36 ECONOMIC sense nfrom page 35


guarantees a stable supply to the market. Moreover, if something goes wrong on one farm, it doesn’t shut down the whole program. Bilinski says ostrich makes economic sense. They’ve done the math, hiring an agrologist to create a business plan. “If you compare livestock businesses, an ostrich hen can produce more pounds of live offspring in a year than any other female. A cow will give you about a 700-750 lb calf. An ostrich can produce about 4,000 lbs of offspring weight over 16 months. At a year, they’re approximately 250 lbs. When you multiply that by the number of chicks you can raise, it’s pretty amazing.” Bilinski and Espersen


created their partnership in 2001. She’s been involved with ostrich since 1991 with her husband and family running quarantines and working with the top vets


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who were involved in ostrich in the 1990s. Bilinski says Espersen has a superior understanding of the birds’ psychology and physiology. This enables her to walk amongst the breeding stock even though the birds can be intimidating, given their speed, weight, powerful toe claws and height that can be 9 feet. “A six-month-old chick will


be eyeball to eyeball with me,” he says, adding that about a quarter of their time is spent with the birds. An equal amount focuses on transporting birds and feed which consists of high-quality alfalfa and a mix of whole grains, as well as pasture in the summer. The other half of their time is spent helping satellite farms, research and development, marketing and continuing to work on moving the industry forward. Today, they produce meat, hides and high-end ostrich oil skincare products for the Canadian and US markets. They’ve also developed treats and oil products for pets. Bilinski credits Espersen for recognizing that ostrich oil is the most lucrative and promising product. Ostrich oil comes from the


bird’s fat, stored in fat pads on the underside of the bird. Similar to a camel’s hump, the pads are an energy reserve for the bird. Birds grown in BC are producing significantly more and better fat which


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • FEBRUARY 2019


Dave Bilinski has high hopes of resurrecting the ostrich industry in BC. SUBMITTED PHOTO


Bilinski attributes to genetics, diet and the cooler climate. The fat is processed in


Vernon and Okanagan Naturals uses the oil to create skin care and cosmetic products marketed under the Onu name. Bilinski says Onu ostrich oil contains the right ratio of


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Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids for the human body. In ancient cultures, ostrich oil was used for cosmetics, burns and lesions, but there’s been more recent research done to show therapeutic benefits for skin irritations, cuts, abrasions, burns, sunburn and blisters. It’s said to be anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory. “It works well for bedsores.


The wound and burn-healing component is amazing so we see this as a huge potential growth industry for the province,” he says. “We have a doctor coming on board and have overtures from two Asian companies who want to distribute over there and address a couple [of] specific skin issues.” A partnership with medicinal cannabis producers is also possible.


The lack of slaughter


capacity is also prompting plans for a processing plant. Today, their ostrich go to a


provincially licensed plant but processing capacity in the fall is non-existent. The


need will increase as annual volumes expand to more than 1,000 birds in 2020, and 10,000 by 2030. Recent trade sentiment and border uncertainties nixed initial plans for a Washington State facility, so hopes now focus on a federally inspected abattoir in BC, possibly adjacent to the farm. “We’d do beef, ostrich and bison to start, but the growth will be in the ostrich,” Bilinski says.


One of the challenges is finding the estimated $3 million in funding. Banks aren’t interested in new industries, he says, but he believes ostrich’s time has come. “Ten years out, I can see


200 producers in BC and as an industry – I hate to throw numbers out there because it looks too big – the agrologist and analysts have it at a $100- million-dollar total,” he says. “We’ve discovered so many things about the bird, it’s much bigger than a meat and leather business.”


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