Ostrich farming for meat, leather, and feathers occurs across several continents, with welfare concerns spanning housing design, transport challenges, and slaughter methods for this large ratite species.
Farmed ostrich welfare reflects the challenges of domesticating a large, flighty species whose wild behavioral repertoire is poorly accommodated by standard farming infrastructure. Ostriches require large movement areas, social stability, and minimal human disturbance to express natural behaviors and avoid chronic stress. The leather industry drives significant production, raising questions about whether luxury material demand is proportionate to the welfare costs involved. Transport is particularly problematic — ostriches cannot be moved in standard livestock vehicles and are susceptible to stress-induced myopathy during transit. Welfare improvements require species-appropriate housing design, careful group management to minimize aggression, and investment in training stockpeople to recognize and respond to ostrich behavioral signals.