How to draw up a competent business plan for an ostrich farm?

Not every business is able to recoup the funds invested in it. When it comes to specific types of business, such as an ostrich farm, it is important to properly plan all expenses and analyze the expected profit. It is necessary to calculate the profitability and estimated payback time of the invested funds, profitability. It is also necessary to draw up a business plan for an ostrich farm to attract investment in the business, since serious investments will be required.

Business Features

Commercial breeding of ostriches in Russia turned into a separate type of business just a couple of decades ago. But during this time, domestic poultry farmers have identified three main areas of farming:

• Breeding (raising poultry for sale);
• Commercial (breeding for subsequent processing);
• Excursion (growing for excursions).

The most profitable line of business in Russia is commodity production. Of course, sometimes buyers pay attention to some toughness of domestic meat due to climatic conditions and lack of sunlight. But at the same time, it is very difficult to find more tender meat from African birds on store shelves, and its price is several times higher than the cost of its Russian counterpart.

Formally, ostrich farming as a business is no different from other types of poultry farming - for example, turkey or geese breeding. Depending on the goals, livestock maintenance is organized according to one of the following schemes:

1. Intense. Birds are raised in closed stalls, and offspring are hatched only in incubators. The scheme requires the creation of a separate food base;
2. Extensive. The nursery is a huge open space with a natural food supply. Ostriches are essentially left to their own devices;
3. Combined. Combines the features of open and closed content. During the day, the birds roam in spacious enclosures and spend the night indoors.

Analyzing the length of the production cycle, we can distinguish the following methods of breeding ostriches in subsidiary plots or on farms:

• Single level. The farmer buys eggs or chicks, raises the ostriches for a year, then slaughters them and sells them. The cycle then repeats;
• Multi-level. The farm contains breeding stock that produces new chicks. So the process of raising ostriches for meat becomes continuous.

Planning an ostrich breeding business

To bring this exotic idea to life, you need to draw up a business plan for an ostrich farm. This will allow you to determine the total amount of initial costs, calculate the profitability of the business applicable to specific conditions, and evaluate the possible efficiency of activities.

Raising ostriches as a business can be carried out in different formats:

• breeding, that is, the production of young animals for subsequent sale;
• raising young animals - birds are kept until they reach slaughter weight with the subsequent sale of meat;
• combination of both directions.

A business plan for breeding ostriches is drawn up taking into account the chosen form of poultry farming, since the features of keeping breeding stock and commercial stock differ to some extent from each other. In addition, breeding ostrich chicks (during breeding) requires the organization of special conditions, and therefore additional costs.

Poultry farming as a business, including ostrich farming, begins with the arrangement of premises for keeping birds. It should be spacious taking into account the size of the ostriches. It is important to maintain a constant temperature in the poultry house - at least 15 degrees and to prevent the occurrence of dampness.

Attention! Opening a staunch farm from scratch by building a new building specifically for this purpose is a rather expensive project. Therefore, in some cases, it is advisable to use old stables, cowsheds, etc. to organize a poultry house, carrying out the necessary restoration work in them and re-equipping them for keeping ostriches.

For normal development, ostriches will also need an enclosure where the birds can move around calmly. To maintain a flock of 50 birds, you will need a plot of land of about 5 hectares.

In general, ostriches are unpretentious in keeping: they are little susceptible to diseases and are not very picky about food. To get good offspring, you should include various vitamin and mineral supplements in your diet, and to improve the taste of meat and eggs, you should include more fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits. The process of organizing nutrition itself should combine pasture and stall feeding - in this case, the birds actively gain weight without unnecessary health problems.

It is better to purchase ostrich chicks from Russian breeders. It is necessary to select breeds from those that are most adapted to breeding in the Russian climate.

It is considered optimal to purchase five-day-old chicks, but this is only permissible if long-term transportation is not required. If the farm is located in another region, then it makes sense to buy older individuals aged, for example, 2-4 months. Such birds will endure the road easier and adapt faster to a new place.

Attention! Organizing the production process is not the only concern of a novice ostrich breeder. For the full existence of the farm and the possibility of selling finished products, a businessman should go through such a stage as state registration of individual entrepreneurs, step-by-step instructions for which are posted on our website.

Having acquired the status of an economic entity, you must also enter into an agreement with the local veterinary service in order to subsequently receive the veterinary certificates necessary for the sale of products. All this will allow the farmer to reach reputable buyers, which may include not only individuals, but also catering organizations and retail chains.

Next, we will talk about some of the nuances of ostrich farming that an entrepreneur who wants to open an ostrich farm should know.

Advantages and disadvantages of ostrich breeding

In Russia, ostrich breeding has not yet become widespread, and therefore it is difficult to give an exhaustive description of this business in relation to the conditions of the domestic market. At the same time, some of its advantages can already be noted:

• As a business idea, an ostrich farm is highly profitable. For small farms this figure reaches 100%;
• Raising ostriches relates to agriculture, therefore an entrepreneur has the right to apply for benefits, grants and other types of assistance from the state;
• There are not yet enough ostrich farms on the domestic market to meet demand. Accordingly, a beginner should not be afraid of competition;
• Unpretentiousness, omnivorousness and good immunity make it possible to breed ostriches in Russia, not excluding regions with cold climates;
• The ostrich reaches commercial size at 12–14 months. At the same time, the profit from cutting and selling the carcass is 16 times higher than the cost of feeding the bird;
• Some breeds of ostriches continue to reproduce up to 35–40 years. This means that livestock can only be purchased once, at the beginning of the operation.

