Foie gras production through force-feeding (gavage) remains one of the most contested animal welfare issues in agriculture, banned in many countries but still legal in major producing nations.
The welfare case against foie gras production through gavage is among the strongest in food animal welfare. Force-feeding overrides the natural satiety mechanism, inducing pathological liver enlargement that impairs the organ's function. Birds in the gavage phase show clear behavioural signs of distress including avoidance of feeding areas, vocalisation, and agitation. The enlarged liver physically compresses abdominal organs, causing discomfort. Some producers argue that waterfowl naturally gorge before migration, making gavage less harmful, but the degree of liver enlargement in foie gras production far exceeds natural hyperphagia and causes genuine pathological changes. Alternatives include "ethical" foie gras from naturally gorging unconstrained birds, though this remains niche and contested.