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Ostriches - A Brief History
Ostriches have been roaming the earth for millions of years. Scientists put the figure anywhere
between 95 and 150 million years, with the general consensus about 120 million years. They are
truly a relic of the dinosaur age and are the only surviving two legged species from this era.
Earliest recordings of these creatures, which belong to the ratite family of flightless birds, puts their location in southern Europe, across Mesopotamia, Syria, Northern India and vast areas of southern China.
The bible specifically makes numerous reference to ostriches and Pliny, a great philosopher and zoologist of the 1st century A.D., writes extensively about the oil and its unique therapeutic values in curing aches and pains.
It wasn't until the mid 1800's that ostriches were farmed commercially, not for their meat or leather but for their feathers. These beautiful plumes were the height of fashion in Europe and the industry exploded within South Africa during the 1860's.
Huge fortunes in the feather industry were made very quickly and this was sustained by the invention of the artificial incubator in the 1880's. The incubator allowed fertile eggs to be reared under much more ideal conditions than the hot desert climates of the area.
With the outbreak of the First World War and the invention of the motorcar, the industry collapsed as spectacularly as it rose. Between 1915 and 1918, the ostrich population in South Africa declined from 250,000 to less than 40,000.
50 years ago It wasn't until after the Second World War that the South Africans again looked to the ostrich as an agricultural "cash cow" and started growing the birds for the exquisite leather produced from the hide.
With its unique quill pattern, ostrich leather is not only a delight to the eye, but it also has the distinction of being the strongest commercially available leather in the world today.
The techniques developed by the South Africans in the 1950's and 1960's gave them a tremendous insight into the tanning and finishing of the hides, and even today they are the dominant country for the production of finished leather goods.
In the 1960's ostriches were mainly farmed in an area of South Africa called the Karroo. In 1965 a co-op was formed called the Klein Karroo Co-op, and at this time the south Africans controlled over 95% of the world ostrich market.
With the move towards a more health conscious society, various tests were undertaken to analyze the meat for its nutritional value. After learning that ostrich meat was low in calories and cholesterol and had less fat than skinless chicken or turkey, the South Africans began successfully marketing the meat to Europe.
25 years ago In the 1970's a number of Ostriches were exported to Israel creating a thriving industry (although Jews are expressly forbidden to eat Ostrich) and today Israel still boasts the second highest per capita population of ostriches after South Africa.
The birds that were exported to Israel belonged to the species of ostrich called Struthio Camelus Domesticus with a more common name of African Black Domestic. The African Black Domestic Ostrich is in fact a sub-species, developed and grown exclusively by the South Africans through selective breeding since they began farming them in the 1850's.
There is only one true species of ostrich, or Struthio Camelus, and these are more commonly referred to as the African Red Neck Ostrich. A third type of ostrich also exists called the African Blue Neck, and together with the African Red Neck they make up approximately 90% of all ostriches found in the zoos of the world.
This is a great pity because both the Red Neck and the Blue Neck are naturally wild animals. They are aggressive, they kick, bite and peck and thus the consensus of opinion is that ostriches are "unfriendly" and "vicious". On the other hand, the African Black Domestic Ostrich is by its very nature a tame, docile, friendly creature and extremely inquisitive of humans.
To further enhance the attraction of the African Black Domestic Ostrich for farming, the South Africans did a phenomenal job of breeding/culling and cross breeding their "domestic" ostrich to produce a very fertile female which is quite capable of producing as many offspring in one year as 10 equivalent female Red Necks or Blue Necks.
For the above reasons then, the African Black Domestic Ostrich had become the "prize" in the ostrich world and the South Africans knew this. The only other exporting country of any significance was Tanganyika and their production was limited exclusively to the wild Red Necks and Blue Necks.
15 years ago In the mid 1980's the USA began to take an interest in the industry and with their marketing ability and prowess they saw enormous benefits in the breeding of these fascinating creatures. So began an import program directly from South Africa. Quarantining stations were set up to insure only healthy stock was imported.
Of particular concern was Newcastle's Disease, a virus-borne infection that had proven deadly in some South African farms.
In Newcastle's Disease the bird sways it head uncontrollably. Unable to hold it's head up, the bird sits down, usually followed quickly by death.
The virus is transmitted in the saliva and feces and is therefore very contagious. Quarantining stations allowed birds to be monitored for 30 days to prevent such diseases from being introduced to the US
Importation continued from South Africa until May 1988 when the South African government passed a law banning exportation.
In order to maintain their monopoly on the industry, South African law made it a felony to export ostriches or their eggs. Importers had to look elsewhere for new stock.
