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Emu exhibit is new to Rock County 4-H Fair

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Jon Jennings visits with a pair of adult emus he has on display at the Rock County 4-H Fair on Tuesday.

JANESVILLE — Emu chicks are 9 inches of brown and yellow stripes.

“They’re very cute and fluffy and kind of fat,’’ said Jon Jennings, owner of the month-old birds.

Those not familiar with emus will get to pet them at this year’s Rock County 4-H Fair.

Jennings wants to educate the public about emus in a new exhibit at the fair this week.

It’s a first for the county fair, even though Jennings said the Rock County 4-H Fair Board initially wasn’t enthusiastic. But during a second attempt, the new fair board was receptive to his presentation and unanimously agreed to let him provide the display in the poultry barn, where fairgoers will get to pet the chicks—one male and the other female.

Each child who visits the exhibit will receive an eggshell necklace the size of a silver dollar made from naturally dark green emu eggshells, he said.

Jennings’ adult emus, Fred and Sally, will be housed in horse stalls near informational tables where brochures will outline details about emu oil, emu meat and other emu facts.

Jennings, a 15-year-old Milton High School student, is a member of Consolidated 4-H and Milton FFA. He began researching and developing an emu business plan in 2008. He started raising and selling the world’s second-largest living bird in 2009.

“I’ve always liked birds. They’ve always sparked an interest. Emus just seemed right. They’re a friendly bird and there’s money to be made in the industry. It just seemed like a good fit for me,’’ he said.

Jennings has 19 emus, including yearlings and chicks, he bought with earnings from his part-time child care job at church and with money he’s made selling sheep and poultry at previous fairs.

“I took 10 percent for me and the rest went to my college fund,’’ he said.

The fact that 95 percent of an emu is usable, probably will intrigue fairgoers the most, Jennings said.

“I sell them for emu oil, the meat, hide, eggs, feathers, toe nails and egg shells. About the only part of the bird not used are its internal organs,’’ he said.

“I decided I want to have these birds in the area and to build interest,” he said. “Forty to 50 percent of the population has no idea was an emu is.’’

EMU FACTS

-- The emu, an Australian native, is the world’s second-largest living bird. It has three toes and can run more than 30 mph.

-- An emu can live to be 30 years old.

-- The average size of an adult emu is 5.5 feet tall and 125 pounds.

-- Each adult emu each day eats up to 2 pounds of feed.

-- Breeding begins when emus are about 2 years old, and a female emu can produce eggs for more than 25 years.

-- Female emus can lay 20 to 50 eggs a laying season—November through May—or about one egg every three days.

-- Emu eggs are dark opaque green, 5 inches long and weigh an average of 1.3 pounds.

-- An emu can yield up to 30 pounds of meat, 8 square feet of hide, six liters of oil and nearly two pounds of feathers.

-- Emu meat is heart healthy, high in protein and iron and low in fat and cholesterol.

-- Emu oil is used as an anti-inflammatory and promotes healing of dry, itchy skin.