Pigs are among the most cognitively complex farmed animals. Understanding pig intelligence has direct implications for how we assess and improve their welfare.
The cognitive sophistication of pigs makes the conditions of industrial pork production particularly troubling from a welfare perspective. Gestation crates that prevent movement for months at a time deny intelligent, social animals any opportunity for exploration, social interaction, or environmental engagement. Research showing that pigs experience positive and negative emotional states — and that these states persist and affect future behavior — establishes that pig suffering in intensive systems is real and morally significant. Consumer awareness of pig cognition has driven significant corporate and regulatory commitments to phase out gestation crates.