Scientific evidence for positive emotional states in pigs and how production systems can actively promote positive welfare beyond absence of suffering.
Positive pig welfare goes beyond preventing suffering to actively promoting positive emotional states including curiosity, playfulness, and social bonding. Research using cognitive bias tests has demonstrated that pigs in enriched environments interpret ambiguous stimuli more optimistically than those in barren conditions — a validated indicator of positive affective state. Production systems that provide enrichment, stable social groups, and opportunities for natural behavior expression create conditions where positive welfare indicators are expressed alongside reduced negative indicators.