The success of fur farming depends entirely on the technological level of production, primarily on how keeping conditions are close to natural, because carnivorous breeding in cage are at the stage of domestication. In this connection until now hygiene standards in fur farming are imperfect and need of revision and correction. The reason for our experimental research was a case of mass cannibalism of female foxes in the private fur farm in Khmelnitsky region, when during one day about 15 % of the offspring as a result of the action of industrial noise were destroyed. It was established at the level of cages, where lactating females with puppies were kept and absolute indicator of industrial noise did not exceed the upper allowable limit of 30 dB. However, as a result of its long-term effects on animals aggression, anxiety and cannibalism in females arose.

In the scientific literature, we find many examples of the negative impact of sound on living creatures. Installed optimal noise limits for normal functioning of humans and animals. However, the standards and guidance set no time gradient of this parameter. Given the existence of cases of negative impact of industrial noise on separate sex and age groups of wild animals cage maintenance is necessary to further study. The purpose of our experiment was to establish how the sound stress factor for reproduction medium strength properties of the silver-black foxes cage maintenance for different durations.

Taking into account cases of negative impact of industrial noise on individual sex and age groups of carnivorous of cage keeping it is necessary to conduct additional research. That’s why the purpose of our experiment was to establish how the sound stress factor of the threshold force of different duration affects the reproductive properties of lactating silver-black foxes of cage keeping.

To achieve this goal we conducted experiment on lactating female foxes (Vulpes vulpes, L., 1758). Cages with female foxes were placed in a prepared soundproofed rooms where females from the research groups were subjected to the noise of 30 dB for 2–6 hours per day. The sound was reproduced using sound recording device. Females from the control group were kept in silence during all experiment. The measurements of industrial noise were conducted by the device VSHV-003-M2, serial number 972. The measurement was carried out according to established rules.

During the experiment it was found that by increasing the duration of noise to 30 dB on lactating females offspring survival is reduced on 1.15–7.56 %, the number of registered offspring per one female on 0.3–0.8 heads, weaning weight per nest on 0.81–1.72 kg, and the weight of 1.5 month’s puppy on 70–150 g.

Practical valuable for fur manufacturers will be identified behavioral characteristics of females under the influence of stress caused by noise. Foxes from the research groups often left cages and went out to the lobby, stood up in a "posture of worry", carried in and carried out the puppies. With certain characteristic features in the behavior of females it is need to look for and try to eliminate the stress factor.

Economic calculations showed that the action of the sound stimulus of 30 dB for 2–6 hours of research groups of females we did not obtain from 13 to 22 heads offspring compared with control animals.

Further studies should be conducted towards identifying methods to reduce the duration of industrial noise for fur animals in important periods of reproduction, searching options of sound stress factor, in which the females organism is most vulnerable, keeping search techniques to reduce stress sensitivity of carnivorous (Carnivora) during cage breeding.

Key words: farming, silvery fox, female, keeping, industrial noise, reproductive properties, economic efficiency.