Ostriches are farmed for leather, feathers, and meat, often in conditions that fail to meet their complex behavioral needs as highly social, active birds.
Farmed ostriches experience significant welfare deficits when denied space for running, dust bathing, and natural foraging. Boredom and frustration manifest as stereotypic pacing, feather pecking, and redirected aggression. High stocking densities increase stress and injury risk. Evidence-based enrichment including loose substrate for dust bathing, objects to investigate, and stable social groupings reduces abnormal behaviors and improves productivity metrics simultaneously.