Identifying and measuring positive welfare in pigs - not just the absence of suffering - is an emerging priority in welfare science, enabling more comprehensive assessment of welfare in commercial systems.
The science of positive pig welfare represents a significant advance beyond the traditional focus on reducing negative experiences. Measuring play, exploratory behaviour, and social affiliation provides insight into whether pigs are genuinely thriving rather than merely not suffering. This distinction matters practically - environments that reduce obvious suffering without enabling positive experiences may score well on negative indicator measures while still failing to support good welfare. Commercial pig welfare assessment systems are beginning to incorporate positive welfare measures, creating incentives for enriched environments that enable play and exploration.