Emus are farmed for their oil, meat and leather in Australia and increasingly globally. Meeting their welfare needs requires understanding their natural ecology.
Farmed emus face welfare challenges arising from the mismatch between their highly mobile natural lifestyle and the constraints of commercial production. Space restrictions prevent normal ranging and exploratory behaviour. Stocking density management is critical as high densities increase aggression and injury risk. Pain and stress during handling and transport are significant concerns given the species tendency toward panic responses. Forward-thinking emu producers are adopting enrichment strategies, lower density stocking and improved handling facilities to reduce fear and injury during routine management.