BODY CONDITION OF MALE FARM MINK (Neovison vison) DURING A MATING SEASON

Abstract

The study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between the body condition of males of farmed mink (Neovison vison) and their behaviour as well as mating performance. The observations involved 170 males of Pearl mink. Before the the breeding season, males were assigned to three groups according to their condition: Group I – very thin, Group II – thin and ideal weight, Group III – heavy and obese. On the completion of the mating season, the following reproductive indices were analysed: number of days in mating, number of matings per day and during the entire mating season, fraction of males that failed to mate, incidence of aggressive behaviours. Statistical analysis did not reveal significant differences in the mean number of days in mating, total number of matings or daily number of matings. Male condition score has a significant effect on the behaviour of the animals. The highest rate of aggressive behaviours, 16%, was observed in groups I and II, i.e. in very thin, thin and ideal weight animals. Males of group III, i.e. overweight and obese, showed one half of aggressive behaviours, about 8%. A different pattern was seen in fur chewing, since none of thin or ideal-weight males (Group II) did chew its fur. Only very thin (Group I, 2%) and obese males (Group III, 4.17%) chewed their fur. Group I comprised the lowest fraction of males that failed to mate, about 6%, compared to approx. 10% in Groups I and III each.

Authors and Affiliations

Lidia FELSKA-BŁASZCZYK, Małgorzata DZIADOSZ-STYŚ, Natalia ŁAWRÓW

Keywords

Related Articles

EFFECTS OF 2-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID ON THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC APPARATUS OF BASKET WILLOW (Salix viminalis L.) PLANT GROWING UNDER CONDITIONS OF SALT STRESS

The study conducted in 2016 at the Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin was to evaluate the effect of exogenous application of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid...

THE EFFECT OF WATER ACTIVITY AND TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH AND LIPOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF PENICILLIUM CHRYSOGENUM (THOM) AND EUROTIUM HERBARIORUM (WIGG.) STRAINS

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of water activity (aw) and temperature on the growth and tributyrin hydrolysis of Penicillium chrysogenum and Eurotium herbariorum strains isolated from rape, soya-bean an...

PIARACTUS BRACHYPOMUS (CHARACIFORMES, SERRASALMIDAE) – AN INCIDENTAL ALIEN SPECIES IN POLISH AND WORLD WATERS?

This paper presents the biological characteristics of five individuals of Piaractus brachypomus (15.3–37.0 cm TL) caught in north-western Poland (Szczecin Lagoon, lake Dąbie and Pomorzany Power Plant cooling water canal...

INTER- AND INTRA-BREED VARIATION IN EJACULATE CHARACTERISTICS AND IN THE MORPHOLOGY, DIMENSIONS AND SHAPE OF SPERMATOZOA OF BOARS USED FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

The aim of this study was to evaluate inter-bred and intra-breed variation in ejaculates and the morphology, dimensions and shape of spermatozoa of boars used for artificial insemination. The results obtained from this s...

EFFECT OF THE QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, TETRAETHYLAMMONIUM HALIDE ON RUMEX ACETOSA L., CHENOPODIUM ALBUM L. AND GALINSOGA PARVIFLORA CAV.: INHIBITION OF GROWTH AND CHANGES IN ASSIMILATION PIGMENTS CONTENT IN PLANTS

One of the main problems observed during plants cultivation is their destruction caused by harmful factors, which include, inter alia, the weeds. The group of troublesome weeds commonly occurring across Poland and in man...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP411426
  • DOI -
  • Views 65
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Lidia FELSKA-BŁASZCZYK, Małgorzata DZIADOSZ-STYŚ, Natalia ŁAWRÓW (2017). BODY CONDITION OF MALE FARM MINK (Neovison vison) DURING A MATING SEASON. Folia Pomeranae Universitatis Technologiae Stetinensis Agricultura Alimentaria Piscaria et Zootechnica, 42(334), 29-34. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-411426