Emus are farmed primarily for oil, leather, and meat in Australia, North America, and parts of Europe, but their welfare needs as large, intelligent ratites are poorly understood.
Emu farming occupies a niche position in alternative livestock production, and welfare standards have not kept pace with industry growth. Emus are large-bodied, highly mobile birds whose movement needs are essentially impossible to meet in commercial settings. Restricted movement causes leg problems and stereotypic pacing in confined animals. Their curiosity makes environmental enrichment particularly valuable — novel objects, substrate variation, and visual complexity reduce repetitive behaviors. Social housing is important as emus do form stable pairs and groups in the wild. Slaughter practices for emus vary widely and are largely unregulated in many producing countries. The industry lacks the veterinary research base that exists for chickens and turkeys, leaving many welfare questions unresolved.