Positive welfare assessment for pigs goes beyond measuring the absence of suffering to identifying positive affective states through behavioral indicators like play, exploration, and social bonding.
The welfare science of positive states recognizes that good welfare is not merely the absence of suffering but the presence of positive experiences including pleasure, engagement, and positive social bonds. Pigs are capable of play, curiosity, and positive social relationships - experiences that constitute genuine positive welfare. Intensive production systems that prevent all suffering without enabling any positive experiences still fall short of good welfare. Positive welfare indicators including play behavior, exploratory behavior, and positive human-animal relationships are achievable in commercial pig production with appropriate enrichment and management, and their presence marks the difference between adequate and genuinely good welfare.