Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Positive Emotions Assessment in Farm Welfare

Assessing positive emotional states in pigs goes beyond absence of suffering to measure the presence of positive welfare experiences.

Key Facts

Play behaviour in pigs indicates positive emotional states and occurs when basic needs are met
Anticipation of rewarding resources causes positive judgement bias in pigs
Ear posture and tail posture are behavioural indicators of positive states
Pigs in enriched environments show more play, exploration, and positive interactions
The Welfare Quality protocol includes positive welfare indicators alongside negative ones

Welfare Considerations

Animal welfare science is increasingly recognising that good welfare requires not just absence of suffering but the presence of positive experiences. Pigs in good welfare conditions play, explore, and show positive social interactions. Measuring and promoting positive welfare rather than just preventing negative states represents the highest aspiration for farm animal welfare.

What You Can Do

Support welfare assessment tools that measure positive as well as negative states
Advocate for enrichment that promotes play and positive behaviour in pigs
Learn about positive welfare indicators in farm animals