Foie gras production involves force-feeding ducks and geese to enlarge their livers to up to ten times normal size, causing severe physical and psychological suffering.
Foie gras production is one of the most intensively contested practices in animal agriculture due to the deliberate infliction of disease as a production method. Birds subjected to force-feeding show clear signs of distress, impaired mobility, and respiratory difficulty. The enlarged liver presses against the lungs and air sacs, making normal breathing labored. Birds cannot engage in natural foraging or social behaviors. Veterinary organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association have opposed the practice on welfare grounds.