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Spanish/Eng/Nat As fears over Mad Cow Disease increase around the world so do the prices of alternative meats such as lamb, pork and ostrich. A Spaniard who started an ostrich farm four years ago has seen his business booming. Spaniards are said to be passionate meat-eaters but - as in the rest of Europe, with recent scares of Mad Cow Disease - beef sales have plummeted. In food markets like Chamartin, in central Madrid, buyers can try out a new offer for their tables: ostrich meat. And you don't have to go to Africa to find them. This is an ostrich farm in Algete, near Madrid. Four years ago, Luis Molinero invested all his savings in the long-necked bird business. He brought the first couple from Namibia and now has 200 birds, no doubt they like the Spanish climate. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) In Europe maybe we are the first producers. There might be still a couple of countries that have more ostriches, but thanks to the privileged weather we have in Spain we are becoming the world leaders in this business. SUPER CAPTION: Luis Molinero, Ostrich farmer Luis's friends thought he was crazy when he sold his small mirror and glass factory to start the business. He had to fight Spain's legendary bureaucracy to import them, but by the look of his birds, it was worth it. With the price of a four-year old adult ostrich being around 5-thousand U-S dollars, Molinero finds it more profitable to sell his birds to other ostrich farmers abroad. The only ostrich meat available in Spain is imported either from South Africa or from Israel. And at 3-thousand pesetas/kilo (24 U-S dollars) ostrich is not likely to make the Sunday lunch substitute at everybody's table. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) The only problem is that since there are so few they are a bit expensive but prices will go down as we breed more. There will be more meat for everybody, and it will become the meat of the future, no doubt about it. SUPER CAPTION: Luis Molinero, Ostrich farmer Felix Casado is the only butcher in Madrid to sell the exotic meat. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) The price is still a bit high, as it is imported meat, the sirloin is 3-thousand 900 pesetas (31 U-S dollars) a kilo and the steak 3-thousand pesetas (24 U-S dollars). It is a bit expensive but it's going down. SUPER CAPTION: Felix Casado, butcher But creative restaurant owner Abraham Garcia always thinks of new recipes to add to his menu. Even before beef became unpopular, he had introduced an ostrich brochette in his pricey menu. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) As it is a versatile meat, it can be cooked with herbs or any kind of flavour. What you see here - with this pinkish red colour and looking wonderful, has been stuffed with bits of goose-liver, then you simply dip it in flour and fry it -of course with the best oil in the world, Spanish olive oil. SUPER CAPTION: Abraham Garcia, Chef and owner of "Viridiana" Restaurant Edwin Tasche, an international business consultant from Switzerland, comes regularly to Garcia's restaurant to taste the delicacy. SOUNDBITE: (English) I like it very much; it's like other meats, it's just very fantastic... and no cholesterol, that's important. SUPER CAPTION: Edwin Tasche Swiss international consultant It may take time before this rare bird becomes part of our normal diet, but in Molinero's farm they are getting ready for the future. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/be5771b7826d8c64caa35193e5945516 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork