Pigs are among the most cognitively complex farmed animals, with research demonstrating problem-solving, self-recognition, and emotional contagion that have profound implications for their welfare needs.
The cognitive complexity of pigs demands environmental and social conditions that most commercial farming systems cannot provide. Pigs can solve multi-step problems, remember individual humans and pigs, show empathy, and demonstrate future planning. Barren intensive environments deny pigs the cognitive stimulation they need, contributing to behavioral abnormalities including tail biting and aggression. Cognitive bias tests show that pigs in poor welfare states interpret ambiguous stimuli negatively, indicating a generalized negative affect. Providing pigs with rooting substrates, social enrichment, and outdoor access addresses their cognitive and emotional needs. Higher-welfare systems that provide these opportunities produce healthier, less stressed animals with fewer behavioral problems.