ОЦЕНКА БЛАГОПОЛУЧИЯ ЖИВОТНЫХ В УСЛОВИЯХ СВИНОВОДЧЕСКОЙ ФЕРМЫ

Abstract

Recently, many works devoted to the study of animal welfare have appeared in Russia. This topic has long been of great scientific interest in foreign countries. Problems related to the welfare of animals lead to a decrease of their productive longevity, an increase of morbidity, impaired reproductive abilities and quality deterioration of the obtained products. Particular attention should be paid to the study of animal welfare on agricultural farms and complexes where the most severe exploitation of animals takes place. Based on this, studies were carried out on the level of animal welfare on a farm of Penza region, engaged in pork production and processing. The object of the study was a crossbred rearing stock. Well-being was assessed based on the EC Welfare Quality assessment protocol for pigs algorithm. This algorithm was developed at Waginengen University and Research Center in the Netherlands. The essence of the methodology is to assign points to the criteria and principles of animal welfare. In the course of the research, an integral assessment of the level of animal welfare on the farm was carried out, a complex score was calculated and a “welfare category” was assigned. It was established that the animals on the farm are provided with a sufficient amount of balanced food and water, are kept in rooms with an appropriate microclimate, there is a place in the crates for rest and movement, there is also demonstration of species-typical behavior and social communication. The results obtained with the help of the EU Welfare Quality algorithm also identified vulnerable aspects in animal housing that affect the welfare.