In 1989, all US importation came to a halt when imported ostriches were discovered to be the source of ticks that caused Heartwater Fever. While the ticks posed no threat to the birds, Heartwater Fever proved to be deadly to cattle. The US government therefore banned all importation of Ostriches.
With the fall of apartheid, South Africa once again opened the market for ostrich importation. With stricter quarantining processes in place, new stock became available in the United States. Ostrich breeders had mixed feelings about importing stock.
Many felt that the risk of introducing disease to domestic birds outweighed the need for new stock. Others were concerned about how importation would affect prices. There was no doubt though that as the population of Ostriches grew in the US, the negative effects of inbreeding were bound to affect the future of the industry.
10 years ago Unfortunately, it wasn't all roses for either the USA or the other countries who were importing birds. In 1989, the South African government banned the export of live ostriches and eggs under the penalty of imprisonment, brought about by pressure from the Klein Karroo Co-ops after realising that their world domination may be eroded.
By the turn of the current decade a huge smuggling operation was underway to ensure the continual supply of African Black Domestic Ostriches from South Africa.
Through a number of townships and independent areas, including Bophuthatswana, thousands of eggs were smuggled into the USA and other countries around the world. Of course these were not all African Black Domestic Ostrich Eggs - but who knew - and therein lies one of the biggest challenges facing our industry today.
The eggs that were smuggled out were 85% Red and Blue necks, they were being sold in many countries as African Black eggs and commanding prices that today seem crazy. As much as $1,000 (US) per egg. Today prices are much nearer $50 for an egg.
The Americans bought them though, and thus created an industry. Prices for breeding birds skyrocketed and it wasn't uncommon for a breeding trio of ostriches (species unknown because nobody really knew) to sell for $100,000.00. Today a trio of good African Black Domesticated Ostriches cost approximately $5,000 - $6,000 in the US.
With worldwide prices plummeting simply because nobody wanted to speculate on the potential value of the offspring, the industry has now truly entered its commercial phase.
The ostrich is grown today for its healthy red meat, its superb leather, the unmistakable plumes which are used both in the carnival and to make dusters, and finally for its oil which is being used in skin care products.
The future looks very bright. The population of ostriches is approaching 1.5 to 2 million birds and the world is ever more demanding of healthy food - an abundant supply of which is found on an ostrich.
From the farming point of view, these are very hardy animals and can be raised in almost any country in the world. Today commercial ostrich farming is occurring in over 50 countries, all the way from extremes of Alaska to the unbearable heat of Ecuador.
Current Trends With the current market trend toward a slaughter market, new genetic lines are necessary to secure a healthy, stable product.
In combination with line-breeding (selective inbreeding), a bird can be developed that is best suited for slaughter. The breeder market as we knew it is over in the USA and many other countries around the world. The industry is now in a total commercial or slaughter market. It is therefore important to select for traits that produce an economical alternative to other livestock.
Current trends in South Africa call for the birds to progressively reach slaughter weight at a younger age with less feed.
A bird that is 100kg live weight with a hide of 13 sq. ft., is considered to be ready to slaughter in South Africa.
Through selective breeding, South Africans have been able to reach this goal more economically in the past few years:
Earliest recordings of these creatures, which belong to the ratite family of flightless birds, puts their location in southern Europe, across Mesopotamia, Syria, Northern India and vast areas of southern China.
The bible specifically makes numerous reference to ostriches and Pliny, a great philosopher and zoologist of the 1st century A.D., writes extensively about the oil and its unique therapeutic values in curing aches and pains.
It wasn't until the mid 1800's that ostriches were farmed commercially, not for their meat or leather but for their feathers. These beautiful plumes were the height of fashion in Europe and the industry exploded within South Africa during the 1860's.
Huge fortunes in the feather industry were made very quickly and this was sustained by the invention of the artificial incubator in the 1880's. The incubator allowed fertile eggs to be reared under much more ideal conditions than the hot desert climates of the area.
With the outbreak of the First World War and the invention of the motorcar, the industry collapsed as spectacularly as it rose. Between 1915 and 1918, the ostrich population in South Africa declined from 250,000 to less than 40,000.
50 years ago It wasn't until after the Second World War that the South Africans again looked to the ostrich as an agricultural "cash cow" and started growing the birds for the exquisite leather produced from the hide.
With its unique quill pattern, ostrich leather is not only a delight to the eye, but it also has the distinction of being the strongest commercially available leather in the world today.
The techniques developed by the South Africans in the 1950's and 1960's gave them a tremendous insight into the tanning and finishing of the hides, and even today they are the dominant country for the production of finished leather goods.
