Farmed ostriches face significant welfare challenges including barren housing, stress during handling, live feather plucking, and slaughter methods that may not meet their welfare needs.
Farmed ostriches frequently experience conditions that compromise their welfare severely. Their need for space and running is incompatible with intensive housing systems. Live feather plucking, still practised in some markets, causes acute pain and distress. Slaughter welfare is a particular concern: ostriches are large, powerful, and highly reactive, making humane stunning challenging without adequate training and equipment. Handling stress alone can cause capture myopathy — a potentially fatal muscle condition from extreme exertion during restraint. The exotic and non-traditional status of ostrich farming means welfare legislation often lags behind that for conventional livestock. Consumer pressure and certification schemes are the primary drivers of welfare improvement.