Body condition scoring method for the blue fox (Alopex lagopus)

Kempe, Riitta; Koskinen, Nita; Peura, Jussi; Koivula, Minna; Strandén, Ismo

doi:10.1080/09064700903045341

Cited by 12 publications

(23 citation statements)

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“…The negative correlations between body weight and fur quality of minks have been detected. The high positive phenotypic correlations were found among BW, BL, GL, and are in the general range of values cited in literature (Peura et al 2004a;Kempe et al 2009Kempe et al , 2010. Most of the genetic correlations were positive, for example, between the BW and BL (0.983), between BW and GL (0.731), between BW and UL (0.972), respectively, implying that getting bigger size of mink leads to longer pelt and better fur quality.…”

Section: Genetic Parameterssupporting

confidence: 73%

Heritability and genetic trends for growth and fur quality traits in silver blue mink

Liu

Song

et al. 2016

Italian Journal of Animal Science

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The present study was performed to estimate genetic parameters for growth and fur quality traits in Chinese silver blue mink. Recordings of body weight (BW), body length (BL), guard hair length (GL), underwool length (UL) and the rate of guard hair and underwool length from 1678 silver blue minks (280 male and 1398 female) spanning six generations were obtained from Dalian Ming Wei Marten Industry Company. Genetic parameters were estimated using a multitrait animal model with year and sex as fixed effects. The heritability estimates for BW, BL, GL, UL and RATE were 0.41, 0.53, 0.53, 0.52 and 0.52, respectively. The genetic trends were estimated by regressing breeding value on year. The genetic trends for body weight and body length were close to zero, and positive. The genetic changes for GL, UL and nap were negative and parallel. Our results herein form a practical basis for designing optimal breeding schemes in silver blue mink.

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Section: Genetic Parameterssupporting

confidence: 73%

Heritability and genetic trends for growth and fur quality traits in silver blue mink

Liu

Song

et al. 2016

Italian Journal of Animal Science

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“…The thickness of subcutaneous fat was assessed by a subjective BCS method which gives an estimate of Genetics of the blue fox 143 the degree of fatness independent of the fox's body size (Kempe et al, 2009). BCS was evaluated for each animal on a scale of 1Á5, where 1 0very thin and 5 0 extremely fat.…”

Section: Body Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Feeding of blue foxes is therefore restricted only slightly during the growth period to attain even heavier animals and larger pelt size (Rekilä et al, 2000). Consequently, the body condition of most production foxes is classified either heavy (Category 4) or extremely fat (Category 5) at pelting time, which may increase the risk of obesity and related health problems (Kempe et al, 2009). Earlier studies also indicate that part of the economic advantage of increased animal size and, hence, larger pelt size is lost due to higher feeding costs (Rekilä et al, 2000;Peura et al, 2004a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Peura et al (2007) therefore suggested that fatness should be among the traits taken into account in the blue fox breeding value evaluation. In consequence, the first body condition scoring (BCS) system for blue foxes was developed by Kempe et al (2009). BCS evaluation, which is based on visual assessment combined with manual palpation, is a subjective method for assessing the thickness of subcutaneous fat on a scale from very thin (1) to extreme fat (5).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The genetics of body condition and leg weakness in the blue fox (Alopex lagopus)

Kempe

Koskinen

Mäntysaari

et al. 2010

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Science

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In recent years, the size and fatness of blue foxes have increased because the length of the pelt is an important factor affecting its price. However, extreme fatness poses a risk to the animal's welfare and increased body weight (BW) has been suspected as a predisposing factor for leg weakness (LEG). The main purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of body condition score (BCS), LEG and ability to move (MOVE) in the blue fox. Heritabilities for BCS, LEG and MOVE were found to be moderate: 0.30, 0.25 and 0.22, respectively. Fast growth rate, high body weight, large gSI and fatness were unfavourably connected to LEG and impaired MOVE in the cage in less than six-month-old blue foxes. The results indicate that genetic improvement through selection may reduce fatness and LEG in the blue fox and improve its MOVE.

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“…The value of a pelt depends on its size and it is common that feeding on fur animal farms is unlimited to enable obtaining large skins from heavy and fat (obese) animals [Kempe et al, 2009] at pelting. Thus, searching for genetic markers associated with growth and fatness is potentially interesting for breeders.…”

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confidence: 99%

Two Candidate Genes (FTO and INSIG2) for Fat Accumulation in Four Canids: Chromosome Mapping, Gene Polymorphisms and Association Studies of Body and Skin Weight of Red Foxes

Grzes¹,

Szczerbal²,

Fijak-Nowak³

et al. 2011

Cytogenet Genome Res

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Fat accumulation is a polygenic trait which has a significant impact on human health and animal production. Obesity is also an increasingly serious problem in dog breeding. The FTO and INSIG2 are considered as candidate genes associated with predisposition for human obesity. In this report we present a comparative genomic analysis of these 2 genes in 4 species belonging to the family Canidae – the dog and 3 species which are kept in captivity for fur production, i.e. red fox, arctic fox and Chinese raccoon dog. We cytogenetically mapped these 2 loci by FISH and compared the entire coding sequence of INSIG2 and a fragment of the coding sequence of FTO. The FTO gene was assigned to the following chromosomes: CFA2q25 (dog), VVU2q21 (red fox), ALA8q25 (arctic fox) and NPP10q24–25 (Chinese raccoon dog), while the INSIG2 was mapped to CFA19q17, VVU5p14, ALA24q15 and NPP9q22, respectively. Altogether, 29 SNPs were identified (16 in INSIG2 and 13 in FTO) and among them 2 were missense substitutions in the dog (23C/T, Thr>Met in the FTO gene and 40C/A, Arg>Ser in INSIG2). The distribution of these 2 SNPs was studied in 14 dog breeds. Two synonymous SNPs, one in the FTO gene (–28T>C in the 5′-flanking region) and one in the INSIG2 (10175C>T in intron 2), were used for the association studies in red foxes (n = 390) and suggestive evidence was observed for their association with body weight (FTO, p < 0.08) and weight of raw skin (INSIG2, p < 0.05). These associations indicate that both genes are potential candidates for growth or adipose tissue accumulation in canids. We also suggest that the 2 missense substitutions found in dogs should be studied in terms of genetic predisposition to obesity.

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Body condition scoring method for the blue fox (Alopex lagopus)

Cited by 12 publications

References 10 publications

Heritability and genetic trends for growth and fur quality traits in silver blue mink

Heritability and genetic trends for growth and fur quality traits in silver blue mink

The genetics of body condition and leg weakness in the blue fox (Alopex lagopus)

Two Candidate Genes <i>(FTO</i> and <i>INSIG2)</i> for Fat Accumulation in Four Canids: Chromosome Mapping, Gene Polymorphisms and Association Studies of Body and Skin Weight of Red Foxes

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