Ostriches are farmed globally for meat, leather, and feathers, but their complex behavioural needs and sensitivity to stress create significant welfare challenges in commercial systems.
Ostrich farming operates largely outside mainstream farmed animal welfare frameworks despite involving millions of birds globally. The species has complex social needs and a strong flight response that makes intensive confinement inherently welfare-compromising. Feather harvesting from live birds requires physical restraint and removal of large feathers with attached follicles. Welfare standards for ostriches lag behind those for more commonly farmed species, and advocacy for improved standards is needed urgently.