Understanding positive emotional states in cattle is an emerging area of welfare science. Assessing and promoting positive experiences is as important as reducing negative ones for good cattle welfare.
Welfare science has historically focused on reducing negative states like pain and fear, but good welfare requires positive experiences too. Cattle can experience pleasure, excitement, contentment, and positive social engagement. Farm systems that enable access to pasture, social stability, positive human interaction, and physical comfort create conditions for positive emotional experiences, which are now measurable through validated behavioural and physiological indicators.