Canada's once-thriving ostrich industry has nearly ducked out of sight.

At its peak in the mid-1990s, the ostrich sector is now a mere shadow of its former self - with numbers plummeting from a high of 14,800 ostriches on 788 Canadian farms.

Statistics Canada figures released earlier this year, based on the 2006 census year, show 2,748 ostriches on 78 farms.

"There are about 40 good ostrich farmers in Alberta, that's the main area of ostrich production," says Ken Lewis, president of the Winnipeg-based Canadian Ostrich Marketing Export Team (COMET). "There's also four or five producers in the Okanagan Valley in B.C."

Canadian Ostrich Association vice-president Clint Cornelius checks out his flock at a Calgary-area ranch.

Add in a sprinkling of producers in other provinces such as Saskatchewan and Ontario and you have what Lewis describes as an awkward time in the industry.

"We were doing very well," recalls Lewis. "Canada was very strong in genetic perfection. When they (ostriches) first came to Canada from Africa, their genetics were all over the place. We did DNA testing. We perfected genetic lines and started getting known worldwide as a good source for ostrich genetics.

"But the industry crashed because no one went to the next step of bringing it into a product-based marketplace."

Those products include ostrich meat - a high-protein red meat low in cholesterol, fat and calories - skins for leather, oil for skin care and potential medicinal uses, feathers for dusting purposes, as well as eggs for cooking.

"Everyone was breeding ostriches, but there was no end market for them," says Lewis. "At one time I heard a statistic that there were 20,000 animals, but there was no dedicated abattoir."

Ostriches don't handle long-distance travel well, says former Saskatchewan ostrich producer Clay Ogilvie. Because they have two feet - as opposed to four for cattle - they're more susceptible to falling over and injuring themselves or another bird on long trips if a slaughterhouse is not nearby.

"Ostriches will transport OK, but only for a certain distance. If you go eight to 10 or 12 hours, you're going to see losses," says Ogilvie.

It's also hard to find abattoirs willing to take ostriches.

"The big plants want to kill beef or pork," says Ogilvie. "Other than that, they don't want to touch other animals. We need a multi-species slaughter facility for every other species that is not beef and pork."

Abattoirs also need to be federally certified if producers want to sell outside their own province. For worldwide sales, an abattoir would need to be certified by the European Union.

And while some - regardless of certification - may be willing to take ostriches, they may be unfamiliar with the bird and don't know the proper cuts or how to salvage the hide, which is worth as much as the meat.

Proper slaughterhouse facilities are not the only problem facing the Canadian ostrich industry, which continues to turn down large international orders simply because it can't supply the product.

"The public doesn't know much about ostrich. We haven't done very well in our marketing and educating," says Clint Cornelius, vice-president of the Calgary-based Canadian Ostrich Association and an ostrich producer himself. "In Canada, we have to create our own local market and that takes time."

It's not all bad news.

Some small producers are doing well and are looking to expand. Others, such as Cornelius, whose Delalta Ostrich Farm is near Calgary, have grown larger by buying up those who want to get out of the field.

Ostrich farmers since 2001, Lorne and Willa Wilbur operate the South Lake Ostrich Farm near Peterborough, Ont. Though it's a small operation, the couple plans to expand. They sell ostrich oil, feathers, meat and eggs as well as ostrich chicks. They enjoy working with the birds and find their venture profitable.

"It's (ostrich) becoming more known and people want a healthier meat. People also come for the eggs," says Willa, adding many buyers find they're able to eat ostrich eggs even though they're allergic to other types of eggs.

"I've made some soap as well. People love the soap and the (ostrich) oils are good for arthritis - it's a good seller as well as the meat," adds Willa. "In some ways, the industry is getting smaller, but some people are still going into it. They're asking us for birds because they want to start a farm for themselves."

Cornelius also believes there is a future for the industry. Ostriches reproduce much faster than cattle and require less feed, he notes.

"I would say the economics made me get in. They're very easy to raise and I see it as the best way to produce food," says Cornelius. "If you were to feed the world, it would be the best way. You can raise about 10 ostriches to one cow."

Ogilvie is also still bullish on ostrich. Even though he is no longer an ostrich producer, he created an ostrich product, Osticks, a high-protein meat snack that is manufactured by Ardath, Sask.-based Muscle Bird Nutrition "The biggest reason it came about - I'm a bodybuilder - is because I got quite tired of the protein bars that were out there. They were not convenient, they'd melt in the sun, they'd melt in your bag," says Ogilvie, who found that there wasn't enough time to produce both the meat stick and raise ostriches.

"The (Osticks) market is constantly growing. Our biggest issue is actually getting our hands on enough trim to get enough sticks to get bigger and bigger," says Ogilvie.

COMET's Lewis says low ostrich demand in Canada could easily be countered by focusing the majority of production on exports to countries where the demand is high.

"Canada can get back in," he adds. "We have the technology, the intellect, the desire, we just don't have the capital to put it all together, that's basically what's holding us back. That's what always has been holding us back."

Quick Facts

* The ostrich is the world's largest living bird.

* They belong to the ratite family, which means flightless bird.

* Native to Africa, ostriches thrive in countries all over the world.

* Adult males can reach around three metres in height and adult males weigh 158 to 240 kilograms.

* Ostriches can run at sustained speeds of up to 64 km/h.

* They can live to be 50 to 75 years old.

* Ostriches can lay 40 to 100 eggs per year, averaging about 60 eggs annually.

* They have two toes; all other birds have three or four toes.

Source: Canadian Ostrich Association

(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)