Geese are social, intelligent waterfowl whose welfare in commercial farming depends on access to water, space, and social contact.
Goose welfare reflects the same fundamental tension as duck welfare — waterfowl kept without water access suffer impaired hygiene, frustrated behavioural motivation, and reduced quality of life. Geese also have strong social bonds and experience distress during flock disruption. Foie gras production represents the worst extreme, causing liver enlargement to 10 times normal size through force-feeding, creating significant pain, dyspnoea, and metabolic disturbance. Free-range production with pond access and continuous grassland provides conditions that better accommodate goose welfare needs. Consumer choices and regulatory bans on foie gras are the primary tools for driving improvement.