Ostriches are farmed globally for leather, feathers, and meat. Their welfare in commercial production is compromised by inappropriate housing, social stress, and inhumane plucking practices.
Farmed ostrich welfare is compromised by multiple factors across their production cycle. Housing in small pens prevents the running and foraging behaviors central to their behavioral repertoire. Social grouping in commercial systems rarely replicates the dynamic hierarchical structures of wild groups, causing chronic low-level aggression. Live feather plucking, practiced to produce softer feathers than post-mortem collection, causes acute pain and significant stress. Handler fear of ostrich kicks creates management situations where welfare monitoring is minimized for safety reasons. The luxury market for ostrich leather and feathers creates insufficient consumer demand for welfare certification to drive meaningful industry reform.