Measuring positive welfare - not just the absence of suffering - is transforming how farms assess and improve animal wellbeing. Positive indicators reveal what animals are thriving, not just surviving.
Positive welfare science represents a major evolution in how we understand farm animal wellbeing. An animal that is merely free from disease or injury is not necessarily experiencing a good life. Positive welfare indicators - such as play, curiosity, relaxed postures, and affiliative social behaviour - signal genuine thriving. Farms that score well on positive indicators tend to have lower disease rates and better productivity. Integrating positive welfare metrics into national farm assurance schemes would create meaningful incentives for farmers to go beyond minimum standards and genuinely improve animal lives.