Emu farming becoming popular in this region

EMU FARMS ARE IDEAL FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET INTO ANIMAL PRODUCTION BUT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LAND. THE EMUS IN THIS GROUP ARE ALMOST TWO-YEARS OLD AND WILL SOON BE READY TO START BREEDING.

Emu farms are becoming a more common site in this region of Ontario. There are about 100 Emu farms in Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth counties.

There are a few reasons why it is becoming more popular -- you don't need a lot of land; they lay a lot of eggs in a season; and you can sell several different products from the bird. George and Anne McBride, who live near Kincardine, have operated an Emu farm for almost a year.

"We have grown as the business has grown," says George. "The longer we are in it, the more we learn about it."

Both Anne and George have a farming background, but they didn't have a lot of land. They started talking to other Emu farmers and decided to try it themselves. Last summer they bought seven males and seven females for breeding. They also bought about 30 chicks. Over the fall and winter five of the seven breeding pairs produced eggs. They now have over 100 birds, as well as the originals.

Emus are a type of Ratite (which means birds that don't fly). Other Ratites are Ostriches and Rheas. All three types of birds are being farmed in Ontario, sometimes on the same farm. George says he decided to try Emus because they usually have a calmer personality.

The McBrides are in the business mainly as breeders, but they also promote all the products (see story below). They attend the Walkerton Farmer's Market every week to give out information about Emus.

Emu story continued on page 3...

GEORGE MCBRIDE OF KINCARDINE HAS BEEN OPERATING AN EMU FARM FOR ALMOST A YEAR. HE IS SHOWN HERE WITH ONE OF HIS ORIGINAL BREEDER BIRDS, GERTIE.

One of the, nice things about producing Emus is that about 98% of the bird can be used. The meat is the most popular item right now, but you can also use the oil, feathers, egg shells, eggs, and skin. Even the toenails are used to make different kinds of jewelry and crafts.

The meat is a lean, red meat, that tastes like beef. It can be bought ground and in fillets. The oil is used to make creams, lotions, make-up and as a natural healing ointment. The feathers are unique because they are anti-static, which means they don't attract dust. They make great feather dusters for around the house and General Motors uses them to dust cars before they paint them.

The egg shells are also used for jewelry and crafts. Unfertilized eggs can be used for cooking. They are especially useful for restaurants where large amounts are need. One Emu egg would be the same as about 7 chicken eggs. Emus are also being used for research, as their hearts and ear bones are much the same as humans.

Emus come from Australia. Males and females are a brown color. They grow to be about 5 to 6 feet tall and can weigh up to 150 pounds.

Females lay about 20 to 40 eggs a year, from November to April. They lay eggs about every three days.

The eggs are dark green and can weigh up to 1 1/2 pounds. It takes 52 days between the time the female is bred to when she lays her first egg, They start breeding when they are about 18-months-old.

Anyone looking for more information about Emu farming and the products can call the Ontario Ratite Association at 519-579-0188