Welfare requirements for farmed geese and the significant challenges in meeting the complex needs of these intelligent birds.
Farmed goose welfare encompasses some of the most ethically contested practices in agricultural animal production. Foie gras gavage — forced feeding through a tube to enlarge the liver — causes measurable stress and is banned in multiple jurisdictions as inherently cruel. Live feather plucking for down production, still practiced in some operations, causes acute pain from tearing feathers with intact follicles. Beyond these contested practices, mainstream goose production faces welfare challenges around water access (geese are waterfowl that suffer without it), social housing stability, and the cognitive and emotional complexity of birds capable of long-term pair bonding and individual recognition. Consumer pressure and certification requirements have driven some welfare improvements, but the basic needs of geese are frequently unmet in commercial production.