At the same time, it is impossible to draw up a good business plan for breeding ostriches without taking into account the negative aspects of this type of activity:

• An entrepreneur may encounter a lack of theoretical materials on poultry care. There are also few practitioners in Russia;
• In Russia, ostrich products are not yet in great demand. Therefore, organizing distribution channels can become a serious problem;
• A businessman will have to search for a long time where to buy ostriches for breeding. It is not profitable to bring them from abroad, and it is not always possible to find a nursery nearby;
• Starting a farm requires a lot of capital investment. It is necessary to spend money on both the arrangement of a spacious room and the purchase of livestock.

Stern

Feeding ostriches is one of the key aspects of keeping them. The weight gain of birds depends on providing a balanced diet. You can buy ready-made food, but it is much cheaper to make it yourself, especially since there is nothing complicated about it. An ostrich's diet should include grains (wheat, soybeans, oats, corn and sunflowers), fruits and vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, apples, turnips and pumpkins), and herbs (quinoa, alfalfa, nettle and clover). In addition, it would not be a bad idea to enrich feed with mineral supplements and vitamins. Before adding them to food, you should consult your veterinarian. It is important that the farm always has a supply of feed, especially in winter, when birds do not go outside to get their own food. The water in drinking bowls should always be clean.

Why breed ostriches?

Beginning entrepreneurs sometimes have doubts about whether ostrich breeding as a business is profitable or not. In fact, all products produced by a poultry farm can be sold profitably if interested buyers are found for them. Sources of income can be:

1. Food eggs. They have a diameter of up to 20 cm and a weight of up to 2 kg. Sold for 600–1000 rubles per piece. Even an empty shell is valued at 200–500 rubles;
2. Hatching eggs. They are purchased by people who want to start raising ostriches at home from scratch. One egg costs up to 2,500 rubles;
3. Juveniles. A one-day-old ostrich calf is sold for 6,000–8,000 rubles, a three-month-old one for 20,000–25,000 rubles, a one-year-old one for 40,000 rubles;
4. Breeding stock. Ostriches are given away in families, each of which includes a male and two females. The price on the market is in the range of 200,000–250,000 rubles;
5. Meat. It has a delicate taste and dietary qualities. The meat yield from a one-year-old bird reaches 40%. Cost - from 600 rubles per kilogram;
6. Liver. Used to prepare exotic dishes. Ostrich liver weighs 2–4 kg and sells for up to 600 rubles per kilogram;
7. Fat. Thanks to its antiseptic qualities, it is valued in medicine and cosmetology. From an adult bird you can get 7–12 kg of fat worth 3,000 rubles per kilogram;
8. Leather. It is durable and wear-resistant. 1.2–1.6 m² of skin is obtained from one bird. The cost of the unprocessed product is 6,500 rubles/m²;
9. Feathers. Large ones are used for decorations, small ones - for stuffing blankets. An adult ostrich produces 1.4 kg of short and 0.6 kg of long feathers at a price of 5,000 rubles/kg;
10. Claws. Used for making souvenirs, accessories and clothing accessories. An ostrich has four claws, each of which can be sold for 300 rubles;
11. Waste. The remains from cutting up carcasses are bought by animal feed manufacturers. Price - 20 rubles per kilogram. Farmers need the dung as fertilizer;
12. Excursions. Not only children, but also adults will want to see exotic birds. The average price of an excursion is 200–300 rubles per person.

Useful products

An ostrich breeding farm can produce several types of products at once:

1. Feathers – each bird produces up to 0.5 kg of feathers, which are used in optics and applied arts. The cost of a kilogram can reach 10 thousand rubles.
2. Eggs - the special demand for this product is justified not only by its high nutritional value, but also by its large size. On average, one egg weighs about a kilogram, and scrambled eggs from it can feed up to 8 people. They are also used for making souvenirs. The retail price of an egg can reach 1 thousand rubles.
3. Meat - as already mentioned, this product is in demand as a dietary product. The price per kilogram of meat is 750 rubles.
4. Fat - each bird carcass contains up to 8 kg of fat used by cosmetologists.
5. Leather – used to make shoes. Price – from 7 thousand rubles per 1.5 square meters.

You can also earn a small income by conducting excursions to your farm. You practically won’t have to look for clients.

What breed of ostriches should I raise?

Three breeds of ostriches successfully withstand the Russian cold. To choose the most suitable one, you need to determine the priority activity, such as meat production, selling eggs or obtaining gourmet products: African is the largest representative of the species. Therefore, breeding of African ostriches is considered mainly for the purpose of obtaining a large amount of meat. This breed comes in four varieties:

1. The black ostrich has a height of up to 2.6 m and a weight of up to 150 kg. It tolerates low temperatures well and quickly adapts to domestic feed. During the season, the female lays about 80 eggs weighing 1.6–2.0 kg;
2. The Namibian ostrich is similar in appearance to the black one, however, it has more modest dimensions - an average height of up to 2 m and a weight of up to 80 kg. Its egg production is lower: during the season you can get 45–50 eggs weighing 1.2–1.5 kg from a female;
3. The Zimbabwean ostrich is also distinguished by its large height (up to 2.5 m) and weight (up to 140 kg). Its hybrids with the black breed are highly productive. Over the summer, the female lays 50–60 eggs weighing up to 2.2 kg;
4. The Masai ostrich is characterized by aggressive behavior, and therefore is suitable exclusively for extensive breeding in nature reserves. The breed is used primarily for crossing;
5. The emu is a small Australian bird that, with a height of 1.7 m, has a live weight of up to 60 kg. Emu ostrich is bred for its tender, delicious fillet. The female lays about 50 eggs weighing 0.8–1.1 kg over the summer;
6. The rhea is the smallest breed of ostrich, common in South America. He has an average height of 1.5 m and a weight of about 40 kg. Despite its modest size, it is characterized by high egg production - up to 90 eggs weighing 1.2–1.5 kg per season.

