Newsletter No. 30 – September 2005 Item 3

Figure 1 – Global meat Production by Type. 2025 Projected

Figure 1 shows the production growth by specie since 1961. Figure 2 demonstrates the percentage of the total of each specie and shows very clearly the contribution of Pork and Poultry in this growth and the loss of market share experienced by the red meats Beef, Veal, Lamb and Mutton over the period.  Some of this loss of market share can be attributed to the advice to eat low fat meats; some of the loss of market share can be attributed to the lower feed efficiency of ruminants.  Ostrich produce a low fat, red meat and are proven, where reared correctly to be the most feed efficient of these red meat specie, with excellent feed conversion.

Figure 2 – Type Percentage of Global Meat Production

What do these tonnages translate into numbers of Ostrich required to compete?

The additional meat production is quantified at 130 million metric tonnes;  14% from Beef, Veal, Lamb and Mutton, 43% from Pigmeat, 40% from poultry and 3% from other specie, which will include Goat, Fish and other alternative meats including Ostrich.   Note the reducing market share of the red meats.    It requires 28 million Ostrich Slaughter birds producing 45 kilograms of meat to produce just 1% of that additional 130 million metric tonnes required.

Systems to optimise the production potential of Ostrich and move away from the current very low productivity, high levels of chick mortality, low meat yields and delayed slaughter are essential to be able to meet this challenge.