Emu farming for oil, leather, and meat exists across Australia, North America, and parts of Europe, but the welfare of these large, highly active birds in commercial systems raises significant concerns.
Emu welfare in commercial systems is understudied compared to mainstream livestock species. The primary welfare challenges relate to confinement that restricts natural ranging behaviour, social stress from unnatural group compositions, and the disruption of natural breeding and parenting behaviours. In intensive systems, boredom-related behaviours including feather pecking and aggression can emerge. Slaughter welfare is particularly important to consider for ratites, where inappropriate stunning techniques can cause significant suffering. The niche status of emu farming means welfare standards and regulatory oversight are often absent or poorly enforced, leaving welfare highly dependent on individual farmer commitment.