Research into positive emotions in pigs is driving a new approach to welfare that aims not just to prevent suffering but to actively generate pleasurable experiences.
The positive welfare approach asks not just whether pigs suffer but whether they experience pleasure, play, curiosity, and satisfaction. Research shows these positive states are accessible to pigs in commercial settings through relatively simple interventions: substrate for rooting, friendly human contact, and opportunities for play. Farms that generate positive welfare states have animals that approach rather than flee humans, show better health outcomes, and produce higher quality products. Positive welfare is both an ethical goal and a practical farming tool.