Financial results

Any entrepreneur, when starting his own business, wants to know how much profit he can expect. But first of all, he must estimate the amount of investment required. After all, it is very important that he has enough funds for the operation of the enterprise. The initial investments will have to include the following cost items:

• rent;
• farm construction;
• equipment (incubator)
• stern;
• medicines;
• vaccination and examination by a specialist;
• registration costs;
• purchase of young animals.

The final figure will largely depend on the age at which the ostriches are purchased. The rates are as follows:

• newborn – 7,000 rubles;
• one month old ostrich – 10,000 rubles;
• one-year-old female – 40,000 rubles;
• two-year-old male – 60,000 rubles.

It is better to purchase a whole family with adult males and females and cubs. This will cost about 200,000 rubles. In total, you will need about 500,000 rubles.

After the ostrich reaches a weight of 100 kilograms, it is sent for slaughter. As a result, from one individual you can get:

All together will bring income of at least 70,000 rubles. If we take into account that the female lays 60 eggs per season, then you can additionally earn about 40,000 rubles from purchasing them. Even if you have 5 females, you can recoup your investment in just 1 year. When taking into account current expenses, the payback is about 1.5 years.

Over time, you can increase the size of the farm. This will allow you to make a very good profit. In this case, profitability can reach about 75–95%.

Where to buy ostriches?

Having decided on the breed for cultivation, the entrepreneur must deal with the problem of forming a broodstock. You can do this in several ways:

• The cheapest way to buy hatching eggs. However, raising chicks requires some experience. In addition, ostriches will begin to lay eggs only after three years;
• You can buy strong three-month-old ostrich chicks - at this age they are already quite independent. But in this case you will also have to wait until they grow up;
• Adult specimens will provide almost immediate income. Ostriches should be purchased by established families consisting of a male and two females.

So where can you buy ostriches for breeding? Delivery of birds from abroad is a complex and expensive procedure, and therefore it is better for a beginner to turn to domestic breeders. In Russia, there are ostrich farms in almost all regions, from the Kaliningrad region to Buryatia, and most of them have their own representative offices on the Internet. But you shouldn’t rely only on websites: the farmer must personally go to the seller to get acquainted with the conditions of keeping the birds, assess their health and productivity, and check veterinary documents.

Buying ostriches

The first farmers purchased ostriches in Europe: in Germany or Poland. Those who have decided to open their own farm can contact Russian breeders. Large farms in the Moscow, Bryansk or Krasnodar regions sell ostrich chicks and fertilized eggs. The choice is up to the owner.

1. Purchase of fertilized eggs. The cost of one egg is from one and a half to two thousand rubles. This is the most budget option for purchasing livestock, however, in order for ostrich chicks to hatch from eggs, it is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime during transportation and acquire an incubator, the cost of which varies from 70 to 120 thousand rubles. It should be remembered that not all ostrich eggs will hatch; losses can reach 50% even if all conditions are met.
2. A day-old chick costs 6-7 thousand rubles.
3. The price of one-month-old chicks reaches 10 thousand.
4. A one-year-old female costs up to 60 thousand, and a male up to 70 thousand.

Females reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years, and males at 3-4. Purchasing a family (a male and two females) of reproductive age will cost 220 thousand or more. It is much more difficult to acquire such adult individuals in Russia; few farmers sell adult families. Therefore, you should not expect quick profits from ostriches. It is most profitable to purchase young animals; the strongest and most robust individuals are left for breeding, the rest, when they reach the age of 10-12 months, are sent for meat in order to get their first profit.

The lifespan of ostriches is up to 70 years; females lay eggs for 30 years.

What to feed ostriches?

A guarantee of high productivity in breeding ostriches at home for beginners is a balanced diet. The diet of an adult bird should include the following types of products:

• Green food. Ostriches are given fresh and dry meadow hay, clover and alfalfa, wheat and barley straw. The feed must be pre-chopped;
• Juicy feed. Up to a third of the daily value is made up of beets, cabbage, carrots, pumpkins, apples, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables;
• Grain feed. Like any other bird, ostriches need grain crops - wheat, barley, oats, corn, legumes and soybeans;
• Mineral supplements. It is impossible to organize proper feeding without limestone, crushed shells and egg shells, and bone meal;
• Gastroliths. To normalize digestion, adult ostriches gradually peck small gravel, pebbles and sand.

Compound feed. In the absence of their own food supply, ostriches are kept on mixed feed. There are specially developed recipes for them:

1. DK-60 for ostriches 1–4 weeks;
2. DK-61 for ostriches 5–36 weeks;
3. DK-62 for ostriches 37–63 weeks;
4. DK-63 for adult birds.

Water. The bird is provided with constant access to water. An adult ostrich drinks up to 3 liters of liquid per day, and in dry weather - three times more.

