Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Positive Affect Indicators in Research

Identifying reliable indicators of positive emotions in pigs has become a priority in welfare science. Cognitive bias tests, play behaviour, and ear posture assessments can reveal when pigs are experiencing good welfare.

Key Facts

Cognitive bias tests assess whether animals hold optimistic or pessimistic expectations
Pigs in enriched environments show more optimistic judgement bias
Play behaviour - including frolicking and chasing - indicates positive emotional states
Relaxed ear posture correlates with low arousal and positive states in pigs
Bristling, tail-tucking, and ear-pinning indicate fear or pain

Welfare Considerations

Moving beyond the absence of suffering toward actively measuring positive welfare experiences represents an important advance in pig welfare science. Identifying reliable indicators of positive affect allows farmers to objectively monitor and improve the emotional lives of their pigs.

What You Can Do

Support farm animal welfare research focused on positive welfare indicators
Advocate for welfare standards that require positive experiences, not just absence of harm
Choose pork certified under welfare schemes that include positive welfare assessment