Emus are farmed for oil, meat, and leather in Australia and North America, with welfare challenges specific to this large ratite species.
Farmed emu welfare is poorly regulated and studied compared to poultry or mammalian livestock. Emus have complex behavioral repertoires including exploration, running, and social interaction that are largely frustrated in commercial farming environments. The decline of the emu farming industry has created welfare crises at operations that closed without rehoming birds, leaving animals in deteriorating conditions. Active emu farms should provide sufficient space for running, environmental complexity, and social housing in compatible groups. The industry receives little welfare scrutiny due to its niche scale, making targeted advocacy particularly valuable at the regulatory level.