During the growth period, young animals consume feed daily in an amount of 3–5% of body weight. For breeding stock, the daily rate is reduced to 2–2.5% of weight:

Feeding standards for ostriches

Rules for keeping ostriches

It will not be possible to breed ostriches in an apartment, so you will have to use land outside the city - your own or rented. These animals tolerate cold weather well, so it is not necessary to heat their house. But in this case you will have to take care of a comfortable and thick bedding. For small baby ostriches, you need to equip a separate room where the temperature will be maintained at +15 0 C on average.

Females grow into adults faster. This takes 1.5 – 2 years. But males become capable of reproduction only after 2 - 2.5 years. The breeding season is from spring to mid-autumn.

When compiling a diet for ostriches, an entrepreneur should not have any particular difficulties, since these birds are capable of eating everything. In their normal habitat, they prefer leaves, grass, tree fruits and insects. When breeding individuals in captivity, it is necessary to ensure a balance between green feed and compound feed. It is enough to feed ostriches twice a day. Small individuals require more frequent feeding - up to 4 times a day. In general, a balanced diet looks like this:

• greens (cabbage, nettle, clover);
• vegetables;
• fruits;
• corn;
• roughage (hay, soybeans, straw);
• supplements with vitamins and minerals.

Everything together should weigh about 3 kilograms - this is exactly the amount of food for one ostrich per day.

How to care for ostriches?

When birds are kept in a confined space, any diseases spread among them instantly. Therefore, to prevent possible complications, the herd must be constantly looked after. What rules are relevant when raising ostriches at home for beginners:

1. The premises are cleaned daily. Particular attention should be paid to small debris that birds love to swallow;
2. Feeders are cleaned daily of food residues. Also, change the water in the drinking bowls every day to fresh, but not cold;
3. Feeders and drinking bowls are treated with a disinfectant compound monthly, walls and floors of farm premises - once every six months;
4. Disinfection barriers are needed in the incubation chamber and the room for young animals. Here workers use clean clothes and gloves;
5. At the end of the farm, an isolated quarantine pen is set up for sick or recently purchased ostriches;
6. All birds undergo a monthly medical examination with vaccination and analysis of droppings for the presence of parasites;
7. The farm regularly carries out activities to exterminate rodents and insects. In this case, the poison should not enter the bird’s body;
8. Adult ostriches are sent for walking at any time of the year. An exception is made during rain, snowfall or severe frosts below –25°C;
9. Ice should not be allowed to form in enclosures. If a running ostrich slips, it will probably break its legs;
10. In winter, farm floors are insulated with straw. It is better to heat the room: an air temperature of 12–16°C will ensure higher productivity.

Methods for keeping ostriches

There are several ways to keep ostriches. They are reflected in the rate of development of individuals. Entrepreneurs most often use the following:

1. Intense . Ostrich eggs are sent to the incubator. A small area is used to keep individuals. They get along well with the service staff. Mandatory procedures include: daily cleaning, disinfection of feeders and drinkers, check by a veterinarian and vaccination of all individuals.
2. Extensive . Birds grow up in conditions that are as close as possible to their normal living conditions. Workers rarely have contact with ostriches and keep them in a large area.
3. Hybrid . Combines the features of intensive and extensive methods.

Incubation and rearing of young animals

When breeding ostriches at home, the rate of sexual maturation of the bird increases compared to natural. Therefore, females are ready to mate already at the age of 2–3 years, and males at 3–4 years. Ostriches begin laying eggs at the end of March and finish by October. Usually the female lays them every two days, and after the tenth day she takes a break for a week. In good conditions, with adequate nutrition, you can get up to 80 eggs from it per season. Of these, approximately 85% are fertilized. What to do next:

• Hatching eggs are stored in a dark place at a temperature of 15–16 ° C and a humidity of 40% for no more than a week;
• Before being placed in an incubator, they are treated with formaldehyde or hydrogen peroxide for disinfection and sorted by size;
• During incubation, the chamber is constantly maintained at a temperature of 36.2–36.5°C and a humidity of 25–30%;
• The eggs are turned 6–8 times per day. The rotation angle is 45° in both directions. On the 39th day they are laid out horizontally in the hatcher;
• At the end of the second and third weeks, the eggs are checked using an ovoscope. Instances with an undeveloped embryo are disposed of;
• On the 42nd day, the ostrich chicks begin to emerge from the eggs. During the day, the chicks are dried in the hatcher, after which they are transferred under an infrared lamp.

Day-old chicks are up to 20 cm tall and weigh about a kilogram. Since the mechanism of thermoregulation in ostrich chicks has not yet been formed, they need to be placed in a warm place:

Optimal temperature for chicks

Of course, ostrich chicks need to be fed. To increase the survival rate of young animals, you need to do it correctly:

• During the first three days, the chicks should not be given food. At this time, they feed on the nutrients stored in the gall sac;
• On the fourth day, they are given warm water and chopped alfalfa mixed with feed. It is useful to add grated cottage cheese and crumbled eggs to the diet;
• From the third week, containers with fine gravel and sand are installed in the room for ostrich chicks to fill the stomach with gastroliths;
• In the fifth week, ostrich chicks are transferred to feed for young animals. At the same time, chopped grass and root vegetables and herbal flour are added to the food.

Financial plan

The payback period is 2-3 years. The plans of an entrepreneur who decides to create an ostrich farm should include the following expense items:

• purchase of 15 ostriches, that is, 5 families (900 thousand rubles);
• rent 4-5 hectares of land per month (200 thousand rubles);
• purchase of an incubator and slaughter lines (RUB 100 thousand);
• purchase of feed per month (15 thousand rubles);
• staff salary per month (60 thousand rubles);
• obtaining permits from the veterinary service (10-20 thousand rubles).

