A worker at the Perennial Crops and Farms Department (Agro-Livestock) holds an incubating ostrich egg. Pic: Zaw Win

THE Perennial Crops and Farms Department (Agro-Livestock) has hatched ostrich chicks in Myanmar for the first time, said U Kyin Thaung, the deputy manager (livestock) of the department.

The four chicks were hatched at the department’s compound at 9-Mile in Yangon. The first hatched on July 14, while the other three followed on August 4, 9 and 10 after the eggs had incubated for 40 days. A fifth chick that hatched on August 4 did not survive.

“It is the first time we have succeeded in hatching ostrich chicks in Myanmar although we don’t have much experience doing it,” said Dr Nyan Lin, the manager (livestock) of the department, which is a sub-department of Myanma Industrial Crops Development Enterprise under the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

The ostrich eggs resulted from the breeding of two adult ostriches that had been donated by a farm in Malaysia several years ago, U Kyin Thaung said.
He said 22 eggs were delivered between May 8 and July 6 this year, but 15 were damaged by various causes.

Of the seven left over, four have hatched successfully, one has hatched unsuccessfully and three have not yet hatched, he said.

He said the purpose of the breeding program was to increase the numbers of the animals in Myanmar to establish an ostrich farming industry.

“We want to introduce ostrich farming to Myanmar. Ostrich meat has high protein and zero fat so it is very healthy, and we can market it both locally and internationally. The eggs can be made into souvenirs, while the leather can be made into handbags,” he said.

Dr Nyan Lin also said ostrich parks can be established where people can see and even ride the animals.

“We can use it to promote the tourism sector like they do in Malaysia,” he said.