Goose farming encompasses both foie gras production through force-feeding and more conventional meat production. Welfare standards vary enormously between these systems.
Force-feeding geese causes acute distress during each feeding event and results in pathological liver enlargement that impairs normal function. The procedure requires restraint and insertion of a tube into the esophagus multiple times daily, causing physiological and behavioral stress measurable by corticosterone and behavioral indicators. Natural feeding-based fatty liver alternatives demonstrate that the culinary goal can be achieved without the welfare harm. Conventional goose production carries welfare risks from confinement, but geese in free-range systems with access to water for bathing and grazing show substantially better welfare outcomes.