Ostriches are farmed commercially for leather, feathers, and meat. These highly social, intelligent birds have complex needs that are often unmet in intensive farming systems.
Ostriches in commercial farming face welfare problems rooted in confinement, social disruption, and painful husbandry practices. In the wild, ostriches range over vast territories in stable social groups. On farms, restricted space causes frustration behaviours including stereotypies, feather pecking, and aggression. Feather plucking — pulling feathers from conscious birds — causes acute pain and distress and is analogous to practices banned for other farmed animals in many jurisdictions. Slaughter welfare is also a concern: ostriches are difficult to stun effectively and require trained personnel. The luxury goods market driving ostrich leather demand remains largely unaware of these welfare issues.