Emu Farming

EMU FARMING

EMU

This bird means business….

Introduction: The Emu, native to Australia, is the world's second-largest living members of the ratite family of flightless birds, like the ostrich from Africa. Emus weigh between 18 and 48 kg and height up to 1.5 meters. From a single farm in 1996, there are today 900 emu farms in 14 states, with a majority of them in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and other progressive states of India. The reason for the growth of emu farms today is the increasing demand for the bird’s meat and oil, which is believed to have medicinal properties, especially for treating joint pains.

EMU Farming: Emu farming is a big venture with a huge growth potential. Emus are hardy birds and are even naturally immune to infectious and contagious diseases, climatic changes, excessive heat and scarcity of water. A single bird needs minimum of 400 to 500 sq. ft. area. It cost Rs. 25000 to 30000 per pair. Emu eats Fruits, flowers, insects, seeds and green vegetation; love caterpillars & requires 6-10 liters of good water daily. Emu farming can be in the business of rising, emu birds for two main purposes:

i. The first purpose is Breeding Birds - to increase the emu population, because of the high profits that can be made by selling adult emus as breeding birds.

ii. The second purpose is slaughter birds - to get the bi-products like emu meat, emu oil, emu bone, emu feathers, emu skin, emu nail.

Each and every part of emu’s body is commercially valuable:

Emu Egg: This is the most important among various products in emu farm. A single bird gives minimum twenty and maximum forty eggs every year for thirty years. Each egg weight 400 to 600 grams & cost Rs 1800 to 2000 per egg.

Emu Oil: Emu oil has been used for treatment of muscle and joint pains, mainly because of its ability to penetrate the skin. About 4-6 a litter of oil is available from a bird, the price of one litter refined Emu oil is Rs. 3000/- to Rs. 4000/.

Emu Meat: The most important is...