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Total expenses: 1,240,000 rubles.

How to register an ostrich farm?

Breeding ostriches as a business idea for retired men and women does not necessarily require registration: you can keep a dozen birds on your personal farm. However, if we are talking about a herd of several hundred heads, attention from the inspection authorities cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is better for an entrepreneur to formalize his activities in the form of an individual entrepreneur or a peasant farm: firstly, this will relieve him of penalties, and secondly, it will allow him to officially supply products to stores and restaurants. As a business, an ostrich farm in Russia complies with OKVED code 01.49 “Raising semi-domesticated and other animals such as ostriches, insects, rabbits and fur-bearing animals on farms.”

It will not take long to choose the optimal taxation system: if more than 70% of the income comes from the sale of agricultural products of its own production, the enterprise has the right to use the Unified Agricultural Tax at a rate of 6% of profits.

In addition, the entrepreneur must show that the poultry on the farm is kept in proper conditions, in compliance with all current sanitary standards. To do this, you must undergo checks and complete the following documents:

1. Sanitary report on the suitability of the farm for operation;
2. Conclusion of the State Fire Inspectorate on the safety of the structure;
3. Agreement with the veterinary service for registration of VSD;
4. Waste disposal agreement;
5. Veterinary passports for each bird;
6. Conclusion of the labor protection commission;
7. Sanitary records for workers handling meat and eggs.

Setting up an ostrich farm

For the farm, a flat plot with a slight slope to the south is selected, protected from the wind by a forest belt and sufficiently distant from the highway. The land must be dry, with a groundwater depth of at least 1.0–1.4 m. Swamping or flooding during floods is not allowed. In the process of organizing an ostrich business, you need to arrange in this territory:

• Insulated building for young and adult birds;
• Aviaries for separate walking of families and chicks;
• Incubation chambers;
• Feed shop;
• Premises for slaughtering and cutting up poultry;
• Boiler room;
• Refrigeration chamber for meat;
• Administrative premises;
• Waste disposal area.

Having decided on the layout of the farm, you need to designate and fence off areas for poultry to walk on the site. How to do it:

• The land allocated for enclosures should have vegetation - meadow grasses, bushes, small trees. If they are not there, you will have to sow the area yourself;
• The aviaries are fenced with a strong mesh or wooden fence 1.8–2.0 m high. There should be no holes in the fence where the bird’s head could get stuck;
• Separate enclosures with a fence 1.5 m high are set up for young animals. They should be directly adjacent to the poultry house;
• Large containers with sand are installed at the exit from the room. Sand baths are necessary for ostriches to get rid of parasites.

When arranging enclosures, you should remember that the ostrich is a large and active bird, so for a comfortable existence it needs a large space. The dimensions of walking areas are determined as follows:

Market and competitor analysis

If we take into account the climatic conditions, we can conclude that the temperature regime of the middle zone suggests breeding only the black African ostrich.
The strength of their immune system guarantees the fact that this bird adapts to any climate. Ostrich meat is a very valuable food product, which is characterized by low calorie content and high protein content.

We must not forget that normal development of an ostrich can only be ensured if there are large paddocks and enclosures; accordingly, the farm must be located in a sufficiently large space, and for endless Russia, as you know, this is not a problem.

Here you can download a free sample business plan with all the calculations

An ostrich farm is something new, exotic and attractive for Russian people. In addition, the sale of finished products usually does not pose any difficulties - Russian citizens annually consume about 100 tons of meat (by the way, the figure does not increase only because domestic producers are simply unable to provide the required market volume). Consumers are also very interested in ostrich leather, which is used to make high-quality haberdashery products.

Every entrepreneur should understand that in order to confidently occupy their market niche and stand firmly on their feet, it may take more than one year, but this business is definitely capable of providing the owner with a high, stable income. It is better to start opening a farm today, since this area has not yet been attacked by competitors, and the level of demand for the final result can boast high indicators.

Walking standards for ostriches

The poultry house itself can be built from scratch from insulated sandwich panels, or the building of an old livestock farm can be used for these purposes. The internal space needs to be re-equipped to create comfortable conditions for pets:

• Young animals are kept in a warm room with a temperature of at least 18–20°C for up to six months. Slippery floors here must be covered with rubber mats;
• If the building is insulated, then the room for adult ostriches does not need to be heated. But slight heating to 12°C increases the productivity of the bird;
• The farm space is divided into pens by cellular partitions. Each pen contains one family or group of young animals;
• The room is supplied with fresh air in a volume of 1.5–6 m³/h per kilogram of live weight of the livestock;
• The level of artificial lighting is taken to be 25 lux. The length of the day, even in winter, should be 14–16 hours;
• Sudden changes in noise levels are not allowed on the farm. Ostriches react nervously to fans turning on or off and the exclamations of tourists.

Birds should also not suffer from overcrowding indoors. Each individual needs to be provided with a certain free area:

Standards for keeping ostriches

Instructions on how to open and what you need to do it

In order for the meat to be dietary and of high quality, ostriches must be fed with selected food. The conditions for keeping poultry on the farm play an important role.

Stage 1 – registration and preparation of documents

To open a farm you need to complete the following documents:

1. Select the appropriate OKVED.
2. Choose a tax system.
3. Obtain an extract from the state register.
4. Pay the state fee.

