Ostrich farming for meat, leather, and feathers raises specific welfare concerns relating to their social needs, space requirements, and stress sensitivity.
Ostrich farming presents welfare challenges that stem from the fundamental incompatibility between these birds' evolved behavioral needs - open plains, large social groups, and extensive running - and the constraints of commercial production. Ostriches are physiologically adapted to evade predators through speed and vigilance; captivity triggers chronic vigilance stress that cannot be fully mitigated. Their extreme sensitivity to handling stress means that poor management at any point - capture, transport, or slaughter - can cause acute welfare emergencies including capture myopathy death.