How do you care for an emu?
Provide necessary food, water and care to protect the health and well being of animals. Provide pens and housing of quality and size to keep the emus safe, while allowing them adequate exercise. Provide disease prevention practices to protect the health of their birds – including access to veterinary care.
What are the benefits of raising emus?
One of the biggest benefits of raising emus is that their functionality means there's very little waste, with the feathers, leather, oil, meat, and eggs making them one of the most versatile birds you could invest in. Compared to cattle, emus require little space but, then again, produce a lot less meat per animal.
What do farmers do with emu?
One bird yields just 30 pounds of boneless meat (compared to a cow that can yield more than 500 pounds), and farmers had to find alternative ways to be profitable, like selling emu oil, eggs, organs, feathers, and hides. People have used emu oil on their skin for centuries to help fight dry skin and inflammation.
What diseases can emus get?
Eastern equine encephalomyelitis can cause death in ostrich chicks as a fading chick syndrome and as a violent and fatal gastroenteritis in emus of all ages. Vaccination of emus for this disease is necessary in areas where the virus exists.
Can emus eat medicated chick starter?
Emu chicks must not be given medicated feeds.
Are emus difficult to raise?
When it comes to raising emus, fencing may be your biggest expense. Emus are big birds—usually 110 to 150 pounds! —but they're docile and can make great pets or livestock. To keep them, you'll need tall wire fences with openings that the emus can't get their heads stuck in, such as no-climb horse fencing.
Why do farmers keep emus?
The meat! Another primary purpose of keeping emus is their use as a meat source. An average adult emu can supply somewhere between 20 and 30 pounds of meat, and the quality and flavor of emu meat is highly praised.
How quickly do emus grow?
The male guards the growing chicks for up to seven months, teaching them how to find food. Chicks grow very quickly and are fully-grown in five to six months; they may remain with their family group for another six months or so before they split up to breed in their second season.
Are emus good to eat?
Is emu meat any good? Absolutely! In addition to being healthy, emu meat tastes like a delicious cross between beef and chicken. It's an awesome meat to substitute for beef or chicken in just about any recipe – even exotic jerky!
Are emus good farm animals?
Although it's classified as poultry, emu is similar in taste and texture to lean beef. However, the fat and cholesterol content of emu meat is comparable to poultry, and as a result, the American Heart Association recognizes emu meat as a healthy alternative.
Can emus get coccidiosis?
Although coccidiosis has been described in ostriches and emus, infection with coccidia has not been confirmed to cause clinically important disease in ratites (Jensen, 1993), but has been reported to be primarily a disease of emu chicks (Jurajda, 2002).
How do you deworm an emu?
This is just a very short list of a few of the more common parasites emus can pick up. Deworming with Ivermectin twice a year is the smart thing to do. Since this dewormer comes in a pour on as well as injectable, it is easier on the bird. One thing – if you worm the birds they must not be processed for 90 days.
Can emus eat chicken feed?
Farmers raise baby emus or emu chicks on specialty emu feeds because they have very specific nutritional requirements. If emu feed is not available, these birds can be raised on chicken feed although farmers will offer additional supplements like cracked corn.
Does medicated chick starter prevent coccidiosis?
Medicated chick starter reduces the risk of coccidiosis because it contains Amprolium, which helps chickens develop an immunity to the disease more easily.
What do I need to know about raising emus?
They do have specific needs to ensure they have a happy and long life. Housing and fencing—Emus do not require elaborate housing, but a shelter is recommended to keep birds out of the elements. Because emus love to jump and run (they tend to be silly at all stages of life), the more space to roam, the better.
Can emus and chickens live together?
Usually, chickens and emus can get along if they are raised together or slowly introduced to each other. If they are not introduced correctly, however, the much larger emus may see the chickens as a threat and attack them. Chickens and sheep typically get along.
Are emus easy to raise?
When it comes to raising emus, fencing may be your biggest expense. Emus are big birds—usually 110 to 150 pounds! —but they're docile and can make great pets or livestock. To keep them, you'll need tall wire fences with openings that the emus can't get their heads stuck in, such as no-climb horse fencing.
Can humans eat emu eggs?
“They are also great as a quick nutritious meal or snack. “One emu egg is equal to about eight to 10 chicken eggs, so you wouldn't eat a whole emu egg all to yourself, but it may be useful to feed a crowd.”
How old do emus live?
In the wild emus live 5-10 years, but in captivity they may live 35 years.
Can emus live with chickens?
Usually, chickens and emus can get along if they are raised together or slowly introduced to each other. If they are not introduced correctly, however, the much larger emus may see the chickens as a threat and attack them. Chickens and sheep typically get along.
What are the signs of coccidiosis?
Signs of coccidiosis range from decreased growth rate to a high percentage of visibly sick birds, severe diarrhea, and high mortality. Feed and water consumption are depressed. Weight loss, development of culls, decreased egg production, and increased mortality may accompany outbreaks.
Do emus have parasites?
These birds are livestock with broad utilisation of their products. Both wild and captive ostriches, emus and rheas may be infested with their own specific parasites as well as with external and internal parasites of other birds and animals. Eimeria spp.
Do emus need worming?
Parasites and worms It is recommended to only treat emu for worms and parasites if you suspect they may have them. Some emu suffer more than others with mites and worms, depending on the environment of their home country. Emu can attract ticks in the summer which are generally found around the neck.
Can emus get coccidia?
Although coccidiosis has been described in ostriches and emus, infection with coccidia has not been confirmed to cause clinically important disease in ratites (Jensen, 1993), but has been reported to be primarily a disease of emu chicks (Jurajda, 2002).
What is an emus favorite food?
Flowers, fruits, seeds, shoots, large insects (caterpillars are a favorite), lizards, and small rodents.
Is medicated or non medicated chick starter better?
Unlike medicated feed, non-medicated feed contains no Amprolium. Instead, it's only filled with the ingredients needed to provide your chicks with the proper vitamins, minerals and proteins. This is the most common option for keepers who have vaccinated chicks.
Do I want medicated or non medicated chick starter?
Be sure to feed a medicated (with Amprolium) chick starter feed to chicks who were not vaccinated for coccidiosis. For chicks that were vaccinated, it will not hurt to feed the medicated version but the added protection may not be needed.
Do you need a licence for an emu?
Animal lovers with a penchant for exotic pets can now keep sloths, raccoons or even emus after the Government relaxed the regulations on owning wild animals. A total of 33 new species can now be owned without a licence after a review of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act deemed them not to be a risk to the public.
Can 2 male emus live together?
In emus, the females will choose their mates and will fight other females over the mates. Male emus may also fight, but we've found many of our females to choose more than one male and the extra males get along fine with each other.
How long do emus live for?
In the wild emus live 5-10 years, but in captivity they may live 35 years.