EMU FARMING BUSINESS
Emu Farming industry in India is very well setup particularly in South India. Majority of Emu Farms are present in Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Emu farming is still new to North Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. There are a lot of websites out there that might give you false figures about starting your own Emu Farm. Emu Birds require a lot of care and attention with a good and nutritive feed. There are many Emu Farms out there that do not vaccinate their emu birds or provide them with poultry feed instead of proper Emu feed. This kind of practice is very prevalent all over the country which has led to a very extreme depreciation in the quality of Emu Birds in India.
- Land Area
- Infrastructure
- Feed
- Vaccination
- Total Cost
Emu Bird in Indian conditions can grow up to 5 Feet tall and weigh about 50 Kg. It is very important to have ample of space for the Emu Birs to play and exercise. The recommended space requirements for proper growth, development and health of the Emu Bird are:
| Space required (One Emu Bird) | 200 sq. feet |
| Space for Emu activity (One Emu Bird) | 100 sq. feet |
| Total Space Required for One Emu Bird | 300 sq. feet |
If you want to breed 10 pairs of Emu Birds, the total area required would be about 6000 sq. feet. This area includes the living space and the activity area for the emu. Please make sure that you have adequate land for the proper maintenance your Emu Birds.
Infrastructure is one of the most important things that is required for successful breeding and Emu Farming in India. Although these birds are very rugged and immune to various diseases, they still require a good infrastructure. You need to make sure that you have the following structures ready before you can breed emu birds at your farm :
- Shelter for the emu birds (200sq. feet per emu)
- Large activity area (100sq. feet per emu)
- Availability of fresh water
- Availability of fresh feed
- 24-Hour Electricity Supply for Incubators (Only required if you are running an Emu Hatchery)
- Emu Egg Hatchery machines from a speacialized manufacturer
To breed healthy and good quality emu birds you need to provide them with appropriate feed. The feed should be purchased from a trusted company which can provide you with all the nutritional supplements that your emu birds require. The two best companies for emu feed are Godrej and Venky's. Apart from these there may be other local manufacturers in your area. For proper growth and development the emu birds require the following nutritional supplements in their feed :
- Vitamins : A, B12, D & E
- Amino Acids : Lysine, Methionine, Tryptophan, Threonine
- Proteins : Crude Protein
- Minerals : Calcium, Zinc, Manganese, Iodine
- Fiber : Crude Fibre
Although emu are very rugged and disease resistant birds, they tend to get infected by certain diseases very rapidly. You should make sure that you hire a good and qualified doctor who can give you the correct advice and vaccinate your emu against all the prevalent diseases in your area. The major diseases associated with emu bird are :
- Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis
- Emu Enteritis
- Malnutrition
- External and Internal Worms
These are the approximate cost for setting up an Emu Farm in India. This cost table does not include the price of land. Older birds and proven emu breeder pair cost more. This costing table is for a startup farm with no infrastructure at all.
| Cost of 10 Pair (3 Month Old birds) | 3,00,000 |
| Cost of Fencing (10 pairs) | 1,00,000 |
| Cost of feed for 2 Years (10 pairs) | 1,00,000 |
| Cost for Hatchery | 2,00,000 |
| Other Costs | 1,00,000 |
| Total Cost Of Setting Up Emu Farm | 8,00,000 |
Various websites claim that starting costs of an emu farm are about Rs 4 lacs. This value is highly incorrect as there are a lot of overhead expenses and labor expenses involved. The above table is just an approximation.