The Emu (pronounced "e-moo") is originally from Australia and is in the Ratite family of birds. There are only 5 birds in the Ratite family of flightless birds, listed in size from the largest to the smallest:
- Ostrich (Africa)
- Emu (Australia)
- Rhea (SouthAmerica)
- Cassowary (New Guinea)
- Kiwi (New Zealand)
The word "Ratite" is derived from the Latin word meaning "raft", since emus' breastbones are flat like a raft without a keel. There is no breast meat like on a chicken, which has a keel type breastbone. Because of this flat breastbone, ratites do not fly, since they have no muscles to support their tiny wings.
Statistics
At about the age of 1 year, emus stand between 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. A mature bird, several years old, may weigh up from 110 to 150 pounds.
Color Stages
Emus have 3 color stages: As young chicks, they start out with stripes from the time they're hatched until they reach 3 months of age. When they are 4 months old, they turn a chocolate brown color. At about 1 year of age, they begin to change color again, with the neck losing feathers. The neck will become bluish to indigo and the feathers will be mottled. There is no color difference between the males and females.
Breeding
At 17 months emus can breed. However, many wait until they are 3 years old. The average female will lay 32 eggs in a breeding season as the national average. The breeding season lasts about 6 months, ranging from October through March in Tennessee.Most emus lay eggs every 3 days, but there are some emus that lay sporadically, anywhere between 3 to 5 days. You just have to get out there and look.
Lifespan
Emus can live a long time. Let's face it - They've been around since the time of dinosaurs and their feet still look just like dinosaur feet! Emmet is now over 27 years old. The oldest emu on record is 38 years old - a pet emu in Australia. Zoo records in the United States show them living into their 30's. Yes, they are productive throughout this period of time.
Products
Ok, you've got an animal that is productive for over 25 years, if you take care of it. Let's say that instead of 32 offspring, it produces 20 per year. It requires very little space. You can raise 50 emu where you can raise one calf. So you're thinking, ok, so what? What can you do with it?Currently, emu farming is 'farm to fork'. That means that the farmer raises the bird, arranges the processing and production of products, then sells the products. These products include:
- Meat
- Leather
- Oil Products
- Feathers and Claws
- Eggs
Meat
"Red" or "White" meat?
Although ratites (Emu for one) are poultry, the PH of their flesh is similar to beef. Therefore, they are classified as "red" meat. The raw meat is a very dark cherry red. After cooking, the meat looks and tastes similar to beef. The meat is cut in steaks, fillet, medallions (coin shaped pieces), roasts, and ground meat. A 3.5 ounce serving of raw Emu contains approximately 95 calories, 20 grams protein, 1.5 grams fat, and 50 milligrams of cholesterol.
100% Pure Oil
Emu Oil was discovered by Aborigines many thousands of years ago. Well known for its healing, penetrating and anti-inflammatory properties, Emu Oil is suited for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Many have testified that with continued use of Emu Oil much improvement from the following were experienced:arthritis, minor burns, rheumatism, joint pains, cramping, younger looking skin, tendonitis, scar tissue, acne, stiffness, itching, bursitis, insect bites, softens calluses, aches and pains, eczema, cold sores, psoriasis, promotes healing, moisturizer, sore muscles, shingles, dry skin (rash), before and after sun exposure, faster orthopedic recovery.
All three of our emus originally came from Larry Bannier Laurelwood Farm in Signal Mountain, TN. Elvis and Elvira are a breeding pair, and Emmett was Larry's original first bird who is now 28 years old!
