Ostrich breeding in China

Abstract EN

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) has become one of the valuable agricultural enterprises in many countries of the world.

China has become Asian's number one ostrich species raiser with about 20, 000 ostrich bred farms.

China started in 1992 to import some ostrich species from South Africa.

Ostrich was raised globely since the 1980s for its feathers, meat, egg, hair and bone are all of high economic value.

China's progress in producing ostriches has improved it's rank from fifth to the second globely in recent years, due to the following factors: The area of pastures which reached 40% of the area of China.

Large amounts of agricultural wasts.

China has been producing iron and thus has produced the cheapest agricultural machines, such as irrigation machines, cutting and pressing the feed.

China achieved progress in the electronical industries which have enabled it to produce hatchery machines to promote the poultry industry.

China is making use of solar energy and producing cheap energy used to irrigate agricultural land and operate farm machinery.

Thus, the price of feed is cheap and therefore it costs to feed the ostriches as little as possible.

Use of seawater desalination technology and cultivation of saline-tolerant fodder crops such as fodder beat, bonicam and blubank.

The use of leather processing tectology and production of the finest leather industries of shoes and bags.

China has imported large amounts of ostriches from South Africa and used the best breeding and ostrich production systems in South Africa.

The most important factors leading to the success of the ostrich industry in china are limited into three factors.

First: Nutrition and cheap feed should be provided by planting enough alfalfa.

Using solar energy to irrigate these lands.

Sowing saline and drought tolerant genotypes, such as blubanks and bonecam, as well as machines for cutting and making pellet for green feed.

Second: Hatching Third: Health.