Ostrich and Emu Farming: Ratite Welfare in Intensive Systems

Ostriches and emus are farmed for meat, eggs, leather, and feathers. Their unique biology and behavioral needs present specific welfare challenges in intensive production systems.

Key Facts

South Africa is the largest ostrich producer globally, with significant farming for leather, feathers, and meat.
Ostriches have the largest eyes of any land animal and excellent vision — they are highly reactive to visual disturbances.
Ostrich feather plucking for fashion and craft causes significant acute pain and is increasingly criticized.
Emus require large spaces and complex environments — intensive confinement causes pacing and stereotypic behavior.
Ostrich slaughter requires specialized facilities due to their size and reactivity — welfare standards are poorly developed.

Welfare Considerations

Ostrich and emu welfare receives minimal regulatory attention despite significant numbers farmed globally. These large, reactive birds with wide visual fields experience severe stress in intensive confinement that disrupts their evolved predator avoidance behaviors. Feather plucking causes acute pain comparable to other painful plucking procedures in avian species. Slaughter welfare standards are poorly developed, and the reactivity of ostriches makes improper stunning and killing particularly likely. Consumer awareness of ostrich and emu welfare challenges is low, limiting the market pressure that has driven improvement in mainstream poultry welfare.

What You Can Do

Avoid purchasing ostrich leather products from sources that cannot verify humane farming standards.
Avoid feather products from live-plucked sources.
Follow PETA and World Animal Protection campaigns on ratite welfare.
Support welfare research on ostrich and emu behavioral needs in captive settings.
Advocate for welfare standards for ratites to be included in national livestock welfare legislation.