Geese raised for conventional meat production have better welfare than those used in foie gras, but still face challenges from intensive systems. Natural goose behaviors inform better husbandry.
Goose welfare in farming systems spans a wide range from extensive pasture-based systems that accommodate natural behavior to intensive confinement and foie gras force-feeding at the worst extreme. Pasture-based goose farming allows grazing, social interaction, pair bonding, and access to water — all natural behaviors essential for goose welfare. Intensive systems that confine geese in barns without pasture or water access for preening cause welfare deficits. The welfare argument against foie gras production is clear: deliberate induction of liver disease through force-feeding is animal cruelty regardless of the culinary tradition it serves.