Competitiveness, Training and Trade
Ostrich
About the Industry | Marketing & Meat | Products | Breeding Stock | Info | Industry Links
Seeing an ostrich, the large flightless bird native to Africa, running across a lush pasture in Manitoba is a remarkable sight to behold and perhaps one hard to believe.
Yet it is true! It is the abundance of high quality feed, Manitoba's unique climate and the heartiness of the ostrich species that all contribute to the growth and success of Manitoba's ostrich industry.
About the Industry
The ostrich industry in Manitoba is a growing part of the Manitoba agricultural industry.
While it is still in its early stages of development, as it is in the remainder of North America, the ostrich industry in Manitoba is undergoing a transformation from a breeders market to an industry marketing of the not only the breeding stock, but also the meat, hide, fat, and incubation and hatching equipment.
Currently, Manitoba has over 50 - 100 breeding stock pairs that are distributed on 15 farms. There are approximately 295 ostriches in Manitoba's total ostrich population.
Marketing and Meat
The Manitoba ostrich industry is slowly attaining higher levels of marketing experience as it continues its transformation away from a breeders market and into the marketing of other ostrich products.
While still a relatively young industry, Manitoba producers have already exported meat products across Canada and into Brazil, Mexico, and Asia. Ostrich meat is a healthy, high quality red meat with a texture and flavor similar to beef.
However, the meat has lower cholesterol and calorie levels than beef, while still maintaining a high level of protein and iron.
Since Manitoba has several select restaurants that regularly serve ostrich, there are processing facilities in the province.
These facilities must meet the rigid inspection and sanitary standards as set out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) food safety enforcement program (FSEP).
Leather and Fat Products
There is also an established worldwide market for leather products made from Ostrich hide.
This is primarily due to the strength of the hide and its supple nature. It is often the leather of choice for high-end and exotic leather goods.
Manitoba producers currently export 'green' hides to the United States and Thailand where they are tanned and processed.
While there is only one established commercial tannery in Canada, there are several small tanneries across Manitoba that process Ostrich hide on a custom basis.
Uses for Ostrich fat are another area Manitoba producers are examining.
There are a couple of Canadian companies researching fat uses and developing the technology to use the fat in applications such as lotions, oils and nutraceutical products.
Breeding Stock
The sale of the ostrich for breeding stock is also a large part of the Manitoba ostrich industry.
Ostrich breeding stock is marketed as single birds, breeding pairs or fertile eggs.
The continued growth of the industry in North America, and throughout various other pockets around the globe, has created a large demand for breeding stock that will likely continue for many years to come.
Manitoba producers have a growing reputation for supplying quality breeding stock and sound management expertise.
