Moving beyond absence of suffering to actively measuring positive welfare states in farm animals requires new tools and metrics that assess pleasure, engagement and positive affect.
A farm that prevents obvious suffering but provides no positive experiences fails to meet modern welfare standards. Animals that play, explore, have positive social interactions and show curiosity and engagement are expressing positive welfare states. Measuring these states provides a richer welfare assessment than disease and injury rates alone. The shift to positive welfare assessment drives farmers to enhance lives rather than merely avoid failures.