NORM

Conventional intensive farming practices optimize farm profitability by controlling health and productivity of livestock. These two factors drive increasing density, and throughput at the limiting expense of animal welfare and environmental damage.  Intensive farming of livestock is coming under increasing scrutiny as consumers demand environmental stewardship and animal welfare from producers.        

At Central Oregon Ostrich, we have a new approach to farming practice that prioritizes the health and welfare of our birds.  Simply put, healthy, happy birds lay more viable eggs, produce healthier hatchlings, and encounter fewer health problems which drives farm profitability.  We call this philosophy Naturalistic Ostrich Rearing and Management.  NORM is a novel farm management framework that promotes three fundamental domains of ostrich health.  NORM control objectives are the processes that we use to manage known physiological, behavioral, and environmental factors that contribute to holistic health.  By applying these processes on the farm, we support the natural health of our birds and they thrive.

As a result of this unique approach to farm management, our novel feed and management protocols are taking ostrich productivity to a level rarely achieved.  Hens in our breeding program average 25 hatchlings per year.  We have developed a natural feed product that is perfectly matched the unique physiology of ostrich and costs less than 12 cents / lb to mix on the farm.  Our hatchlings have a mortality rate of less than 10%, and our yearling feed program grows out a 250lb harvest weight bird in 14 months on 1000lbs of feed.

Using NORM extensive farming practices, Ostrich is ready to make a comeback with the US consumer.  If you have land or farming experience, and would like to participate in this growing opportunitiy, please give us a call.  We need producers at every level of the value chain, and we are committed to the growth and success of the ostrich industry.