Ratites

Welcome to the OMAFRA Ratites website. Here you will find a wealth of information relevant to Ontario's Ratite industry. The resources listed below include OMAFRA Factsheets and Information Sheets, as well as key links to information on internal and external sites.

Animal Welfare, Care & Behaviour

• Codes of Recommendation and Minimum Standards for Welfare of Ostrich and Emu - Ministry of Agriculture & Food, New Zealand
• Code of Practice - Emu farming, Queensland, Australia
• Deadstock Disposal - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Production Management

• Gamebirds and Ratites - Mississippi State University Extension Service
• Incubation of Ratite Eggs - Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University
• Ostrich, Emu and Rhea Production - Rutgers Cooperative Extension, State University of New Jersey
• Ratite Production - Ostrich, Emu and Rhea - Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, United States Department of Agriculture
• Snapshot of the Canadian Ostrich, Emu, and Rhea Industries - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Virtual Farm Tour – Ratites – OFAC

Ostrich

• Commercial Ostrich Production - North Carolina Cooperative Services
• Ostrich Production - Texas A&M Veterinary Extension
• Ostrich Production - Penn State Cooperative Extension
• Poultry - Emus and Ostriches - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, AU

Rhea

• Rhea Production - Penn State Cooperative Extension

Emu

• Emu Production - Texas A&M University

Health

• Avian Influenza Prevention in Ratite Facilities - Kansas State University
• Bio-Security for Exotic Fowl - Texas A&M University
• Poultry - Health Management and Biosecurity

Nutrition & Feeding

• Nutrition Guidelines for Ostriches and Emus - Iowa State University Extension
• Ratite Nutrition and Feeding - Virginia Cooperative Extension

Manure and Nutrient Management

• How Many Nutrient Units Do I Have? Ratite Operations - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,Food and Rural Affairs

Marketing

• Federally Registered Establishments - Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Provincially Licensed Abattoirs - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• Ontario Independent Meat Processors
• Agricultural Business Management

Producer and Industry Groups

• Ostrich Producers of Ontario

Resources & Publications

• Ostrich Bibliography - University of Saskatchewan
• Ratite Bibliography - University of Saskatchewan

Legislation, Regulation and Policy

• Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act & Regulations - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Statistics

• Alternative Livestock on Canadian Farms - Statistics Canada
• Number of Alternative Livestock and Gamebirds Processed for Meat in Ontario Federal/Provincial Combined Statistics - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs