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WORLD OSTRICH ASSOCIATION | |||||||||||||
| Mission Statement "To Represent The International Ostrich Industry Through Communication, Dissemination of Information and Provision of Industry Standards" |
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Contact Details : Craig Culley, Secretary
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World Ostrich Association Newsletter No. 107 Included in this edition: Further Comments on Discussions Raised in the report “A Short History of the British Colombia Ostrich Industry” The issues discussed are fundamental and so critical to the success of the industry that I will cover several more issues that Stewart introduced next month rather than make this newsletter too long. Genetic Records When the exportation of ostrich eggs, chicks and breeder birds commenced in the late 1980s and 1990s much of the stock came from wild sources. In some cases the eggs were harvested from the wild, incubated locally and then exported. There are some 10 or more different breeds of Ostrich that were indigenous to many different regions. Whilst these exported birds came from Israel (who also imported from South Africa), Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nambia and South Africa, they were generally sold as Blue Neck, Black Neck or Red Neck. Later there were some fancy marketing names were added such as Texas Super Blue. Chicks not sold were raised and sold on as young breeders or mature breeders. Few, if any, reliable records were available as to the origin of the birds. Stan Stewart, our chairman, was sold birds with fancy certificates, which when he visited the source discovered they were false. He will not have been the only person conned in this manner. Most people importing were breeding to sell their progeny onto new farmers. Under these conditions there was little opportunity to commence scientific selection for feed conversion, good breeding characteristics and the many traits essential to monitor in commercial livestock production. This trend continues today. As the original stock entering the country arrived with limited knowledge of the origin of the stock and such fast movement of stock to new farmers, it was impossible to know the genetic heritage and therefore inbreeding was always a risk. Many farmers have suffered leg problems and other deformities over the years. Some of these could be a result of inbreeding, but unless the nutritional causes are eliminated, it is impossible to identify whether these problems are genetic. It has been our experience that most of those problems experienced are in fact nutritional as they are rarely seen in flocks where nutrition is adequate for ostrich. Maintaining proper genetic records and performance data of the genetic lines is an essential component of livestock production. It goes hand in hand with ensuring the optimum nutrition to support the full genetic performance. To carry out such programs adequately requires a vibrant industry to support that development. Since the time the article is discussing as a result of the failures countries importing have to transition from breeder markets to commercial production any birds and their progeny not slaughtered were exported to other countries. For the most part this is the cycle we are still in – we see this continual cycle of excitement of the new industry as it starts in a country followed by all the subsequent problems that Stewart’s article highlighted so well. Need for Grading and Other Standards Acceptable to Regulatory Authorities This was one of the important reasons that the World Ostrich Association was founded by the founder members. In the mid-1990s I remember well, while farming in South Africa, using the Canadian Meat Buyers guide because there was nothing in South Africa available at the time. At the time the South African industry had a very basic skin grading system but nothing for the meat as it was considered a low value by product. The industry was only deregulated to enable any farmer to own ostrich and market their products in 1994. NOPSA (National Ostrich Processors of South Africa) was formed following deregulation to ensure some synergy in developing the protocols essential for accessing export markets. It took around 5 years for the NOPSA members to finally produce a meat buyer’s guide and gradually develop payment system classifications dependent on yield recognising the significant differences in the processing costs of those birds yielding limited meat to those yielding good yields, which could very almost 100%. Individual companies would do their own as well as the US, Canada developing their own charts as well. The variations caused considerable confusion amongst our buyers as each chart was a little different. Newsletter No 22 discussed a report on the Ratite industry products by SUSTA (Southern United States Trade Association - http://www.susta.org) and you can see they were saying very much the same thing that Stewart reported. This is their summary:
Newsletter No. 15 discussed the need for standards and published the summary I wrote of the industry strategic analysis session held in Pretoria in 1999. This study concluded that Industry Immaturity as the Core Problem. That problem remains today. The WOA has developed the infrastructure for those elements, such as basic standards and grading systems, but these can only be developed further by the support of members recognising the important role these play in the development of their individual businesses. As an example of this - as a member of NOPSA we contributed to the costs of the study required to provide the scientific data necessary for state veterinary staff of importing and exporting countries to accept. Industry members have to provide the financial support to cover the costs of these types of studies. Organisations such as the national or international associations can coordinate these studies, but it requires the financial support from the members to enable such studies to be carried out. Many, if not all, the issues Stewart and the SUSTA report identified as required were included in the conclusions of the strategic analysis. Whilst that Strategic Analysis exercise highlighted the important issues and illustrated them in a structured manner – no individual or structured group has yet managed to incorporate the identified elements into their business strategies as their businesses are too immature to have the funds to do so or their members the experience to understand the need. Selling Something They Couldn’t Deliver Reliably This continues to be a fundamental issue and barrier to the major markets. Through the newsletters the WOA has illustrated the importance of the supply chain and ensuring it is robust and secure. Consistency of supply is dependent on many factors and a break down at any stage of that chain can influence the business of every business in that chain. South Africa has been the major supplier of ostrich meat for many years, but in recent months they were unable to as a result of Avian Influenza in some flocks closing the borders to all producers. It can take just one lapse in biosecurity for disease to take hold and see the markets closed for every member of that supply chain. The history of South African production has been health issues that intermittently closed their ability to export. That first export ban had serious consequences to the new freedoms in South Africa farmers as the industry was developing rapidly. At the time many asked the question if it was a true problem ………See newsletter 2 – section 5 as it was devastating for many of the new ostrich farmers that sprang up following deregulation. Selling Something They Couldn’t Deliver Reliably This continues to be a fundamental issue and barrier to the major markets. Through the newsletters the WOA has illustrated the importance of the supply chain and ensuring it is robust and secure. Consistency of supply is dependent on many factors and a break down at any stage of that chain can influence the business of every business in that chain. South Africa has been the major supplier of ostrich meat for many years, but in recent months they were unable to as a result of Avian Influenza in some flocks closing the border to all producers. It can take just one lapse in biosecurity for disease to take hold and see the markets closed for every member of that supply chain. The history of South African production has been health issues that intermittently closed their ability to export. That first export ban had serious consequences to the new freedoms in South Africa farmers as the industry was developing rapidly. At the time many asked the question if it was a true problem ………See newsletter 2 – section 5 as it was devastating for many of the new ostrich farmers that sprang up following deregulation. Since that time there have been a number of export bans as a result of Newcastle Disease and more recent several outbreaks of Avian Influenza. The last report submitted to the OIE was in December, suggesting no further outbreaks in January, but the country is still not officially declared clear. The report published by the South African Business Chamber’s on 24th January under the title Progress with managing the Avian Influenza outbreak in the ostrich industry, is suggesting that there are no further outbreaks and hope the country is now clear. The BBC published an article entitled Bird Flu Empties South African Ostrich Farms during January. The importance of ensuring consistency of supply cannot be underestimated and is a major factor to consider when developing your management systems. |
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