Emus are farmed in Australia and North America for meat, oil, and leather, with welfare challenges arising from their size, aggression, and natural roaming instincts.
Farmed emu welfare requires large paddock areas that allow extended movement, as confinement in small enclosures leads to stereotypic pacing and increased aggression. Visual barriers between paddocks reduce stress from conspecific visual contact in adjacent enclosures. Slaughter at abattoirs involves challenging handling of large, powerful birds — low-stress handling training for stockpeople is critical for both animal welfare and human safety.