Understanding pig positive welfare states — not just absence of suffering — reveals what good pig lives actually look like and helps set meaningful welfare targets beyond minimum standards.
Welfare science is increasingly moving beyond "freedom from suffering" toward positive welfare — measuring the presence of positive experiences rather than only the absence of negative ones. For pigs, this means asking not just "are they in pain?" but "are they playing, exploring, bonding, and experiencing positive emotional states?" The answer requires environments that enable these behaviors: stable social groups, rooting materials, space to run and play, and management that supports social harmony. Consumer demand for pork from systems that evidence positive welfare — not just avoid the worst negative welfare — is an important direction for welfare-motivated purchasing.