Energy intake and milk production in mink(MUSTELA vison)‐effect of litter size

Fink, Rikke; Tauson, Anne‐Helene; Hansen, Kirsten Bislev; Wamberg, S.; Kristensen, Niels Bastian

doi:10.1080/17450390109386194

Cited by 20 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…During the four weeks of lactation the DM and fat content of the milk increased from approximately 18 to 27%, and 5 to 11%>, respectively, unaffected by dietary treatment, corresponding to previous results in mink Fink et al, 2001). Mink is a rapidly growing species, and it is believed that the suckling mink has a higher protein requirement than that of most mammalian species.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

“…Oxygen was analysed by a paramagnetic analyser (Magnos 4G, Hartmann and Braun, Frankfurt, Germany), and C0 2 was analysed using the infrared principle (Uras, Hartmann and Braun, Frankfurt, Germany). Measurements of milk intake of the kits at weekly intervals by the water isotope dilution technique were performed as described in detail by Fink et al (2001). The animals were weighed at weekly intervals.…”

Section: Balance and Respiration Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Effects of substitution of dietary protein with carbohydrate on lactation performance in the mink (Mustela vison)

Fink¹,

Tauson²,

Chwalibog³

et al. 2004

J. Anim. Feed Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Thirty mink dams nursing litters of 6 kits were assigned to one of 3 dietary treatments to investigate the effects of changing the protein:carbohydrate ratio on nutrient utilization, heat production, milk production and kit growth. Three diets were formulated to contain 65:3 (LC), 48:15 (MC) or 34:33 (HC) % of the metabolizable energy (ME) from protein and carbohydrate, respectively. The diets were fed ad libitum for 4 weeks from parturition. Twelve dams were held in an intensive care unit and subjected to balance and respiration experiments and the kits were injected with deuterium oxide to measure water kinetics and milk production. Eighteen dams were kept under normal farm conditions and feed intake of dams and weight gain of the kits were determined. Milk samples were collected from the dams. Metabolizable energy intake was not affected by dietary treatment. Carbohydrates were efficiently utilized with a digestibility coefficient of 84% in dams fed the HC diet. Dams fed the HC diet had a lower (PO.05) percentage weight loss, lower (PO.05) total heat production (HE), lower (P<0.05) protein oxidation (OXP), lower (P<0.05) water intake and a lower (P<0.05) nitrogen (N) excretion than dams fed the LC diet. Milk production, and thereby liveweights of the kits 4 weeks post partum, was higher (P<0.05) in dams fed the HC diet than in dams fed the LC diet. In conclusion, lactating mink dams are able to utilize digestible carbohydrates with positive effects on lactation performance and reduced nitrogen excretion.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Section: Balance and Respiration Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of substitution of dietary protein with carbohydrate on lactation performance in the mink (Mustela vison)

Fink¹,

Tauson²,

Chwalibog³

et al. 2004

J. Anim. Feed Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, levels of milk production are similar between cotton rats lactating at 21 and 8°C (Rogowitz, 1998). Milk production does not change in rabbits (Oryctolagus cunniculus) and captive mink (Mustela vision) raising different litters (Drummond et al, 2000;Fink et al, 2001). The data from other species provide support for the HDL theory, such as the dramatic increase in energy intake observed in the cold compared with the warm in cotton rats (Rogowitz, 1998), deer mice [Peromyscus maniculatus (Hammond and Kristan, 2000)], Brandt's voles [Lasiopodomys brandtii (Zhang and Wang, 2007)] and striped hamsters [Cricetulus barabensis (Zhao, 2011)].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Milk energy output in Swiss mice throughout the first, second, third and fourth lactation events

