How do pigs express their emotions? While research has identified ear and tail postures as indicators of mood, facial expressions remain largely unexplored—especially in positive contexts. To address this gap, Veronika Sekyrová from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague undertook a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) at Teagasc’s Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre in Ireland. Her research aimed to identify behavioural and facial indicators of positive emotions in pigs and to examine how these expressions varied across different housing systems.
During her stay, Veronika worked with pigs in both indoor research facilities and an outdoor farm. The research involved crossbred pigs (Large White × Landrace) housed at Teagasc, as well as Oxford Sandy and Black pigs on a free-range farm. In addition to conducting behavioural observations, she assisted with laboratory analyses, including parasitic examinations of outdoor pig excrement at University College Cork. Her study focused on assessing pigs’ responses to unfamiliar humans in different environments, testing whether willingness to be approached and petted could serve as an indicator of positive emotional states.
One of the most intriguing findings was that pigs in conventional indoor systems displayed a greater willingness to engage with an unfamiliar person compared to those in high-welfare environments. This counterintuitive result may be explained by the greater variety of stimuli available in high-welfare systems, where pigs have more space, enrichment, and environmental complexity, potentially reducing their need for human interaction. In contrast, pigs in more restricted conventional systems may find human presence novel and stimulating, leading to increased engagement. These findings provide valuable insights into how housing conditions influence animal behaviour and could contribute to refining welfare assessments in commercial and research settings.
Beyond the scientific discoveries, Veronika’s time in Ireland was a deeply enriching experience. She was warmly welcomed by her host, Dr. Keelin O’Driscoll, and her colleagues at Teagasc, particularly Dr. Ophélie Menant, whose support was invaluable. Working in Ireland, a country she was visiting for the first time, was both a professional and personal milestone, boosting her confidence and reinforcing her passion for animal welfare science. She hopes to build on these experiences and continue exploring the complex ways in which animals communicate their emotions.
