Farm Animals

Pig Welfare and Welfare and Positive HAR Science 2026

Positive human-animal relationships (HAR) in pig farming are supported by growing evidence that stockperson attitudes and behaviour shape pig welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Pigs with positive HAR show 20% lower fear scores and 15% higher growth rates than fearful pigs
Stockperson empathy training programs improve HAR scores and pig welfare indicators significantly
HAR measurement tools enable benchmarking of human-animal relationship quality on farms
Stockperson job satisfaction correlates with pig welfare outcomes, creating virtuous cycles
Training programs combining HAR science with practical skills are most effective at changing practice

Welfare Considerations

Positive human-animal relationships in pig farming are both welfare outcomes and welfare drivers. Investing in stockpersonship creates lasting welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Advocate for HAR training requirements in pig stockperson certification
Support research on positive human-animal relationships in pig farming
Choose pork from farms with documented stockpersonship training programs