Zhao

2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY Most studies on the factors limiting sustained energy intake (SusEI) during peak lactation period have been performed in females at the 1st lactation event. However, an inconsistent change in SusEI is observed between the 1st and 2nd lactation event. Thus, the limits to SusEI may be associated with reproductive experiences, but the effects of reproductive experiences on SusEI or reproductive output remain unclear. Here, food intake, reproductive output, suckling behaviour and serum prolactin levels were measured in female Swiss mice throughout the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th lactation periods. Asymptotic food intake was significantly elevated during the 2nd lactation period relative to that observed during the 1st lactation period. Females in the 2nd lactation period exported significantly more energy in milk than those in the 1st lactation event and consequently raised larger litters with heavier litters at weaning. This was inconsistent with the prediction of the peripheral limitation hypothesis, but also did not provide support for the heat dissipation limitation hypothesis. Neither food intake nor reproductive output, indicative of litter size, litter mass and milk energy output (MEO), was different between the 1st, 3rd and 4th lactation event. Differences in suckling behaviour and serum prolactin levels were not significant between the four lactation events. Correlations of prolactin levels with asymptotic food intake, MEO and mammary gland mass were only observed in females during the 1st lactation period. This may suggest that prolactin is not a key factor in stimulating milk production when the mammary glands work at their maximum during the peak lactation period.

show abstract

“…Therefore, the milk yield of the dam is strongly determining for kit survival rate and performance. The milk yield seems to be large in relation to body size of the species, and increases from 10 -15 g per kit and day in lactation week 1 to close to 30 g per kit and day at peak lactation 3 -4 weeks post partum in dams fed conventional diets and suckling medium sized litters of 6 to 7 kits (Wamberg and Tauson, 1998;Fink et al, 2001). Even considerably higher milk intakes of up to 50 g per kit and day in litters of 6 kits have been recorded for dams fed a high energy density diet with good palatability (own unpublished results), so dietary factors certainly have a large impact on milk yield, and the maximum yield capacity is unknown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Utilization of milk energy by suckling mink kits

Tauson¹,

Fink²,

Hansen³

et al. 2004

Archives of Animal Nutrition

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A total of 36 mink dams and their litters of 3, 6 or 9 kits were used for determination of milk intake of the suckling young by means of deuterium dilution technique, and chemical composition of milk and of kit bodies. Measurements were performed during lactation weeks 1-4, each week with 3 dams with each litter size. Milk intake was determined over a 48 h measurement period, and by the end of this milk samples were collected and 2 kits (litters of 6 and 9) or 1 kit per litter (litters of 3) were killed for body chemical composition. Based on the results, different models were applied for calculation of the energetic efficiency of milk. Dam milk yield increased steadily from week 1 until week 3 but only slightly from week 3 to 4. The increase declined with increasing litter size, and for dams suckling 9 kits the increment from week 3 to week 4 was only 2 g. The dry matter content of milk increased significantly as lactation progressed, being reflected in crude protein increasing from 6.9% in lactation week 1 to 8.1% in week 4. Milk fat increased concomitantly from 5.6% to 8.0%. In kit bodies, crude protein content increased from 9.4% in week 1 to about 12% in weeks 3 and 4. Body fat content increased from week 1 (4.1%) to week 3 (8.4%) and then declined in week 4 (7.1%). Animals suckled in litters of 3 kits had the highest milk intake and live weight and kits suckled in litters of 9 had the lowest milk intake, live weight and daily gain. In terms of milk intake per g gain kits in litters of 6 were the most efficient, with 4.1 g milk per g body gain. The metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance (MEm) was estimated to 448 kJ/kg(0.75 and the efficiency of utilization of ME for body gain (kg) to 0.67, the estimates being higher (MEm) or in good agreement with previous findings (kg) in suckling mink kits.

show abstract

Energy intake and milk production in mink(MUSTELA vison)‐effect of litter size

Cited by 20 publications

References 25 publications

Effects of substitution of dietary protein with carbohydrate on lactation performance in the mink (<i>Mustela vison</i>)

Effects of substitution of dietary protein with carbohydrate on lactation performance in the mink (<i>Mustela vison</i>)

Milk energy output in Swiss mice throughout the first, second, third and fourth lactation events

Utilization of milk energy by suckling mink kits

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About