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Background The disease Fur Animal Necrotizing Pyoderma (FNP) has since 2000 been reported in many fur producing countries including Canada, Finland and Denmark. Development of FNP is characterised by rapidly forming treatment-resistant wounds on paws and in the head region. Economic losses related to FNP have been associated with mortality and decreased fur quality as well as increased veterinary costs. Also it has been suggested that FNP may be associated with reduced production results for breeding mink. The aim of this study was to evaluate if there is an association between FNP lesions in breeding animals and reduced production results based on a retrospective cohort study. Results 1465 breeding animals (244 males and 1221 females) were followed during the breeding season 2019 on five Danish mink farms. Two farms were removed from the analysis since no occurrence of FNP appeared in the observation group. After exclusion, 846 breeding animals (148 males and 698 females) remained in the analysis and were divided into two groups: exposed (EXP) or non-exposed (N-EXP) depending on the disease history of the males during mating. Females exposed to FNP positive males during breeding in average produce 14% fewer kits (P = 0.032) and these females were also more than double as likely to produce small litters (N ≥ 3) than N-EXP females. Female’s from the EXP group were introduced more times to males than females in the N-EXP group (P = 0.0001, 2.5 more times in average). Females in the EXP group did not have a statistically higher risk of becoming barren (P = 0.138) though the relative risk of becoming barren was 77% higher after encountering a FNP male. Conclusions This study shows that FNP has more economic losses for the farms than direct loss of animals. Females in contact with males with FNP lesion during breeding have a higher risk of becoming barren, and produce significantly fewer kits compared to females whom haven’t been in contact with a FNP positive male.

On many mink farms, antibiotics are used extensively during the lactation period to reduce the prevalence and severity of pre-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) in mink kits (also referred to as greasy kit syndrome). Concerns have been raised, that routine treatment of PWD with antibiotics could affect the natural successional development of the gut microbiota, which may have long lasting consequences. Here we investigated the effects of early life antibiotic treatment administered for 1 week (postnatal days 13–20). Two routes of antibiotic administration were compared to a non-treated control group (CTR, n = 24). Routes of administration included indirect treatment, through the milk from dams receiving antibiotics by intramuscular administration (ABX_D, n = 24) and direct treatment by intramuscular administration to the kits (ABX_K, n = 24). A tendency for slightly increased weight at termination (Day 205) was observed in the ABX_K group. The gut microbiota composition was profiled by 16S rRNA gene sequencing at eight time points between Day 7 and Day 205. A clear successional development of the gut microbiota composition was observed and both treatment regimens caused detectable changes in the gut microbiota until at least eight days after treatment ceased. At termination, a significant positive correlation was identified between microbial diversity and animal weight.

Deuterium oxide (D2O, 99.9 atom % D), monobasic potassium phosphate (KH2PO4, ≥99.0%), dibasic potassium phosphate (K2HPO4, ≥98.0%), monosodium hydrogen phosphate (NaH2PO4 99% anhydrous), disodium hydrogen phosphate (NaH 2 PO 4 99% anhydrous) 3-(Trimethylsilyl) propionic-2,2,3,3-d4 acid sodium salt (TSP, 98 atom % D, ≥98.0% (NMR)), and sodium azide (NaN3, ≥99.5%) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Søborg, Danmark). Water used throughout the study was purified using a Millipore lab water system (Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) equipped with a 0.22 μm filter membrane. NMR Sample preparation -BiofluidsA total of 80 μl phosphate buffer was mixed with 720 μl of urine sample in 2.0 ml plastic Eppendorf tubes. Samples were vigorously vortexed for 5 s and a 600 μl aliquot was transferred into NMR SampleJet tubes (Bruker Biospin, Ettlingen, Germany) of L = 103.5 mm and O.D. = 5.0 mm. For plasma samples, a total of 350 μl buffer was mixed with 350 μl of plasma sample.The phosphate buffer was prepared as described by Khakimov et al. (2020). Plasma buffer was prepared as described by Dona et al. [45]. NMR Sample preparation -FeedThree replicates of feed samples for each group and each time-point available were prepared for NMR analysis in two ways: one to obtain the hydrophilic extract and one to obtain the hydrophobic extract. Samples were homogenised with an ultraturrax, then 500 mg were weighted. Twelve millilitre of a methanol/chloroform solution (1:2) were then added and the solution was homogenised, then stored in darkness for 30 min. Four millilitre of deuterated water (D2O) were then added and samples were shaken manually, then stored in darkness in the same manner. Samples were then filtered through Whatman #4 filter paper and centrifuged for 1 h at 1300 rpm and 4°C to separate the two phases. One millilitre of hydrophilic phase was then