farmer can hire relatives, the degree of kinship is not regulated by law.

ESHN, a single agricultural tax, is paid 2 times a year, is 6% of the profits.

Ostrich farming and meat/egg trade will require permits from the Veterinary Service.

• for 8-10 birds, at least a hectare of area is required;
• the corral along the perimeter is surrounded by a fine mesh, the corners are rounded (ostriches are not distinguished by intelligence and quick wits);
• a canopy is made on one side of the corral;
• a water pipe is brought to the site to provide a watering place for birds.

The poultry house should be lit, ventilated, provide the opportunity to regularly clean and disinfect the floor, change the litter.

Wood, concrete or plastic panels can be used to build a poultry house. The area depends on the number of herds; at least 5 m 2 is needed per adult. The farm is built far from the roads, in a quiet deserted place. However, the possibility of access for tourists (if any) should be provided.

The first 8-12 days in the room for young animals, the litter should be covered with burlap. Otherwise, ostriches eat bedding material and may die. When the burlap is removed, the straw must be loosened daily so that the floor is not slippery.

It is optimal to divide the inner surface of the room with removable partitions, which can be moved as the birds grow older, to separate ostriches with different growth rates.

A separate room is an isolation room for sick birds and newcomers to the farm.

Purchase of young animals and equipment

There are several ways to start breeding ostriches:

• buy eggs from which it will be necessary to hatch the chicks;
• buy ostriches up to 1 month old;
• buy an adult family (1 male and 2-3 females).

The first option is the cheapest, but also the most questionable. An incubator is required to hatch birds from eggs, the mortality of young chicks is extremely high (not to mention the fact that the egg simply may not be fertilized).

In the third case, very soon it will be possible to wait for their own offspring, but the price for an ostrich family is quite high. They buy both young and adults, and eggs on the same ostrich farms or via the Internet. To start, you need from 12 to 25 families.

For a novice farmer, the second option can be considered the most acceptable.

As equipment, you will definitely need drinkers and feeders. In the future, the farmer will need an incubator (if there are plans to breed chicks), refrigeration equipment for products.

Search for distribution channels for products

It is the search for sales that needs to be dealt with in the first place, long before the papers are drawn up, and the ostriches are brought to the enclosures.

• meat should be offered to meat processing plants, processing farms, offered wholesale and retail to shops, markets, and the population via the Internet;
• similarly, you need to look for markets for eggs;
• leather is bought for the manufacture of bags, wallets, belts, it is quite durable;
• ostrich fat is in demand in the culinary and pharmaceutical industries.

Many farmers invite excursions to their farm (for an additional fee), offer dishes from ostrich meat and eggs, souvenirs from feathers, leather, egg shells.

Financial calculations

Investment in an ostrich farm

The initial investment consists of:

• purchase or construction of a poultry house, equipment - 1,200 rubles;
• purchase of an incubator - 250 thousand rubles;
• 75 adult birds - 4.5 million rubles.

Monthly expenses

• purchase of feed - 50 thousand rubles;
• salary, deductions - 30 thousand rubles.

Profit calculation and project profitability assessment

• sale of meat - $20/kg retail, $10/kg wholesale;
• eggs - 500 rubles apiece, for breeding - 1000 rubles apiece;
• sale of live birds;
• tourism;
• feather - $ 70-200 / kg, leather - $ 250 / m 2.

The average payback period of an ostrich farm is 3-4 years, if there is a great desire and a large number of birds.

Ostrich ranches are one of the promising areas for the development of private business in agriculture. Despite the huge initial investment, the business is profitable, and all costs will pay off with interest.

Order a business plan

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Breeding ostriches in our country is one of the most sought after and exotic types of business. The ostrich farm is a kind of start-up that has proven itself well in Russia and is one of the few free business niches.

Registration and organization of business

In order to organize and register a livestock farm, it is necessary to collect a huge amount of permits and prepare the territory. Additionally, it is worth considering the requirements of sanitary control, fire inspection and finding stable sources of raw materials for feeding birds.

