Play is a reliable indicator of positive welfare in pigs. Measuring and promoting play behaviour provides a practical tool for assessing and improving farm animal welfare beyond the absence of disease.
Play behaviour in pigs is more than an interesting observation — it is a scientifically validated welfare indicator with practical applications in farm assessment. A farm where pigs regularly play is almost certainly a farm where basic welfare needs are met. A farm where play is absent signals underlying welfare problems worth investigating. Incorporating play observation into routine farm welfare assessments provides a positive, animal-based measure that complements disease and injury scoring. Encouraging play through enrichment provision, appropriate stocking densities, and stable social groups creates environments where pigs can express their full behavioural repertoire — the hallmark of genuinely good welfare.