Quail are farmed globally for eggs and meat in high-density systems with minimal welfare standards and very limited research attention.
Quail welfare is among the most neglected areas in farm animal welfare policy and research. Despite the species being farmed at significant scale globally, welfare regulations specifically addressing quail are largely absent. Battery cage production systems deny quail fundamental natural behaviours including dust bathing, nesting, and ground foraging. The short production cycle does not diminish the welfare significance of poor conditions; millions of quail experience significant welfare deficits throughout their entire lives in inadequate systems. Developing species-specific welfare standards for quail is an important advocacy priority, particularly as their farming continues to expand in Asia and Latin America.