Animal welfare assessment has historically focused on the absence of negative states, but positive welfare science increasingly recognises that genuine wellbeing requires the presence of positive experiences. Pig positive welfare indicators are an emerging and practically applicable field.
The shift from welfare as absence of suffering to welfare as presence of positive states represents a fundamental evolution in how we conceptualise what animals need. A pig that is not obviously suffering — not injured, not starving, not fighting — may still be experiencing a life of chronic boredom and frustration in a barren environment. Positive welfare science asks a different question: not just is this animal suffering, but is this animal experiencing joy, curiosity, play, and satisfaction? The answer requires different indicators — not just absence of wounds and illness, but presence of play behaviour, appropriate tail posture, active exploration, and positive social interaction. Farms that score highly on positive welfare indicators are genuinely different from those that merely avoid the worst practices, and consumers, policymakers, and certifiers who understand this distinction can use it to identify and reward genuinely high welfare systems.