Research on positive emotional states in pigs provides compelling evidence that farm animal welfare must include promotion of genuine positive experiences, not just absence of suffering.
The science of positive emotions in pigs has progressed from theoretical framework to practical welfare measurement in less than two decades. Researchers can now quantify positive affective states through multiple convergent methods: cognitive bias testing, behavioral observation, and physiological markers. Critically, these measures demonstrate that meeting minimum legal welfare standards — which focus primarily on eliminating severe suffering — is insufficient for pigs to experience good welfare. Environments providing enrichment, social bonding opportunities, and positive human interactions generate measurably better affective states. The practical implication is clear: welfare labeling and certification should require demonstration of positive experience, not merely absence of prohibited practices.