Play behaviour in pigs is an indicator of positive welfare states. Providing conditions that elicit play actively promotes wellbeing beyond mere absence of suffering.
Positive welfare science has shifted animal welfare assessment beyond minimising suffering to actively promoting positive experiences. Play behaviour in pigs is a validated positive welfare indicator that reliably distinguishes good from poor welfare states. Pigs that play frequently have lower stress hormones, better immune function, and higher growth rates than those that do not. Creating conditions that elicit play through enrichment provision, appropriate stocking density, and absence of chronic stressors actively promotes the positive welfare states that represent genuine flourishing beyond mere absence of suffering.