Emus?

Yes, I can understand your concerns in that regard. However, while there are a number of "rich city folks who want to have something for their hobby farms", there is a growing number of people who are raising alpacas as a serious business venture. Most of these people have done the appropriate research and, most important of all, belong to an association. Of course, that is something that should be done with any type of livestock you might be considering.

I must admit to being slightly biased in recommending alapacas, mainly because of the success they are achieving down here. According to the A.A.A., Aust already has the world's largest register of pedigree alpacas, and it is predicted that by 2015, the alpacas here will outnumber those in Peru.

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BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

They say the alpaca business won't go the way of the others because they only have one crea a year and that may mot make it so the market can't be flooded.

Hummmmm????

Lets see...... how many crea do Llamas have I wonder?

More that Paru??? How can that happen?

Strange indeed.

I do have alpacas. I love mine. All 5 of them and NO I am not a hobby farmer....well ...not intentionally anyway. LOL!

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Corky

LEAD ME NOT INTO TEMPTATION. I CAN FIND IT BY MYSELF.

This thread is evolving into an alpaca thread so I am going to start a new thread. You all have pretty much talked me out of doing the emu thing.

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-Paul

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." -Red Green

well i know someone who raises the buffalo and also the beefalo cross. He gets top dollar at the sale to companies that want the extra lean meat they provide. He has been doing it about 20 years or more. So buffalo/beefalo actually has a market. I raised them about four years and did well. But the buffalo/bison will walk right through fencing should they want to. I got out because I sold the land I kept them on.

Several restaurants including national chain Ruby Tuesdays sell a "Bison Burger" and its the top selling burger they have.


MY 84 year old granpa had never seen an emu and one walked into a deer food plot while he was hunting and bout scared him to death. We have since shot about half a dozen. Noone in his area had any so someone must have loaded them in a trailer and dumped them in the national forest next door.

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What we have here...is a failure to communicate.

Uh, since emus and ostrich aren't native to Nebraska - I'm thinking people must be having issues keeping them fenced in!

You know - I'm pretty observant about the types of animals I might encounter making my commute through the country to the city every day. Coming across an emu running at full-speed along the edge of the highway does catch your attention.

Last year My brother and his friend found a BIG EGG in one of the wooded areas in a nearby park. The recreation area has a lake/woods and is pretty primitive. Turns out it was an ostrich egg.

I do know in a community about 30 miles west of here a farmer got tired of his emus, and when the snow piled up over his fence - he just let them walk out....they are "somewhere" - - - -

Corky, I have to admit that I was rather sceptical of the claim myself, but that was what I had read.
The Australian herd totals were said to be approx 33,000 at the time the info was published by the Australian Alpaca Association in 2001. Being highly optomistic, if half were hembras, and produced 1 cria per year, the number would be significantly more by now, (over 342,000), and would be, what? 6,000,000 or so by 2015? (Math is not my strong point. LOL)

The A.A.A., plus several other alpaca groups now jointly own a dedicated mill in Geelong, Victoria, for proccessing the fibre, although production is well below the current demand, so, in Australia at least, breeding alpacas is a viable enterprise.

Having said that, unless one is a member of an association or co-operative, yes, as Ford8N said, alpacas can be considered to be little more than glorified pets.

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BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

someone had a booth set up selling emu oil products. I bought a deep heat rub for sore muscles and pure emu oil for dry skin, etc. Has anyone else had experience with these products or is it just a passing faze (sp)?
The oil makes my face very smooth and is supposed to get rid of wrinkles!!
Mary

emu oil is wonderful stuff! It really works!

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Corky

LEAD ME NOT INTO TEMPTATION. I CAN FIND IT BY MYSELF.

where's the new thread?

Lew in TX

The oil and other emu products are fabulous. I use the shampoo, soap, face cream, body lotion, and lots of other products. The only reason I use them is because I got them when I had the birds processed. They are too expensive to buy retail. I'll be sad when they are all used up and I won't be able to afford to replace them. They are excellent products, but very expensive.

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LOL ...What are ya gonna talk him out of next, Lew?

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BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

Nothing; never even commented on the emus if you'll check the posts. Just think the "exotic animal" threads are interesting reading.

Lew in TX

Only meant as a joke Lew

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BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

There is a lady I graduated with (1997)---her dad raises ELK.....they do some sort of guided hunt with them on his inlaws land.....the website is basically about the hunting lodge and such....not so much about the elk raising operation

http://www.gantzparkhuntingcamp.com/reservations.html

last time I was home I drove by Dale's Elk pens....I had never seen an elk before....my daughter wanted to know why there were reindeer at Grammy's town!!!!

Rachel

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If at first you dont succeed.....click undo

I've seen the emu and ostrich market bottom out here and there were a lot of people that lost their shirts. I do think those that got into it after the initial craze probably did better than the early investors. I know some folks that do better with soaps, oils and byproducts than they do the meat industry. Like most places, there are very few places that are set up to handle the birds and those that do have figured out that they can charge incredible money for the job. I would suggest that if you're looking at stocking your place, it's far easier and way wiser to invest your time and energy into something you enjoy rather than getting into something for the perceived profits.

It was too nice to sit on the computer today. After so much rain it was beautiful, sunny & only in the 70's. Time to be outside. I will get to the post soon. Thanks for askin'. ;-)

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-Paul

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." -Red Green

Ok I am just wondering what would be the feedout time from a young month old emu and ostrich to butchering size? Anyone have any idea?