Ratite farming for meat, leather, and oil involves large, active birds with complex behavioral needs that are poorly matched to intensive farm environments.
Ostriches and emus subjected to stressful handling or crowding can die from stress-induced cardiomyopathy — essentially dying of fright. Their sensitivity to stress makes farm environments particularly challenging. The fast-running, wide-ranging nature of these birds makes confinement in standard farm settings severely restrictive of natural behavior. Poor handling technique during routine procedures causes acute fear responses that injure birds and handlers alike. Welfare standards for ratite farming are poorly developed relative to other poultry species.