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Monthly reports must be submitted to local inspectorates and funds. You need to obtain a registration certificate from the Pension Fund.

Stage 2 – search for premises

For a comfortable stay, 30 ostriches need an area of ​​4 hectares. These birds love warmth, but even in the snow they also walk in the open air. To allow birds to live freely, it is necessary to build or rent an indoor farm with ceilings of at least 3 m. The temperature in the room must be at least 15 degrees.

Stage 3 – purchase and installation of necessary equipment

It is best to purchase equipment that is new or has only been used for a few years. This includes:

• poultry slaughter line (from RUB 30,000);
• incubator (from RUB 20,000);
• poultry feeding line (from RUB 20,000);
• enclosures where ostriches will live (from RUR 3,000).

Photo gallery “Equipment for an ostrich farm”

Incubator for ostrich eggs (20 thousand rubles)

Poultry feeding line (RUB 20 thousand)

Stage 4 – selection of employees

Employees must be able to provide timely medical care to the ostrich and understand how to handle the exotic bird. The following personnel will be required:

• cattleman (2 people);
• livestock specialist (1 person);
• security guard (2 people);
• accountant (1 person).

Stage 5 – promotion and advertising

To promote ostrich products you must:

• establish connections with wholesale domestic buyers at exhibitions;
• establish connections in foreign markets;
• launch advertising in the media;
• you can promote your business in specialized magazines about livestock farming;
• It wouldn't hurt to create a website.

Ostrich farm equipment

In fact, raising ostriches at home as a business resembles the work of a small poultry farm: pets also need to be fed, watered, and provided with comfortable microclimatic conditions. To organize production processes, the farmer must purchase the following equipment:

Ostrich farm equipment

Brief information for beginners about breeding ostriches

It is obvious that the majority of Russian citizens have not even tried such exotic products as ostrich eggs and meat. They get by mainly on pork, beef, lamb, chicken and other common foods. A natural question arises about why these birds are bred by some daredevils, sometimes perceived by others almost as adventurers, and most importantly - for whom?

The reality is that an ostrich farm is a highly profitable enterprise, and there are plenty of people who want to feast on exotic products. Where to start a business? Of course, from a marketing assessment of its prospects.

Advantages of ostrich breeding business

An entrepreneur is motivated to open his own poultry farming business (albeit such an unusual one) by the desire to make a profit. What are the advantages of this business?

• High profitability. As practice shows, the minimum “rise” on ostriches is half the investment, and in the future it can reach 100%. For agriculture - impressive profit margins.
• Stability of demand. It only seems that the expensive meat of these unusual birds may not be in demand - restaurants willingly take it, and not even always the most expensive ones. First of all, it tastes like veal. Secondly, it is known that ostrich meat is very healthy and suitable for dietary nutrition.
• Variety of output products. In addition to meat, ostrich farming produces the well-known feathers used to decorate fashionable toiletries. Eggs taste similar to chicken eggs, but are 25–40 times larger in size. There are many people who want to try these scrambled eggs. There is also a shell, the purpose of which is decorative - artists buy it for painting. Fat serves as a valuable raw material in cosmetology. And even droppings and claws can become sources of income, albeit secondary ones.
• Tourist attraction. Yes, the ostrich farm can be called a tourist attraction. People willingly come to see these huge birds and try dishes made from their meat and eggs. Tours provide another source of income for the farm. Fees are charged for many services and attractions, including treating and feeding the birds.
• High livestock survival rate. Despite its exoticism, the ostrich is by no means a sissy. You should know that the range of its South African variety is in a temperate climate, and in Pretoria there are also sub-zero temperatures. Experience shows that an ostrich farm in Siberia is not a fantasy. These birds easily tolerate Russian frosts, and only the chicks require heated rooms. But about the conditions of detention - a little later.
• Demand for young animals. Part of the business strategy is the sale of chicks. Competition in this business sector is still low, and you should not be afraid to develop rivals.
• Unpretentiousness. Many farm animals require more careful care than ostriches.
• Rapid growth of market capacity. Russians who have tried ostrich meat get a taste for it, and there are more and more of them.

So, everything is clear about the advantages of business. With minimal costs and effort, the entrepreneur receives sought-after commercial products characterized by high added value. Now it's time to move on to the technical side of things.

Problems

The main task of a beginning ostrich breeder is to properly document his enterprise. The main problem is that poultry breeding requires permission from various supervisory authorities that control this type of activity. You can simply sell the meat, but in this case the profitability will be lower and the payback period will be delayed: the ostrich grows for about a year.

The second important problem is the possible case. The ostrich is unpretentious, but the danger of disease and death of livestock remains relevant. However, it also lies in wait for an ordinary chicken farm.

Ostrich farm workers

Of course, an entrepreneur will not be able to engage in breeding ostriches, keeping young animals and other current tasks on his own: after all, in addition to this, the enterprise needs to conduct administrative work, look for suppliers and buyers, and prepare financial statements. Therefore, he needs to hire several decent, conscientious and responsible employees:

Ostrich farm employees

Sales organization

Raising ostriches in the harsh Russian climate is not easy, but finding distribution channels for such exotic products is even more difficult. Selling meat and eggs at the city market is pointless: as a business, an ostrich farm will only become profitable if it works with wholesale buyers. These could be:

1. Wholesale distributors;
2. Retail trade networks;
3. Meat processing industries;
4. Catering establishments;
5. Citizens who want to start raising ostriches at home;
6. Sewing workshops using ostrich leather and claws;
7. Cosmetic enterprises using ostrich fat;
8. Sewing ateliers and studios using feathers;
9. Animal feed manufacturers who require slaughterhouse waste.

