Ostriches, Emus, and Rheas

Updated: January 26, 2026

Montana no longer ranks as a major producer of ostriches, emus, and rheas, but a small number of farms and hobby operations in the state still keep these large, flightless birds as alternative livestock, for specialty meat, leather, feathers, oil, and eggshell crafts. Collectively, ostriches, emus, and rheas are called "ratites", a group of large, flightless birds that eat roughage and do well on balanced rations based on alfalfa hay or grain plus a protein supplement, though detailed current farm counts for Montana are no longer reported in state or federal statistics. As with most big birds, males can become aggressive as they mature, so modern guidance stresses careful fencing and handling for farmer and animal safety.

Although these three kinds of birds share many traits, they differ clearly in size and origin. Ostriches come from Africa and are the largest and tallest, sometimes growing close to 9 feet tall and weighing several hundred pounds. Emus originated in Australia and usually stand around 5 to 6 feet tall, while rheas, imported from South America, are somewhat smaller, often reaching up to about 5 feet tall.

Ratites can provide several products where markets exist. Ostriches are valued for their lean, red meat (similar in many ways to beef but typically lower in fat) and their distinctive leather, which is used in specialty boots, belts, and handbags. Ostrich feathers once had a major fashion role in women’s hats in the late 1800s and early 1900s; today, smaller specialty markets use them for decorations and for delicate dusting tasks, such as cleaning electronics and small mechanical parts. Emus and rheas also provide meat, leather, and feathers, but emus in particular are prized for their rendered oil, which is used in cosmetic and personal-care products and is marketed for its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, even though scientific evidence in humans is still limited and mixed. Rhea oil and other by-products have been used in specialty industrial products, while the large, durable eggshells from all three species are often carved, painted, or etched and sold as gift or art items.

Under good management, ostriches are capable of producing dozens of eggs in a season, and breeding stock may remain productive for several decades, with individual birds sometimes living many years in captivity, though practical breeding lifespans on farms are much shorter than the maximum age sometimes mentioned in older sources. Emu hens will typically lay a clutch of dark green eggs during a specific breeding season—often in the cooler months—producing on the order of several dozen eggs per year under farm conditions, while rheas also lay clutches of large eggs that can be incubated or used for food and crafts. Because the U.S. ratite industry went through a boom-and-bust cycle in the 1990s and early 2000s, many former ostrich and emu farms have closed, and more recent reports describe a smaller, niche-market industry facing ongoing challenges in processing access, marketing, and consistent demand for meat and leather.

Sources:

• The Poultry Site: Ratite Production: Ostrich, Emu and Rhea
• National Library of Medicine: Effects of Topical Emu Oil on Burn Wounds in the Skin of Balb/c Mice
• Agriculture Marketing Resource Center: Ostrich & Emu

Updated: January 26, 2026