Play behavior in pigs is a validated indicator of positive welfare states, and management practices that support play demonstrate welfare quality beyond absence of suffering.
Play behavior in pigs provides tangible evidence that welfare goes beyond absence of suffering - it is a genuine expression of positive affective states. Pigs that run, spin, and engage in play fights are experiencing something that can reasonably be characterized as joy or exuberance. Management practices that support play - enrichment provision, appropriate social groups, positive stockperson relationships, and sufficient space - are demonstrably providing better welfare than those focused solely on preventing negative states. Monitoring and valuing play frequency as a welfare indicator represents the shift toward positive welfare science in practice.