Maintaining such an exotic entrepreneurial start is not easy - many Russians are not used to eating "unfamiliar" meat and prefer to overpay by buying beef or pork (in extreme cases, chicken). Thus, in addition to settling a few business issues, it is worth taking care of advertising the product so that it is in demand.

Required Documentation

The organization of any type of business begins with a trip to the tax office to register a business.

A poultry farm is a large-scale enterprise, so it would be better to open an LLC. The founder of the company is not liable for the obligations of the company with personal funds or property. Any financial costs are necessarily covered by the funds and property of the company.

This can be done by writing a statement of desire to become a founder. Submit it in the prescribed manner through the website of public services or directly to the territorial tax authorities.

In addition, you will need to collect a number of pro-establishment documents from various authorities. These include:

1. Veterinary certificate for each bird (you can get it from the seller when buying or from the veterinary service of the city (region, territory) where the poultry farm will be located);
2. Sanitary certificate for the facility (the premises and conditions of detention must be checked by the sanitary inspection of the city in order to obtain permission to do business);
3. Fire compliance (in the pens and on the farm itself, an effective fire extinguishing system must be provided, a “fair plan” is drawn up with marks on the placement of fire extinguishers and ways to exit the premises);
4. Documents on the compliance of feed, drinking water, temperature conditions;
5. Permission from the labor protection commission (on compliance with working conditions);
6. Agreement on waste disposal and disposal sites.
7. Sanitary books for workers.

Premises and equipment

The choice of premises and territory for keeping animals is the most important stage of the whole business. If we take into account the number of individuals in the family - 25 pieces, then the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe farm should be at least 9 hectares of land. Of these, part of the land should be used for paddocks and pastures, a stall and a quarantine block (for sick, weakened and newly arrived birds).

To ensure proper care for the birds on the farm, special equipment is required to be installed. A complete list of the necessary equipment can be found in any ostrich care guide. However, at the initial stage, when the breeder is limited in financial resources, it is better to get a “necessity kit”:

1. Bird feeders.
2. Drinkers.
3. Means for cleaning feces and other things - wheelbarrows, shovels, hoses with a sprayer.
4. Places to sleep.
5. Daylight lamps.
6. Additional sources of heat.
7. Additional ventilation shafts.
8. Thermal lamps.
9. Means for cleaning birds.

Despite the fact that the ostrich does not require special care and is absolutely picky in food, its diet must be balanced, and the temperature and humidity in the room should be close to the climatic conditions of a “warm spring”.

The list of feed additives and food products for ostriches, without fail, includes the following components:

• fluorine, calcium, magnesium, selenium, iron, iodine;
• hay, straw;
• nettle, quinoa, silage, alfalfa;
• sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn, oats, soybeans, peanuts, wheat;
• vegetables and fresh fruits.

Stalls should contain a water supply system and sewerage, drinking bowls with clean drinking water, large windows for sufficient sunlight to enter the room, fluorescent lamps (important in winter), additional ventilation shafts (for an abundant flow of oxygen).

Staff

An ostrich farm, like any other livestock enterprise, requires a mandatory team of specialists to clean up, care for animals, purchase feed and organize the work process, as well as examine and treat birds.

Thus, the working staff of the poultry farm should include:

1. Veterinarian.
2. Cleaners.
3. Bird Care Officer.
4. Purchasing and Sales Manager.
5. Tour organizer (if the farm will be used to generate additional income).

What can you get from breeding ostriches?

Income from breeding ostriches directly depends on the volume of supplies and the specifics of the farm. If the breeder expects to sell meat, skin - there will be one price. When selling feathers for the production of accessories and jewelry, it is different.

The size of the future "net profit" from the enterprise ranges from 200 to 250 euros (per ostrich), taking into account constant deliveries to several customers.

As for the value of the total income from the sale of meat, skins and feathers (that is, in several directions at once), you can get much more.

Sales of products

The sale of finished products must be carefully planned taking into account the specifics of the region. If the farm is located in a tourist area, it is more profitable to sell meat to restaurants and cafes, where anyone (more often tourists) can try such an exotic type of product. Or sell stausyatina in the markets - for local residents, if there is no animal husbandry in the city (region or territory) and people have to buy other types of meat at exorbitant prices.

