The birds are sold in pairs – male and female and currently cost around $3,000 to $4,000 each. Older chicks are costlier and sell at about $9,000 for a 12-15-month-old chick. ..
The market demand for the birds has decreased in recent years, and their prices have since decreased. In the past, the birds typically sold for around $ 40,000 per pair, at their peak. Now they sell for much less.
Other costs related to farming emu birds:
The average per day feed for a bird costs around 30 cents, roughly adding up to around $10 per month. The birds need a large amount of land to breed and need to be sheltered. Sheltering costs vary depending on the farm. Most farms also have a bird hatching machine to hatch emu eggs, as this is more profitable than natural hatching. Each machine costs around $1,500.
Why is there a demand for emu birds?
The feathers, meat, eggs, and other parts of an emu bird are all valuable and have some end use. The feathers can be used to make a coat or hat, the meat can be cooked into a meal, and the eggs can be used as incubation material.
The meat of an emu is lower in fat and has more protein content than most poultry. The meat is sold for around $25 per pound. A fully grown emu can yield around 125 – 140 pounds of meat. An emu starts laying eggs at the age of 24 months and can lay eggs for the next 30 years. The average life span of a bird is around 30-35 years. Initially, an emu starts by laying around 12-14 eggs per season (December to March), and its capacity increases by 5-10 eggs, every year.
An emu egg is about 10-12 times the size of a chicken egg and sells at about $30 – $50, per egg.
The skin of the emu bird is used in the leather industry for making handbags, slippers, and other accessories. Oil derived from the fat of the emu bird is high in oleic acid and linoleic acid has anti-inflammatory properties and is said to provide relief from arthritis. It also finds use in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Each bird can yield about 6 liters of oil. The oil sells for around $40 per liter globally.
What does the demand for emu products look like now?
Though the meat was extensively marketed as a better alternative to chicken or beef due to its high protein content, the demand for emu meat took a long time to pick up. The taste of the meat requires some getting used to and has taken time to gain consumers. Though the meat was extensively marketed as a healthier option, it is not without its drawbacks. The low-fat content means that emu meat is lean and tough, and has taken some time for consumers to get used to the taste. Additionally, because emu meat is high in protein, it can be expensive when compared with other meats. ..
The commercial value of chickens and other poultry is based on their ability to produce more eggs than they can be grown in a given area. Poultry is more profitable when compared to the number of birds that can be cultivated in an sq. meter of land. The higher price also acts as a dampener for the demand for emu meat, which is currently sold at around $25 per pound when compared to beef which sells at $9 per pound. The higher price also helps to keep the demand low, which allows farmers to focus on selling the eggs and exporting oil from the fat.
The business of emu farming was once a profitable venture with the birds sold at high prices. However, the market subsequently crashed in 1995 as the demand did not grow as expected. The reason for this crash is unknown, but it is likely that the market was overestimated based on speculation.
Farmers in the past have shifted their focus to the production and export of oil globally. The current global demand for emu oil is around 1.5 lakh liters per month, and continues to be a lucrative business. However, in recent years, there has been a sudden increase in demand for emu meat for consumption purposes. Some workers quote that sales have increased by 150% from 2019 to 2020 alone. The emu meat market has seen some ups and downs in the past two decades, but the 95% fat-free red meat, continues to be one of the healthiest meats available for consumption.
Commercial farms in the states of Colorado, Texas, Montana, Tennessee, and New Jersey are raising emus for meat and eggs. You can purchase these products from partner outlets or directly from the farms. ..
Emu meat is a high-quality, nutrient-rich red and white meat that is lower in sodium, potassium, and fat. It also has a high content of vitamin C, iron, and protein. ..
