Moving beyond absence of suffering to actively measuring positive welfare states in pigs.
The shift toward positive welfare assessment in pigs represents a conceptual advance from the traditional focus on disease and injury prevention toward measuring the quality of animals' lives rather than merely the absence of their suffering. Pigs are highly intelligent social animals capable of a rich emotional life including play, social bonding, and exploratory behavior - positive states that a welfare system worthy of its name should enable. Assessment tools for positive pig welfare are increasingly validated and practical, allowing farmers and auditors to move beyond health checks toward comprehensive welfare evaluation that captures the full spectrum of pig experience.