The aims of the study were to assess the welfare of pigs in Slovenian farms
based on the international Welfare Quality? Assessment protocol for pigs and
to gain a first insight into the welfare of pigs in Slovenian conventional
and alternative farms. Pig welfare in Slovenia was assessed using the
Welfare Quality? protocol on 10 alternative and 10 conventional farms. The
size of the farm ranged from 11 to 1900 breeding sows in conventional farms
and from three to 50 breeding sows in alternative farms. Using the protocol,
the welfare of breeding sows, suckling piglets, growers, and fattening pigs
was evaluated. The protocol consisted of four main principles of animal
welfare (good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate
behaviour), which were subdivided into 12 independent criteria. To evaluate
each of these criteria, a set of measures was used. Overall animal welfare
quality was calculated with a mathematical model incorporated into the
protocol. Depending on the scores of the four principles, farms were
classified as excellent, enhanced, acceptable or not classified. According
to the Welfare Quality? protocol and statistical calculation, growers and
fatteners in Slovenian conventional farms were rated as acceptable, while
Slovenian alternative farms were rated as enhanced. We can conclude that the
welfare of the growers and fatteners in our alternative farms is at a higher
level than in conventional farms. The most critical evaluation points in
sows were bursitis, wounds on the body, stereotypies, and fear of humans.