When farming ostriches in Russia, a novice entrepreneur will inevitably encounter low demand for products due to insufficient consumer awareness. To organize sales in such unfavorable conditions, you need to seriously engage in advertising:

• Order the publication of an article about the farm and its products in the local press;
• Place advertisements in specialized publications and catalogues;
• Publish offers on trading platforms and online forums;
• Order the placement of advertising posts in popular urban communities;
• Post information about the farm on tourism portals;
• Contact educational institutions with a proposal to conduct excursions;
• Create a website with a list of farm products and a description of their benefits to humans;
• Send offers to all companies interested in the product.

Sales channels and advertising

Most ostrich meat and eggs are purchased by restaurants, cafes and large supermarkets. At the initial stage, without registration, you can organize sales of products to ordinary people, other farmers. True, in this case you will get less money than with a permit. Buyers of live ostriches are other breeders, and leather buyers are manufacturers of expensive clothing and shoes.

For a business to be truly successful, care must be taken to use effective advertising methods. For an ostrich farm they will be:

• placing articles in local newspapers and magazines;
• distributing leaflets and flyers on the streets;
• mailing to the client base;
• farm tours.

Of course, after a successful entry into the market, the brand will become popular in its own right, and then it will be easier to find customers. Therefore, you should focus on advertising campaigns at the beginning of your journey.

How much does it cost to open an ostrich farm?

Any entrepreneur will first of all want to know how much money needs to be invested in creating an ostrich farm. To make calculations, you can use step-by-step instructions on how to draw up a business plan yourself. The most important indicator for a beginner is the amount of initial investment:

Investment in an ostrich farm

In a business plan for an ostrich farm with calculations, it is also advisable to determine the amount that the entrepreneur will spend per year on the purchase of feed, on veterinary care for the herd, as well as on covering other production costs:

Annual costs of an ostrich farm

Reproduction of ostriches in captivity

The issue of ostrich breeding is the main aspect included in the business plan of an ostrich farm. Female ostriches are capable of laying up to 60 eggs, but they refuse to hatch them if there are more than 20 eggs in the nest. Therefore, to breed animals in captivity, you will need professional incubation equipment . Artificial incubation can significantly increase the female's fertility - she does not sit on eggs, but lays new ones.

The incubation temperature of ostrich eggs is about 36 degrees, the duration of this process is approximately one and a half months. If, after hatching, the chick cannot get into the air chamber inside the egg and begins to squeak (usually this takes no more than 24 hours), you should help him by making a small hole in the shell.

After hatching, the chicks are placed in a heated room. They are active from the first minutes of existence, and by the first month of life the chick’s weight is about 2 kg.

Features of ostrich breeding as a business are presented in this video clip.

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To open your own business from scratch and turn it into an effective business, you first need an original commercial idea. At the same time, given the economic instability that has characterized our country in recent years, a business idea must be assessed from the point of view of resistance to crisis conditions.

Thus, ostrich farming as a business seems to be a very interesting and promising area of ​​entrepreneurship in the field of agriculture. Firstly, the demand for food products is stable, since it satisfies vital human needs. Secondly, ostrich meat and eggs obtained during the breeding process have high nutritional value and bright taste characteristics, which means they represent a high-quality competitive product. And thirdly, ostrich farming in Russia today is still at an “infancy” level, so a novice businessman has every chance to take a solid place in the market.

Profitability of ostrich breeding

Ostrich farm as a business - profitable or not? To answer this question, it is necessary to predict the annual production volume:

• 5 ostrich families equal 10 females. If each of them lays 80 eggs during the season, then the farmer will receive 800 eggs;
• At 80% hatchability, 185 chicks will hatch out of 230 eggs placed in incubators. The remaining 570 eggs can be sold;
• 15 chicks are planned to be sold to other farms. 170 heads will be raised throughout the year and sent for slaughter.

Now you can find out how much revenue ostrich breeding as a business will bring to an entrepreneur in the first year of operation:

Income of an ostrich farm per year

Can ostrich farming be included in the list of best business niches in 2021? The answer depends on the entrepreneurial ability of the farmer. If he organizes successful sales of all manufactured products, then the eight million rubles invested in the business will pay off in just a year and a half:

Profitability of an ostrich farm

Ostrich breeding as a business in Russia

Southern birds adapt perfectly to our climate, and ostrich breeding has begun to rapidly gain momentum. If you are going to breed ostriches, then you need to choose the most profitable option - the African black breed. Breeding these giants promises considerable profits in all respects - meat, eggs, feathers, fat, and so on.

Here are the parameters of the average black ostrich:

• male height – 2700 cm;
• live weight of a male – up to 150 kg;
• female height – 2 m;
• live weight of the female is 120 kg.

You should not be afraid of ostriches - these giants are calm and obedient, there are no special problems with their maintenance. Excitement may only appear during the mating season - males may make a little noise.

Ostrich productivity

Ostriches are huge, but this does not mean that they grow for a long time, gaining their 100-150 kg. To reach slaughter weight, they only need 10 months. In nature, ostriches lay eggs when they reach 4 years of age, and when raised on farms - from 2 years of age. In Russia, ostriches can be successfully bred in the temperate continental climate that prevails in the European part of the country.

