Effects of group housing systems on behaviour and production performance in farmed juvenile mink (Mustela vison)

In this article we present the first estimation of genetic variation of stereotypic behaviour (SB). Stereotypic behaviour is defined as an unvarying behaviour without any specific goal or function repeated at least five times. All types of SB were included in the analyses. Altogether 1484 adult mink females of the brown colour type were assessed for behaviour traits: SB, active or inactive behaviour, staying in nest box. Genetic correlations were based on estimates of additive genetic (co)variances obtained from a trivariate linear animal model fitted to behaviour traits, body weight and litter size. The SB has an intermediate genetic variation (h(2) approximately 0.3) and divergent selection for SB confirmed that the frequency of SB can be altered by selection. The results confirmed the hypotheses of negative genetic correlation between SB and body weight and negative genetic correlation between body weight and litter size. The hypotheses of positive correlation between SB and active behaviour and SB and litter size were not confirmed. Consequences of selection for reduced SB can be changes in other behaviour traits, body weight and litter size, depending on the genetic correlation between the traits.

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“…1992; Jeppesen et al. 2000; Hansen & Jeppesen 2001 and Pedersen et al. 2004), enriching the environment (Hansen et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stereotypic behaviour in farm mink (Neovison vison) can be reduced by selection

Hansen

Jeppesen

Berg

2010

J Animal Breeding Genetics

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“…Poole (, ) noted that the most complex forms of rough‐and‐tumble play (of maximal roughness, and including all behavioral elements found in play) emerged around 14 weeks. Play then wanes in older mink, though rough‐and‐tumble play can still be observed between 4 and 7 months in sub‐adults (Jeppesen, ; Jeppesen & Falkenberg, ; MacLennan & Bailey, ; Malmkvist et al, ; Pedersen, Jeppesen, & Jeppesen, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Play in juvenile mink: litter effects, stability over time, and motivational heterogeneity

Ahloy‐Dallaire

Mason

2016

Developmental Psychobiology

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Mink are potentially ideal for investigating the functions of play: deleterious effects of early social isolation suggest a crucial developmental role for play; and huge numbers of highly playful juvenile subjects can be studied on farms. We collected descriptive data on 186 pairs from 93 litters, half provided with play-eliciting environmental enrichment objects in their home cages, to test three hypotheses: (1) play frequency is subject to litter effects; (2) relative playfulness is stable over time; (3) play sub-types share a single, common motivational basis. We found weak litter effects that were driven by stronger litter effects on general activity, and weakly stable individual differences in both total and rough-and-tumble play. Experimentally increasing object play did not inhibit rough-and-tumble play, showing these sub-types are not motivational substitutes. Frequencies of these sub-types were also uncorrelated, and changed differently with time of day and age, further supporting this conclusion.

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“…The wild-caught foxes were simply not adapted to modern fox farm caging. Stress is a well-known problem in farmed foxes and, despite extensive research in enclosure design and handling protocols (Pedersen et al 2002;Pedersen et al 2004), it cannot be eliminated even from domesticated animals.…”

Section: Initial Failures Of Captive Breedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The endangered Arctic fox in Norway—the failure and success of captive breeding and reintroduction

et al. 2017

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The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus L.) is listed as extinct in Finland, endangered in Sweden and critically endangered in Norway. Around 2000 there were only 40-60 adult individuals left, prompting the implementation of conservation actions, including a captive breeding programme founded from wild-caught pups. The initial breeding trials failed, probably because of stress among captive animals, and the programme was radically changed in 2005. Eight large enclosures within the species' historical natural habitat were established, which had the positive effect of all pairs breeding in 2007. As of 2015, 385 pups (yearly average 37) were produced. In this ongoing programme, pups are released the winter (January-February) following their birth and have had an average first-year survival of 0.44. The release sites are prepared with artificial dens and a network of supplementary food dispensers, designed to work exclusively for the Arctic fox. After just four to seven years of releases, populations have been effectively re-established in three mountain areas where the species had been locally extinct. One of the newly re-established populations has become the largest population in Norway. Several other populations, including Swedish ones, have benefited considerably from successful immigration of released foxes. The number of wild-born pups that are descendants of released foxes has likely exceeded 600, and in 2014 50% of all free-living breeding pairs in mainland Norway included released foxes or their descendants. The Norwegian Arctic fox captive breeding programme has proven to be an important conservation action for the recovery of the Scandinavian Arctic fox population.

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Effects of group housing systems on behaviour and production performance in farmed juvenile mink (Mustela vison)

Cited by 3 publications

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Stereotypic behaviour in farm mink (Neovison vison) can be reduced by selection

Stereotypic behaviour in farm mink (Neovison vison) can be reduced by selection

Play in juvenile mink: litter effects, stability over time, and motivational heterogeneity

The endangered Arctic fox in Norway—the failure and success of captive breeding and reintroduction

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