Farmed Animal Welfare: Ducks and Geese

Foie gras, which translates to ‘fatty liver,’ comes from domesticated geese or ducks (ducks are more commonly used) who have been force-fed in order to make their liver grow seven to ten times the normal size. The birds are typically forced to consume corn mash through a long tube that goes down their throat, feedings happening two or three times a day for up to fifteen days. A pound of mash may be forced down the bird’s esophagus by hand or with a pneumatic pump and in as little as two seconds. Though numbers vary by species, farm, and other factors, most ducks naturally eat from a quarter to a half pound of food per day, yet in foie gras force-feeding they can consume as much as four pounds a day. (Learn more about waterfowl.)

The act of the force-feeding itself inflicts suffering in the moment, but the practice produces chronic health problems and pain as well. Force-fed birds also frequently exhibit a slew of health problems not commonly seen in healthy birds, including: thermoregulatory disorders, fractures of the sternum, esophageal lacerations, aspiration pneumonia, diarrhea, and bowel obstructions. The enlargement of the liver also impairs breathing as the liver squeezes upward, causing constant panting in many ducks raised for foie gras. The enlarged liver also causes extreme weight gain, making it difficult for the ducks to walk. The mortality rate on duck foie gras farms has been found as much as 20 times higher than on conventional duck farms.

The animals also often suffer psychologically. The majority of birds raised for foie gras are confined to small, individual cages and the rest are confined in groups in small pens, the conditions often unsanitary. Both ducks and geese are social animals; individual and small group confinement does not allow for any of the natural, healthy stimulation they receive from social interaction. The birds are also deprived of opportunities to fly or to swim.

Not only have animal health and welfare organizations spoken out against foie gras, but other professional groups have as well. Many in the veterinary medicine community have also taken public stances in opposition. For example, The Canadian Veterinary Journal has stated, “The practice of force-feeding, the resultant adverse effects on liver function and bird health along with restrictive housing are unacceptable to the veterinary profession.” The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has taken a stance as well, saying “The production of fatty liver for foie gras…raises serious animal welfare issues and it is not a practice that is condoned by FAO.

Sixteen countries prohibit the force feeding of ducks. Polls in various U.S. cities and states consistently show 75%–80% public support for a foie gras ban.

In the U.S., California passed a ban on both the production and sale of foie gras in 2004 (going into effect in 2012). The measure has withstood numerous legal challenges, even rising to the level of the Supreme Court, which has ruled in favor more than once of its constitutionality. Chicago banned the production and sale of foie gras in 2006, though it was repealed two years later. New York City banned the sale of foie gras in 2019, though the New York Supreme Court repealed the ban in 2024 due to conflicts with preexisting state law. In 2023, Pittsburgh passed a ban on both the production and sale of foie gras in a 7-2 City Council vote.

Did you know?

• Ducks are gregarious, social animals who like to spend time in large groups with other ducks.
• Geese mate for life and are very protective of their partners and offspring.
• Geese can travel thousands of miles during their yearly migrations. They fly in a characteristic V-shape to reduce wind resistance and conserve energy, with individuals periodically rotating from front to back.