Scientific evidence for positive emotional states in pigs and how production systems can be designed to promote positive welfare.
Positive pig welfare research is expanding beyond the absence of suffering to identify what conditions produce genuine positive emotional states. Research using validated measures including play frequency, ear posture, and cognitive bias tests demonstrates that pigs in enriched, socially stable environments hold more positive expectations about their world. This shift toward positive welfare — not just preventing harm but actively promoting good experiences — reflects a maturing science of animal wellbeing that considers the full emotional range rather than only suffering prevention.