Pigs evolved to hide pain, making welfare assessment challenging, but validated behavioral and postural indicators enable trained observers to identify suffering reliably.
The welfare gap between pig capability for suffering and human ability to recognize that suffering is significant. Pigs in chronic pain continue to eat, move, and behave in ways that appear normal to untrained observers. Validated assessment tools like the Pig Grimace Scale translate behavioral science into practical on-farm tools that enable detection of suffering that would otherwise be missed. Training programs that improve stockperson pain recognition lead directly to earlier treatment and better welfare outcomes. This is one of the clearest cases where scientific knowledge directly translates to welfare improvement.