Pastures Past: Ostrich farming in New Zealand, early days and potential

A Napier Telegraph article reported on interest in ostrich farming back in 1881. Photo / 123rf

Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day.

Ostrich farming may seem like a new pursuit in New Zealand agriculture, but interest was expressed back in 1881, as reported by the Napier Telegraph.

A Mr Deacon, of Cape Colony in South Africa, asked for information on Hawke’s Bay and inquired about the region’s viability for breeding ostriches.

Mr Deacon needed to know more about Hawke’s Bay’s weather, as his ostriches “will not do in a wet climate”.

Meanwhile, in 1886, the Bay of Plenty Times reported that Canterbury was the place to be for ostrich farmers due to “Mr J. T. Matson’s experiment with ostriches on his farm near Christchurch”.

Ostrich farming in New Zealand

(From Napier Telegraph)

Colonist, October 3, 1881

We have received a letter this morning from a Mr S. A. Deacon, of Cape Colony, who asks for every information obtainable concerning Hawke’s Bay.

Mr Deacon for many years past been engaged in ostrich farming, and now contemplating settling in this part of New Zealand.

He says:—“My reason for selecting Hawke’s Bay as my probable place of residence is owing to the very small rainfall you seem to get there to what Auckland and Wellington have. (See meteorological table in official Handbook) My object in choosing a dry climate is to bring a few ostriches over with me, if possible, and they will not do in a wet climate. I should feel obliged for any information, especially such as is supplied by the meteorological records of Napier and the inland towns, that would be a guide to me in forming an opinion relative to the adaptability, or otherwise of your climate for ostrich farming.”

The subject of ostrich farming has been brought before the House this session by Sir George Grey, to whose question the Government replied that the advisability of giving a bonus for the encouragement of that industry would receive consideration.

It is not, however, so much a question of money as of climate, and it is of far more importance to secure faithful records of meteorological observations than to promise a bonus to the importer of the birds.

If the climate be suitable, and that is the main thing to ascertain, and the prospects of the industry be such as to place them beyond the regions of doubtful speculation, no bonus will be required to promote the establishment of ostrich farming.

We shall be obliged to any of our readers who can furnish us with such information upon this subject as may be useful to those who, like our correspondent Mr Deacon, contemplate establishing themselves in this colony.

Ostrich farming

Bay of Plenty Times, December 4, 1886

Canterbury is to be credited for showing to the settlers of New Zealand the practicability of establishing ostrich farms.

Mr J. T. Matson’s experiment with ostriches on his farm near Christchurch has resulted in his shipping by the s.s. Rimutaka a parcel of 2000 feathers to the London market.

Some four years ago Mr Matson got from the Cape a few ostriches; and despite many warnings that he would never succeed he persevered with the result stated above.

Without going into details, says the Canterbury Times of September 24, with regard to the number of the birds to be raised, and how he has managed this novel farming industry, we may be content to mention that the proof of his success lies in the fact that he has placed in the hands of Mr Brown, manager of the Direct Importing Company, his first shipment, consisting of about 2000 feather, which are to be sold in London in conjunction with Messrs. Redfern, Alexander, and Co.

We are violating no confidence when we say, also, that the aid of Sir F. Dillon Bell, the Agent-General, and of Sir Julius von Haast, has been invoked in order that this latest consignment from the colony they represent may he placed on the market under the most favourable auspices.

On September 16, a member of our staff had the pleasure of personally inspecting this unique export ere the case in which it was packed was closed.

To the least trained eye the feathers commend themselves as of rare beauty, but Mr Brown, who possesses the technical knowledge of a trained expert, pointed out excellencies which, otherwise, might have escaped notice.

He showed that the quality of these feathers, grown in New Zealand, is quite equal, if not even superior, to that of feathers grown in any other part of the world.

His exclamation, “Look at the foliage!” was the key to his admiration for the quality, which he attributed solely to the effects of the New Zealand climate.

The following information on the subject of ostrich farming can be appropriately given here:— A gentleman narrated at a meeting of the Cape Agricultural Society his experience. Towards the end of 1863 he purchased seventeen young ostriches of three or four months old, and placed them in an enclosure of 300 acres, over which they had free run. The opinion he had formed from many months’ observation was, that 35 ostriches might find sufficient sustenance upon 300 acres of good grazing ground. In April, 1864, he had the wings of the birds cut at the point where the well-known ostrich feathers grow; and they were fit again to cut six months later. Having caused the feathers to be examined by experienced dealers, he found that the largest, of which there were 24 on the wings of each male bird, were worth £25 per pound, and that the plucking of his 17 birds would yield £10 each on an average. The birds cost him about £5 each.

Since this experiment ostrich farming has become a recognised form of industry at the Cape, as it soon must be in New Zealand, especially in the North Island, where the climate is admirably adapted for the birds.

At the Cape the price of a healthy bird a week old is £10, and of a six month old bird £30.

The feathers may be plucked when the bird is a year old, and each crop is worth £7 a bird.

The price of the feathers ranges, according to quality, from a few shillings per lb. up to 40s or 50s.

In 1875 there were 32,247 domesticated ostriches in Cape Colony.

The naturalisation of the bird, which has been so successfully accomplished by Mr J. T. Matson, derives most of its prospective importance from the feathers, for which there is at all times a large demand in the chief European countries and in the colonies.

Ostrich farming once had possibilities in N.Z.

Central Hawke’s Bay Press, June 9, 1950

Wellington, This Day.

A primary industry which once made an attempt to get established in New Zealand was ostrich farming, said Mr J. T. Martin, addressing the Economic Society this week on the history of primary production.

Mr Martin said that in 1897 the Rev. K. Kalterns was so impressed with the possibilities of ostrich farming that he imported from South Africa a pair of adult birds and started out in the Taumaranui district.

The hen laid 19 eggs and hatched 13 chickens in the first year and in the second it laid 30 eggs and reared nine chickens.

The feathers sold at £7 to £10 a pound and the chickens were sold to Australia.

Each bird’s feathers were worth £3 10/- to £4 10/- on the London market.

Mr Kalterns proved that ostriches could live on grass, maize, fern land and were very useful in clearing scrub fern country.

- Source: Papers Past