In the 1960's ostriches were mainly farmed in an area of South Africa called the Karroo. In 1965 a co-op was formed called the Klein Karroo Co-op, and at this time the south Africans controlled over 95% of the world ostrich market.
With the move towards a more health conscious society, various tests were undertaken to analyze the meat for its nutritional value. After learning that ostrich meat was low in calories and cholesterol and had less fat than skinless chicken or turkey, the South Africans began successfully marketing the meat to Europe.
25 years ago In the 1970's a number of Ostriches were exported to Israel creating a thriving industry (although Jews are expressly forbidden to eat Ostrich) and today Israel still boasts the second highest per capita population of ostriches after South Africa.
The birds that were exported to Israel belonged to the species of ostrich called Struthio Camelus Domesticus with a more common name of African Black Domestic. The African Black Domestic Ostrich is in fact a sub-species, developed and grown exclusively by the South Africans through selective breeding since they began farming them in the 1850's.
There is only one true species of ostrich, or Struthio Camelus, and these are more commonly referred to as the African Red Neck Ostrich. A third type of ostrich also exists called the African Blue Neck, and together with the African Red Neck they make up approximately 90% of all ostriches found in the zoos of the world.
This is a great pity because both the Red Neck and the Blue Neck are naturally wild animals. They are aggressive, they kick, bite and peck and thus the consensus of opinion is that ostriches are "unfriendly" and "vicious". On the other hand, the African Black Domestic Ostrich is by its very nature a tame, docile, friendly creature and extremely inquisitive of humans.
To further enhance the attraction of the African Black Domestic Ostrich for farming, the South Africans did a phenomenal job of breeding/culling and cross breeding their "domestic" ostrich to produce a very fertile female which is quite capable of producing as many offspring in one year as 10 equivalent female Red Necks or Blue Necks.
For the above reasons then, the African Black Domestic Ostrich had become the "prize" in the ostrich world and the South Africans knew this. The only other exporting country of any significance was Tanganyika and their production was limited exclusively to the wild Red Necks and Blue Necks.
15 years ago In the mid 1980's the USA began to take an interest in the industry and with their marketing ability and prowess they saw enormous benefits in the breeding of these fascinating creatures. So began an import program directly from South Africa. Quarantining stations were set up to insure only healthy stock was imported.
Of particular concern was Newcastle's Disease, a virus-borne infection that had proven deadly in some South African farms.
In Newcastle's Disease the bird sways it head uncontrollably. Unable to hold it's head up, the bird sits down, usually followed quickly by death.
The virus is transmitted in the saliva and feces and is therefore very contagious. Quarantining stations allowed birds to be monitored for 30 days to prevent such diseases from being introduced to the US
Importation continued from South Africa until May 1988 when the South African government passed a law banning exportation.
In order to maintain their monopoly on the industry, South African law made it a felony to export ostriches or their eggs. Importers had to look elsewhere for new stock.
In 1989, all US importation came to a halt when imported ostriches were discovered to be the source of ticks that caused Heartwater Fever. While the ticks posed no threat to the birds, Heartwater Fever proved to be deadly to cattle. The US government therefore banned all importation of Ostriches.
With the fall of apartheid, South Africa once again opened the market for ostrich importation. With stricter quarantining processes in place, new stock became available in the United States. Ostrich breeders had mixed feelings about importing stock.
Many felt that the risk of introducing disease to domestic birds outweighed the need for new stock. Others were concerned about how importation would affect prices. There was no doubt though that as the population of Ostriches grew in the US, the negative effects of inbreeding were bound to affect the future of the industry.
10 years ago Unfortunately, it wasn't all roses for either the USA or the other countries who were importing birds. In 1989, the South African government banned the export of live ostriches and eggs under the penalty of imprisonment, brought about by pressure from the Klein Karroo Co-ops after realising that their world domination may be eroded.
By the turn of the current decade a huge smuggling operation was underway to ensure the continual supply of African Black Domestic Ostriches from South Africa.
Through a number of townships and independent areas, including Bophuthatswana, thousands of eggs were smuggled into the USA and other countries around the world. Of course these were not all African Black Domestic Ostrich Eggs - but who knew - and therein lies one of the biggest challenges facing our industry today.
The eggs that were smuggled out were 85% Red and Blue necks, they were being sold in many countries as African Black eggs and commanding prices that today seem crazy. As much as $1,000 (US) per egg. Today prices are much nearer $50 for an egg.
