Play in farm animals is a reliable indicator of positive welfare — its presence signals that animals feel safe, healthy and have needs sufficiently met.
Play is not a trivial indulgence — it is an evolutionarily conserved behaviour linked to brain development, social bonding and positive emotional states. When farm animals play, it signals that their physiological and psychological needs are being met. Conversely, the absence of play — easy to observe and requiring no specialist equipment — is a warning sign of welfare problems. Farmers and welfare auditors are increasingly learning to use play observation as a practical, low-cost welfare indicator. Designing housing and management systems that enable play is an effective strategy for improving farm animal welfare outcomes.