Positive welfare in pigs goes beyond absence of suffering to include play, exploration, and affective states indicating good lives. Research is identifying reliable positive welfare indicators.
Positive welfare science for pigs focuses on identifying reliable indicators of good affective states — not merely the absence of suffering. Piglet play behaviour is particularly well-validated: play frequency correlates with positive housing conditions and is suppressed by crowding, illness, and barren environments. Ear posture provides a rapid, non-invasive indicator of pig emotional state. Cognitive bias tests reveal optimism or pessimism driven by housing quality. These indicators enable researchers and producers to assess and compare positive welfare across different systems, providing a richer picture than mortality rates or injury prevalence alone. Incorporating positive indicators into welfare certification schemes moves standards from harm prevention toward active welfare promotion.