The Americans bought them though, and thus created an industry. Prices for breeding birds skyrocketed and it wasn't uncommon for a breeding trio of ostriches (species unknown because nobody really knew) to sell for $100,000.00. Today a trio of good African Black Domesticated Ostriches cost approximately $5,000 - $6,000 in the US.
With worldwide prices plummeting simply because nobody wanted to speculate on the potential value of the offspring, the industry has now truly entered its commercial phase.
The ostrich is grown today for its healthy red meat, its superb leather, the unmistakable plumes which are used both in the carnival and to make dusters, and finally for its oil which is being used in skin care products.
The future looks very bright. The population of ostriches is approaching 1.5 to 2 million birds and the world is ever more demanding of healthy food - an abundant supply of which is found on an ostrich.
From the farming point of view, these are very hardy animals and can be raised in almost any country in the world. Today commercial ostrich farming is occurring in over 50 countries, all the way from extremes of Alaska to the unbearable heat of Ecuador.
Current Trends With the current market trend toward a slaughter market, new genetic lines are necessary to secure a healthy, stable product.
In combination with line-breeding (selective inbreeding), a bird can be developed that is best suited for slaughter. The breeder market as we knew it is over in the USA and many other countries around the world. The industry is now in a total commercial or slaughter market. It is therefore important to select for traits that produce an economical alternative to other livestock.
Current trends in South Africa call for the birds to progressively reach slaughter weight at a younger age with less feed.
A bird that is 100kg live weight with a hide of 13 sq. ft., is considered to be ready to slaughter in South Africa.
Through selective breeding, South Africans have been able to reach this goal more economically in the past few years:
1991 slaughtered at 14 months --- 670 kg feed
1992 slaughtered at 9 months --- 430 kg feed
1993 slaughtered at 8 months --- 370 kg feed
Obviously these figures have a way to go before reaching the ideal 1.5:1 feed conversion ratio. However, the efforts put forth to achieve the ideal slaughter bird have only just begun.
In South Africa the threat of competition has prompted better management processes. In the US, the population has only recently reached a point to make slaughtering feasible and although Ostriches On Line are slaughtering hundreds of birds per week, the demand is ever rising and a regular ongoing supply of good slaughter birds is always needed.
Another important consideration in raising birds to slaughter age is the cost of feed. When ostriches were commanding high prices, feed cost was of little consideration.
With the profit margin decreasing, many farmers are seeking alternatives to feeding pelleted feed exclusively. Several new feed products are emerging that can be mixed with locally purchased alfalfa and corn to make a complete feed at a reduced cost.
Darryl Holle of Blue Mountain Ostrich Feeds estimates his feed cost to be about $125 to take a bird to market at 10 months or so. This compares well with ourselves, as our range of selectively bred ostriches are taken to slaughter with an average feed cost of $100.
The ostrich industry is still quite young in the US. The progress that has been made in incubation procedures, chick survivability and management techniques can continue into the slaughter market.
The ostrich is a versatile bird. If the ostrich farmer can match the adaptability of this big bird and meet the challenge of the changing marketplace, we know that there is a bright future ahead!
This truly remarkable animal will be coming into its own in the 21st Century.
1992 slaughtered at 9 months --- 430 kg feed
1993 slaughtered at 8 months --- 370 kg feed
Obviously these figures have a way to go before reaching the ideal 1.5:1 feed conversion ratio. However, the efforts put forth to achieve the ideal slaughter bird have only just begun.
In South Africa the threat of competition has prompted better management processes. In the US, the population has only recently reached a point to make slaughtering feasible and although Ostriches On Line are slaughtering hundreds of birds per week, the demand is ever rising and a regular ongoing supply of good slaughter birds is always needed.
Another important consideration in raising birds to slaughter age is the cost of feed. When ostriches were commanding high prices, feed cost was of little consideration.
With the profit margin decreasing, many farmers are seeking alternatives to feeding pelleted feed exclusively. Several new feed products are emerging that can be mixed with locally purchased alfalfa and corn to make a complete feed at a reduced cost.
Darryl Holle of Blue Mountain Ostrich Feeds estimates his feed cost to be about $125 to take a bird to market at 10 months or so. This compares well with ourselves, as our range of selectively bred ostriches are taken to slaughter with an average feed cost of $100.
The ostrich industry is still quite young in the US. The progress that has been made in incubation procedures, chick survivability and management techniques can continue into the slaughter market.
The ostrich is a versatile bird. If the ostrich farmer can match the adaptability of this big bird and meet the challenge of the changing marketplace, we know that there is a bright future ahead!
This truly remarkable animal will be coming into its own in the 21st Century.