Ratite farming — emus and ostriches raised for meat, leather, and oil — presents distinctive welfare challenges due to these birds unique behavioral needs and sensitivity to stress.
Ratites are difficult to farm humanely because their behavioral and physiological responses to stress are extreme. Ostriches in particular have powerful kicks that can kill handlers, and their fright response means that poorly designed handling systems cause significant acute stress. Welfare problems in ratite farming include inappropriate group sizes, inadequate space for running and normal social behavior, rough handling during catching, and stressful transport. Welfare-centered ratite farming requires large paddocks, low-stress handling techniques including use of visual barriers to guide birds, avoidance of novel stressors, and careful transport protocols using species-appropriate vehicles.