Ratites including emus and ostriches are farmed for meat, leather, and oil, but their complex behavioral and social needs are rarely considered in commercial production systems.
Ratite farming exists largely outside mainstream farm animal welfare debates despite involving animals with complex needs and significant capacity for suffering. Ostriches form pair bonds, have sophisticated social hierarchies, and show marked stress responses to poor management. Feather plucking — pulling feathers from live birds for the luxury market — causes acute and chronic pain. Transport is particularly dangerous: ostriches easily die from capture myopathy (exertion stress). High-welfare ratite farming requires ample outdoor space, social housing, low-stress handling systems, and prohibition of live feather plucking.