Productivity characteristics:

• Egg production – 40-80 pieces. Sometimes it reaches 100 pieces.
• The weight of one egg is 1400-1900 g.
• Egg diameter – 15 cm.
• Egg length is 15-21 cm.
• Shell thickness – 0.6 cm.
• The incubation period is 42-45 days.
• Productivity of females/males 30/40 years.
• Egg fertilization is 90%.

Females become sexually mature at 2 years of age, males are one year behind. Oviposition - 2 times a year. In autumn and winter. Laying duration is 60 days. The frequency of laying eggs is one every two days. In the first season, females lay 10-30 eggs, then egg production increases. The fertility of eggs depends on the period of laying they are laid. Eggs received first and last have a lower % fertilization rate.

Although ostriches come from warm regions, they are very hardy in relation to temperature changes. Therefore, they can be bred not only in the European part of the Russian Federation, but even in Siberia.

Market price

Farmers choose the “ostrich business” because of the demand for their products and high profits. The market value of products obtained from ostrich farms is in Table 1.

Table 1

The video below explains how to breed ostriches for profit:

Expenditure

To get a stable profit from ostrich breeding, you need to invest money in your future business. You need to spend money on:

• Construction of a poultry house. You will also need an incubator and an aviary for walking birds.
• Internal work in the poultry house and construction of outdoor sheds.
• Rent or purchase of land.
• Equipment - shovels, rakes, special tools - for example, scissors used to trim feathers.
• Equipment used to crush grain and grass.
• Incubator for “hatching” eggs.
• Feeders, drinking bowls - buy them ready-made or make them yourself.
• Young or eggs. Transportation and insurance.
• Preparation of documents.
• Payment for farm staff and livestock technicians.

It is also necessary to take into account the costs of feed, water, electricity, lawn grass (seeds), heating, and the services of a visiting veterinarian.

One of the main expense items is the purchase of livestock. Cost of ostriches:

• newborns – 7,000 rubles;
• monthly – 10,000 rubles;
• one-year-old female – 40,000 rubles;
• two-year-old male – 60,000 rubles.

It is more profitable to buy families at once - females, males and their chicks. The cost of a family is 200,000 rubles. The total cost is about half a million rubles.

Required documents

To open an ostrich farm and not break the law, you need to register it as a legal entity - you can, for example, register an LLC, or even better - a farm. In the second case, farm holders receive the following benefits:

• they pay a single tax under a simplified taxation scheme;
• receive subsidies from the state;
• receive financial assistance - free food, vaccine, etc.

To register a farm, you will need the following documents:

1. General passport.
2. Application (form No. P21002).
3. Receipt for payment of state duty.
4. Agreement on the creation of a farm. There can be one or several founders.

The prepared package of documents is submitted to the tax office.

Payback period - what profit and when should I expect?

Before calculating the likely profit, you need to evaluate the investment. An ostrich farming enterprise requires funds and constant financing. Previously, we calculated that to open a farm you would need about 500,000 rubles. Now we’ll find out how much money you can get from one individual. The ostrich provides meat, fat, feathers and skin. For everything you can charge about 70,000 rubles.

Let an ostrich lay 60 eggs during the season, and they will earn another 40,000 rubles. Five ostriches are enough for the costs to be recouped in one year. If you take into account current expenses, the payback period for the farm is approximately one and a half years.

Having received the first profit, you can expand the business - increase the livestock. With proper organization of work, the profitability of the enterprise reaches 95%. Let's try to calculate the profitability of a small ostrich farm using an example:

• The cost of a one-month ostrich is 10,000 rubles.
• Suppose 15 ostriches and 2 males are purchased for a mini-farm - the purchase of livestock will cost approximately 170,000 rubles.
• The cost of maintaining one ostrich is only 4,000 rubles. in year.
• Costs for all livestock - 17 x 4 = 68,000 rubles.
• The female will lay 60 eggs in a year.
• Total egg production: 15 females x 60 eggs = 900 eggs.
• 50% of the eggs will be used for breeding, the rest for sale.
• Let the cost of one egg be 1,500 rubles. Cost of all eggs: 450 x 1,500 = 675,000 rubles.

Selling eggs alone allows you to recoup the cost of purchasing ostriches and keeping them. The farm usually makes a good profit in the second year of operation. Over the past period, it is possible to form a livestock. It is recommended to divide it into two parts (1:3):

• to replenish the livestock;
• for slaughter.

If all of the 450 eggs left for breeding are successfully incubated, the farm will receive 450 new ostriches. 150 ostriches will be left for breeding and for sale, 300 birds will be slaughtered - as soon as they reach 100 kg. This takes approximately 10-12 months.

One ostrich produces 55 kg of meat. If you sell it at 500 rubles/kg, you can get 27,500 rubles. Another 3,000 for fat, feathers and leather. From the sale of 300 ostriches it will be possible to earn 9 million rubles.

Sales points

The main consumers of ostrich meat today are large cities. Here, ostrich meat and eggs are accepted for sale by supermarkets, and by restaurants and private gourmets. The goods can also be sold to farmers and private traders - from hand to hand. If you sell meat without documents confirming its quality, you get paid less.

Live poultry is sold to farmers and businessmen. To establish sales channels, it is necessary to attract advertising. The most effective methods of advertising ostrich farm products:

• mailings to the client base;
• distribution of leaflets;
• organizing excursions to the farm;
• advertisements in print media.