The shift from resource-based to outcome-based welfare assessment for pigs represents a major advance. Measuring what animals experience — not just what resources they have — gives a more accurate welfare picture.
Outcome-based welfare assessment reveals the actual experience of animals rather than the resources theoretically available to them. A farm can have straw provision but poor welfare if management fails; conversely, some indoor farms achieve good welfare outcomes through excellent stockmanship. The standardisation of assessment tools allows meaningful cross-farm and cross-country comparison, driving standards upward through transparency and benchmarking.