Farm Animals

Pig Positive Emotions: Science and Application

Research into positive emotional states in pigs is advancing welfare science from avoiding suffering toward actively promoting thriving.

Key Facts

Pigs demonstrate optimistic cognitive bias when in positive welfare states
Play behaviour in pigs is a reliable indicator of positive affect
Anticipation of rewards activates dopaminergic pathways in pigs similar to other mammals
Positive welfare indicators include exploratory behaviour, social grooming, and contentment vocalisation

Welfare Considerations

Measuring and promoting positive emotions in pigs represents the frontier of farm animal welfare. Moving beyond the absence of suffering to the presence of positive states requires new metrics, farm designs, and industry commitments.

What You Can Do

Support farms and brands committed to positive welfare standards beyond basic compliance
Engage with welfare science organisations developing positive welfare indicators
Advocate for farm assurance schemes to include positive welfare metrics