Farmed Ostrich Welfare: Ratite Management in Commercial Settings

Ostrich farming for meat, feathers and leather raises specific welfare challenges due to the species' stress-sensitive nature, social requirements and handling difficulties.

Key Facts

Ostriches are farmed in South Africa, the USA, Europe and elsewhere for meat, feathers and leather
They are highly stress-sensitive birds — handling and novel stimuli cause acute fear responses
Ostriches require large spaces and can be aggressive, creating stockperson safety and animal welfare challenges
Feather harvesting from live ostriches is practised — the welfare implications depend on frequency and technique
Social housing in compatible groups is important — isolation or inappropriate groupings cause chronic stress
Pre-slaughter handling is particularly high-risk in ostriches — electrical stunning is effective when properly applied

Welfare Considerations

Ostrich welfare in commercial farming requires careful attention to their extreme stress sensitivity. Birds that panic during handling can injure themselves severely — ostrich kicks can be fatal, meaning handling must be both safe and low-stress. Live feather plucking causes acute pain and should be replaced by harvesting after natural moulting or post-slaughter collection. The development of species-specific welfare guidelines for ostriches and other ratites is needed, as current welfare frameworks were developed primarily for conventional poultry and do not adequately address ratite-specific needs.

What You Can Do

Choose ostrich products from producers with documented welfare standards covering handling and slaughter
Avoid products from operations using live ostrich feather plucking rather than moulted feather collection
Support development of species-specific welfare guidelines for ratite farming
Advocate for inclusion of ostriches in farm animal welfare legislation
Research welfare standards before purchasing ostrich leather, feather or meat products