Emu/Rhea question

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I am interested in obtaining some Emu oil for soap and lotion making. I have a neighbor who has Rheas and will sell them to me. Can anyone tell me if the oil/fat is similar in property to Emu, and how to butcher with fat-taking in mind. Also, how would I render it out gently? I'm really not interested in the meat at all, just the oil and fat. I've heard the oil drips out of the Emu when butchering. Would it be the same for a Rhea, and how do I collect this? Sorry if these questions sound ignorant, but I AM ignorant about these animals! Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), February 15, 2002

Answers

Dear Mary. We raise rhea's and have for many years. The rhea oil does have the same properties as the emu. The oil does not drip out and must be rendered out of the fat. It is best to use a slow cooker or oven on low. Just be sure to keep an eye on it. Shame on you for not using the meat. It is very low in colestrol and fat. If you partially freeze it and slice, it makes wonderful jerky. I also cook the meat in the crock pot for wonderful roasts.

-- Barbara Saulters (bbuzzrhea@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

Here's some info from a friend of mine who raises emu:

"One of the problems with emu oil is that the emu usually has to die to extract it. Emu oil is rendered and purified from the body fat of the emu.

When the abo's in Australia would kill a fresh emu, they would wrap the warm, oily hide around the shoulders of their elderly suffering from arthritis to soothe them.

Most of the fat on emu is stored under the skin just like ducks and chickens.

There is one guy experimenting with dissolution and liposuction to extract the oil from living emus. He says that they don't appear to be in any pain when he does this. He extracts the oil from the large fat deposit that forms over the base of their back. I've seen fat layers 4 inches thick over the base of the tail when I process and skin emus."

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.


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