Geese are farmed for meat, down, and in some countries, foie gras. Understanding the welfare conditions across production systems, and particularly the welfare costs of foie gras production, informs ethical consumer choices.
Goose welfare spans a range from acceptable pasture-based meat production to the severe welfare compromise of foie gras production. Gavage involves restraining birds multiple times daily and forcing a tube down the throat to deliver far more food than would ever be voluntarily consumed. The resulting hepatic lipidosis — a pathological condition — causes metabolic dysfunction, physical discomfort from enlarged liver pressing on surrounding organs, difficulty breathing, and locomotion problems. The animal experiences this repeatedly for weeks. The scientific consensus is that foie gras production causes significant unnecessary suffering; its continued legal status in some countries reflects cultural tradition and economic interests rather than welfare science.