HI
Business such as poultry, dairy, ship or goat raring or animal husbandry often suffer due various factors such as eruption and spread of infectious and contagious diseases, resulting in sudden fall in production, climatic charges, excessive heat and scarcity of water. Emu is naturally immune to all these adversities; hence emu farming is preferred all over the world today.
Australian emu farming as a complementary to agriculture is going to be the most profitable business in the near future. Originally Emu is a resident of Australia, a very sober bird, living on grains, cereals, pulses and grass, its immune system is so strong that it hardly suffers from any disease. It survives in any type of climate. Each and every part of emu’s body is commercially valuable. Hence in Maharashtra too, emu- farming is taking its roots. The Government as per 1972 forest animal husbandry act for protection and raring of forest animals, has permitted emu farming which offers great opportunity for foreign investments and export.
An year old emu is around five and half to six feet in height, its weight is 30-40 kg. Fully grown emu weighs 50-60kg.when it grows it changes its colour thrice. In the beginning as it comes out of the egg up to 3 months there are stripes on its body. After 4 months it looks chocolate brown, after 1 year it again starts changing its colour. The feathers on the neck fall off.
Emu Eggs
This is the most important among various products in emu farm. In the initial period the eggs should be used for the purpose of reproduction. In the later period the eggs will be used for growing fleshy young ones. In emu farming the egg production & hatching remains a very important ever lasting process. In future enu-eggs production will definitely fetch large amount of profits. These birds live for forty years and remain sexually active for at least twenty five years. Hence with a single investment one can obtain long term production & profit. A single bird gives minimum twenty and maximum forty eggs every year. These eggs have dark-green colour. Each egg ways 400 to 600 gms.
Emu Eggs
Emu Meat
Each and every part of emu’s body is commercially valuable. The most important is of course, its meat which is 97 to 98% fat free. Emu meat is rich in proteins; it contains plenty of iron, vitamin B-12, hence as the modern research shows ' emu meat is excellent diet for people suffering from heart – ailments. Emu meat has less fat content,it is easily digestable, very tasty and hence it serves as a very good alternative for mutton & chicken. Therefore there is a great demand for it in international market. Each bird can yield about 25 kg of meat. Emu Meat
Emu Oil
This is an important product in emu-farming. From the fat oil can be extracted. This oil gets absorbed in human skin within 4-5 seconds and reach the bones. Hence this oil is mainly used in skin ointments and also for various cosmetic products. Recent research shows that this oil serves as excellent medicine for arthritis. It is also used as a pain killer.
The fatty acids present in this oil decrease the blood-cholesterol level as per the modern research. Because of the medicinal value of this oil, western countries are capturing international markets by producting new cosmetics creams & lotions from this oil. India too has a great opportunity to enter in to international market.
REgards
Ashwini