Moving beyond the absence of suffering, positive welfare science aims to measure and promote genuine positive states in pigs through play, exploration, and social bonding — transforming how farm welfare is assessed.
Traditional farm welfare assessment focused on preventing negative states — disease, injury, fear, and hunger. Positive welfare science recognises that preventing suffering is necessary but insufficient for good welfare: animals should also experience pleasure, comfort, playfulness, and positive social interactions. Pigs are particularly expressive subjects for positive welfare research because they show clear behavioural indicators of positive affect including play behaviours, relaxed postures, and positive social interactions. Farms actively managing for positive welfare — through environmental complexity, stable social groups, and positive human-animal relationships — achieve measurably better welfare outcomes than those minimising negatives alone. This shift is transforming welfare auditing and certification toward more meaningful animal experience assessment.