Emu Slaughter

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How does one go about killing an Emu? I was asked about this and could not find anything close to answering it in my library or online. No. I don't have emus.

Help! Okay, I know you stand behind the buggers and hold their wings to move them about. Just how do you get them into neat little sausage packages?

I must admit my husband and I laughed all night and begun to get a bit silly. Giant killing cone? Hee-Hee!

But we need a serious answer. Don't send me to emu sites. I visited them all. Not one says how to do in these big birds! But I have faith in the people of this forum. If anyone can answer, he or she is on this forum!

It may help you to know, we are very experienced with most livestock slaughtering/butchering.

-- Christina (crublee@homer.libby.org), October 03, 2000

Answers

Logically it shouldn't be any different than with an ostrich or rhea, so try those sites also. Besides the giant killing cone, you may also need to heat up about 500 gallons of water.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), October 03, 2000.

A friend of mine who raises ostriches in Texas shoots them in the back of the head with a .22. Good luck.

-- Julie (rjbk@together.net), October 03, 2000.

Imagine all the plucking , yuck .It should be quite a job .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), October 03, 2000.

Don't forget if you are having stuffed emu for Thanksgiving you will need a huge oven. If you find an answer let us know.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), October 03, 2000.

A neighbor used to raise ostriches and we saw them butchered a few times, though not up close. I can say, that they were hung upside down by their feet, and then skinned, not plucked. I think the skin was sold also. Wish I had paid closer attention, now. Amber

-- Amber Quillen (mikeandamberq@hotmail.com), October 03, 2000.


Well, I have done several Rheas, it's probably similar. WARNING!! This is a bit graphic, so don't read unless you really want to. Grab the bird by the beak if possible, if not get a good hold on the head. Take a REAL sharp knife and cut the big artery in the neck, being careful not to cut the breathing tube, or yourself. Let the bird run around until it collapses. Fix a chain to it's feet and hoist it up into the air from a large tree limb or barn rafter. It's best to make a device out of wood to hold the feet about a foot (no pun) apart to make plucking / skinning easier. Let all the blood drain out. The better drain the better the taste. Hoist it up to a comfortable height and start pulling feathers. Scalding the feathers does absolutley no good, at least on a Rhea. You can also skin the bird with the feathers on, saving a bunch of work. It is best to let the carcass hang overnight in a cool place, best is a good barn in 40 degree or so weather. If you can't let it age, go ahead and cut it up now. I can't tell you the best way to make the cuts, but if you are going to grind it all up, it really doesn't matter. Just try not to include the "silver skin" that is the membrane between the muscles, because it has a bitter taste to it. Be sure to check the liver for spots. If you find any, throw the whole bird away. If the liver is clean, save it for some of the best liver and onions you ever tasted. Well, with Rhea liver anyway, don't know about emu. Cut off the feet at the knee and hang up to dry, or slow bake in an oven for a day or two. Makes great doggie chews. That's all I can think of right now, if I remember anything else I'll add it later. Hope this helps.

-- Les (lvaughn@suntransformer.com), October 03, 2000.

Thank you, everyone! I will relay information as soon as I can keep a straight face. It is just another livestock question, right? So, why can't we stop laughing?

My husband did pretend to plunge a giant chicken into a killing cone twice this morning! I don't get what I am laughing at but it feels good to laugh! Thanks for the funny remarks. I'll tell those to hubby tonight!

I will let all of you know how this turns out!

-- Christina (crublee@homer.libby.org), October 03, 2000.


Christina, Les's answer is great let me add a few things. We shot our male this last year after attacking our female when the last egg of the year was taken from the pen, he must have thought she did something with his egg. Though our Emu's are tame, I couldn't imagine anyone walking up to one and slitting their throats! Those feet of theirs could kill you. After shooting him, he was then strung up. Amazingly his feathers plucked with barely a tug, they seemed to fall out on their own. The Emu carries a huge amount of oil, literally dripping out of him while we butchered. The meat is dark red and flavorless. The steaks that were cut from him were unmarbled and tough. We ground him into hamburger with some pork we had in the freezer, it made the best hamburgers we have ever eaten, and we had a ritual all this summer of Sunday bar-b-qued hamburgers with the Emu meat. Cool weather will bring the butchering of our last Emu, and we are looking forward to the meat! Since Emu's are free for the taking in our area, we will very likely butcher at least one or two every fall. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), October 03, 2000.

Vicki, Where are the Emus free for taking and how would you catch one? I have never heard of them running free.

-- Linda Al-Sangar (alsangal@brentwood-tn.org), October 08, 2000.

We are in East Texas up in Cleveland National Forest and when the market dropped out we had lots of birds running loose, you also can see them all the time advertised in the Free Pets section of the Penny Saver. The easiest way to catch them is with a 22 to the head of course. With tame birds like ours where you can walk up to their side and holding a wing (they have very small immature wings on each side) in each hand lead them anywhere you want. Once again watch out for those feet! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), October 08, 2000.


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