Big Bird, Big Business? -- Think Drumsticks -- Oregon Ranchers Stake Claim On Ostrich Meat

MOUNT ANGEL, Ore. - Dixie Fitzgerald wants to put an ostrich steak on your barbecue.

``I believe you will be able to buy ostrich meat in markets and restaurants in 10 years,'' she said.

Fitzgerald and her husband, Jack, began raising ostriches three years ago because she saw a potential profit.

``I began hearing rumors that they were going to be profitable, and I was looking for a business to get into on the ground floor,'' she said.

There was only one other Oregon business raising ostriches when they began, she said. They now have seven birds. The Fitzgeralds also raise horses and cattle on their 45-acre Bar F Bar Ranch about a mile south of Mount Angel.

Although ostrich meat isn't a household staple, ostrich leather and feathers are popular. And there's a profitable market for the young birds she raises, Fitzgerald said.

Yet, it's the idea of raising ostriches for food that excites her. ``It's such a healthy meat. It's lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than other meats,'' she said.

In a report compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 85 grams of ostrich meat was shown to contain 96.9 calories, compared with 140 in chicken, 135 in turkey and 230 in lean beef.

Ostrich meat also contains 1.7 grams of fat per 85 grams of meat, compared with 3 grams in chicken and turkey, and 16 grams in lean beef.

There are about 150 pounds of meat on a mature ostrich.

``Ostriches are commonly raised for meat in Europe and South Africa,'' she said. ``In Europe it sells for $10 per pound.''

Ostrich is too expensive in this country for a slaughter market, but Fitzgerald sees that changing in five to 10 years.

Meanwhile, a proven breeding pair sells for $30,000 to $40,000, and baby birds sell for $2,000 to $3,000. Fitzgerald said an embargo on ostriches from South Africa meant the birds could be bought only from breeders in Europe or the United States.

``It's very expensive to import,'' she said. ``It's cheaper to buy from U.S. growers.''

She said that in 1987 there were approximately 3,500 ostriches in the United States.

``That number has probably increased 10 times,'' she said. ``Ostriches reproduce faster than cattle, and the number is growing rapidly.''

Fitzgerald said that she is ready to begin raising birds for meat. She hopes health-conscious U.S. consumers are ready.