Ostrich rearing offers a lifeline

Ostrich "finishing" is offering a financial lifeline to some deer farmers who have endured lower prices for the past two years.

New Zealand Ostrich Exports marketing manager Peter Hishon says it wants another 20-30 farmers to rear ostriches for slaughter.

Ostrich Exports has processed about 3500 birds through Clover Export's plant at Gore. The target for next season is 10,000-12,000 birds.

Finishers buy four-month-old weaner birds at 40kg liveweight, for $150 each. The birds are fattened to a target weight of 97kg, normally eight months later, for which farmers are paid $340 a head.

- NZPA