If the poultry farm is located near a big city, it is better to sell feathers and ostrich skins. They will be used by manufacturers to create original accessories, leather goods and inexpensive bright jewelry.

The financial component of the business

Any business activity is aimed at making a profit. Some businessmen achieve the desired effect by minimizing costs - which is impossible for livestock farming (otherwise the animals will get sick and no one will buy them), others - they strive to open a business in a little-known area in order to create a brand and increase profits through advertising and popularization of the product (service) several times.

Cost of opening and maintaining

The total cost of starting and maintaining an ostrich farm is made up of several factors:

1. The cost of chicks and their maintenance is 500,000 rubles.
2. Payment of land tax and income tax of 600,000 rubles.
3. The salary of employees is 300,000 rubles.
4. Construction and preparation of the premises - 600,000 rubles.

Thus, the total amount of initial investment is 2 million rubles.

Size of future income

As mentioned above, a well-established marketing system and the search for new ways to solve entrepreneurial problems can bring the owner of an ostrich farm at least 250 euros per bird (or 14,000 rubles). The purchase of one family (25 individuals) will cost 700,000 rubles, excluding taxes and other business expenses.

Payback period

The total payback period, with an income of 700,00 rubles a month, will be only a few months. To be more precise, 4. However, there is no ideal business plan; it is impossible to foresee everything from and to.

Solving entrepreneurial problems in a little-studied area is quite simple and difficult at the same time. Consumers who are very sensitive to the quality of food and are not used to buying a “fundamentally new product” may simply not pay attention to ostrich meat. And buyers of leather goods and jewelry are unlikely to buy anything knowing that it is made from an ostrich skin.

Therefore, in order to make a profit from your enterprise, you should first think over the sales market well and put a commercial in rotation in order to attract the attention of future consumers.

What owner of a poultry yard or poultry farm does not dream of giant hens and roosters? It turns out there are. Moreover, no one specifically brought them out. Nature itself took care of this by creating the black African ostrich - Struthio camelus.

The weight of such a “chicken” reaches 175 kg, and the height is almost a three-meter mark. One egg, weighing more than a kilogram, is enough to cook an omelette for ten healthy men. But the most remarkable thing is that this bird bears fruit for almost forty years, practically does not get sick and easily endures cold winters (down to minus 25 degrees) and hot summers (plus 56 degrees).

« ostrich breeding- an excellent business for Russia, - the owner of the ostrich farm, Igor Belokhvostov, is sure. - On the one hand, the successful experience of the first such farms proved the high efficiency of this business. On the other hand, there is no competition, and there is a stable demand for ostrich meat (without cholesterol), skin and even feathers of this bird.”

Where to begin

Actually, there are only two options for entering this business. The first - will pull three hundred thousand, the second - millions of rubles.

“Ideally, if you already have a poultry yard, or at least a chicken coop, with a pasture,” farmer Belokhvostov shares his experience, “then you can buy about forty chicks, of which one third will be your breeding stock in three years, and two three - will go to the slaughter in a year.” Such an entry into the business will not be very costly and calm. The farmer, as the chicks grow to reproductive age, will expand the pasture (up to a hectare) and make an aviary with a canopy. True, it will take two years, or even three, to reap the first money.

The second option will require serious money. If the price of a monthly ostrich is five and a half thousand rubles, then a two-year-old bird will cost the newly-minted farmer 25 thousand, and a mother bird - all fifty thousand. Plus, you will need a fenced pasture, an aviary for chicks, an incubation room and ancillary rooms with heated floors.

To install a fence, you will have to spend money on timber by buying a three-meter unplaned timber with a diameter of 100-150 mm and "magpie" boards. Along the perimeter of the corral, every five to seven meters, the timber is dug into the ground, and boards are nailed to it, with a half-meter gap. When arranging a corral and enclosures, it must be ensured that there are no holes anywhere.

“An ostrich is a curious bird,” says Igor Belokhvostov, “when it sees a hole, it will definitely stick its head in there. But it’s not enough to stick out the mind (the brain of an ostrich is only thirty grams), it begins to raise its head up and desperately twitch. It may even hurt. And further! Ostriches are allergic to the sting of gadflies, wasps and bees. You have to think about that too."

Ostrich farm: entrance fee

If you seriously and for a long time to enter this business, you need to prepare for significant initial expenses and find a large investor.

The standard business plan says that when planning an average ostrich farm, one should start with ten families of ostriches of reproductive age. This is at least ten males and twenty females, and the males must be older. Such breeding stock will cost from one million rubles and more.

Next, you need to acquire land. This pleasure is not cheap, because pastures for ten families will amount to 50 acres of land. “You are a hundredth kilometer (from the regional center),” farmers joke. Only there you can buy land relatively inexpensively. This is another one and a half to two million plus.

The construction of pens and premises, the purchase of equipment for processing feed, incubators, the arrangement of communications will pull another million and a few kopecks. Thus, for the entrance ticket will have to pay five million. These figures are, of course, approximate. Many novice farmers fit into the three million.

According to experts, the costs will pay off in 18 months and at the end of the second year will bring income, with a profitability of at least 65 percent. Again, fluctuations are possible both in one direction and in the other. It all depends on the responsibility, initiative and luck of the entrepreneur.

What is the income

“All this, of course, is good,” say the doubters, “but I wanted specifics. Find out what's what? On fingers?".

This question was answered by Igor Belokhvostov.

“An ostrich is an African bird, it grows by leaps and bounds from our herbal abundance,” he says, “about two to three kilograms of food is needed per day. Likes clover, alfalfa, corn, wheat, fishmeal. For a year with a little reaches a slaughter weight. This is about forty kilograms of dietary meat, two kilograms of liver and ten kilograms of fat.”

According to the ostrich breeder, meat can be sold for five hundred rubles, fat - for three hundred, liver - for seven hundred rubles. Buy this product mainly restaurants. But it is best to organize tourist excursions. There are plenty of people who want to see live ostriches and try ostrich skewers or giant egg omelets.

Products made of ostrich skin and feathers are in stable demand.

“If you buy one-month-old ostriches and put them into slaughter a year later, you can earn twenty to thirty thousand rubles each,” the farmer explains, “however, you will have to work hard for this.”

« ostriches they easily endure the Russian climate, - informs Igor Kolesnikov from Bataysk, - but they are afraid of drafts. Therefore, metal-plastic windows and doors are installed in the premises. Despite their miniature brains, ostriches have distinct personalities, each with its own personality. For example, the nicknames of my ostriches - Macho, Mad, Dirty - speak for themselves.

“Two ostrich families require at least ten acres of land,” writes the general director of the Russian Ostrich farm, “otherwise the birds will start to fight. Then farewell to the income from the sale of leather and feathers. In general, many farmers agree that the length of walking for one family should be at least 40 meters.

“For those who want to independently engage in artificial incubation, you need to know that only one ostrich will appear from two eggs,” says Irina Kozlova, a specialist in a company that sells incubators, “this is due to the high percentage of unfertilized eggs characteristic of ostriches and frequent embryonic mortality ".

“In general, it would not be bad to know the basics of veterinary medicine,” says Anna Smirnova from the Krasnodar Territory, “ostriches love to run. They are characterized by injuries, including hitting fences, that need to be treated.” Lyudmila Volkova, the general director of the Makarievsky Straus farm, agrees with her, who advises looking for a professional veterinarian near the farm. For example, in a large agricultural enterprise in the neighborhood.

***
Of course, ostrich breeding in Russia has every chance become a mass business as it happened, for example, in the USA. For, what Russian poultry farmer does not dream of a giant chicken of three meters in height, carrying kilogram eggs. Especially if she is unpretentious, funny and in demand. And most importantly, it brings a very good income.

Alexander Sitnikov
Photos from sites obozrevatel.com, straus-yug.ru, vipstraus.kiev.ua, yandex.ru