Current issues of animal welfare and health in pig breeding (review)

Objective. To summarise current issues related to welfare and health in pig production. Methods. Domestic and foreign sources of literature on the subject of research and their desk analytical analysis. Results. Today, animal welfare is determined by a combination of three interrelated components: the physical, mental and natural state of certain animals, as well as, of course, humane human attitude to meeting their needs. Until recently, the problems of humane treatment ofproductive animals were exclusively related to economically developed countries where intensive livestock production technologies were used. Pig farms need to have highly productive animals, adequate and balancedfeed, and use resource-saving technologies to produce breeding and marketable products at the optimum cost. Improving the efficiency of pig production primarily has a negative impact on the welfare of pigs. At the same time, it should be understood that, in general, pigs are raised to produce meat and lard products, which is directly related to their slaughter and, accordingly, the taking of their lives. Therefore, the needs of pigs will not be fully met. However, the basic needs - the so-calledfive freedoms of animals - must be met. A detailed grouping of approaches to determining animal welfare is formed in three main aspects: physical condition, mental condition and naturalness. It should be borne in mind that the satisfaction of specific needs in the natural environment does not always ensure their full satisfaction in the two aspects ofphysical and mental health. In the case of pig breeding, it is necessary to take into account the consequences of long term targeted selection of the main breeds and significant modification of their representatives compared to wild forms. The provision of air, water and feed for pigs is critical and should be provided in full. However, this is not always taken into account on Ukrainian pig farms. In addition, the welfare of pigs is inextricably linked and directly depends on the health of the animals. Conclusions. The review of literature sources to summarise current issues related to welfare in pig production indicates that there are a number of issues to be addressed in Ukraine. First and foremost, we are talking about EU legislation that should be implemented in domestic production, which is especially relevant on Ukraine's path to full EU membership. With regard to the existing pig welfare issues, the list of methods and approaches for determining certain indicators is gradually expanding, but it should be borne in mind that welfare in pig production is not limited to pig housing. These are issues related to the transport and slaughter of pigs, aspects that synergise with the subsequent safety of pig products. Of particular importance are the issues in which pig welfare intersects with biosecurity and ensuring appropriate animal health. Key words: pigs, welfare, animal health, housing, feeding, productivity, commercial pork production.