Effects of early weaning and housing conditions on the development of stereotypies in farmed mink

Jeppesen, Leif Lau; Heller, Knud Erik; Dalsgaard, T.

doi:10.1016/s0168-1591(00)00099-x

Cited by 40 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The frequency of stereotypies, a sign of frustration and poor welfare (e.g. Mason and Latham, 2004), has been reported to be equal in group-housed and pair-housed mink (Hansen et al, 1997;Pedersen, 1999, Vinke et al, 2002Pedersen et al, 2004;Lindberg et al, 2007;Hä nninen et al, 2008) or even slightly lower in group than in pair housing (Jeppesen et al, 2000, the present study). However, the relation between stereotypic behaviour and welfare is ambiguous (Mason and Latham, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…The fact that mink spend most of their time out of sight in nest boxes (Jeppesen et al, 2000;Pedersen et al, 2004, the present results) may bias the results from behavioural observations. The difference in the frequency of social interactions observed in the present study in November lost statistical significance when total time spent active in the cage was used as a covariate in the statistical analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

“…In other studies, mortality has been higher (Pedersen, 1999;Pedersen et al, 2004), aggressive behaviour more frequent (Hansen et al, 1997;Pedersen, 1999;Pedersen et al, 2004;Hä nninen et al, 2008) and body mass at pelting lower (Pedersen, 1999;Lindberg et al, 2005) in group-housed than in pair-housed mink. On the other hand, group-housed mink may have lower adrenal mass, serum cortisol level (Hä nninen et al, 2008) and urine cortisol-creatinine ratio (Arts et al, 2004), less tail biting (Jonge de, 1996;Pedersen, 1999;Pedersen et al, 2004;Hansen and Houbak, 2005) and less stereotypies (Jeppesen et al, 2000) than pair-housed mink.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Group housing in row cages: an alternative housing system for juvenile mink

Hänninen

Ahola

Pyykönen

et al. 2008

Animal

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We studied a group housing system as an alternative to the traditional pair housing of juvenile mink. The focus was on both the welfare and production of mink. The pairs were housed in standard mink cages, whereas the groups were in row cage systems consisting of three standard mink cages connected to each other. The welfare of the mink was evaluated by behavioural observations (stereotypies and social contacts), evaluation of the incidence of scars assumed to be caused by biting, and adrenal function (serum cortisol level after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) administration and adrenal mass). Feed consumption, pelt length, quality and price were used for comparing the two housing systems from the economic point of view. Although the incidence of scars showed that there might have been more aggressive behaviour among the group-housed than among the pair-housed mink, this was not observed unambiguously in behavioural observations, and, at least, aggression did not cause mortality or serious injuries to the animals as has been observed in some earlier studies. In addition, the housing system did not affect pelt size, and, although the quality of the pelts was slightly lower in the group than in pair-housed mink, there was only a tendency for lower pelt prices. The lower pelt prices in the group-housed mink might even be partially compensated for by the group-housed mink eating 10% to 20% less in the late autumn, due to thermoregulatory benefits, than their pair-housed conspecifics. The results on the frequency of stereotypic behaviour (but not adrenal function) suggest that the group-housed animals were possibly less stressed than the pair-housed animals. Group housing of juvenile farmed mink in a row cage system cannot be recommended before the effects on welfare and production are clarified in further studies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Group housing in row cages: an alternative housing system for juvenile mink

Hänninen

Ahola

Pyykönen

et al. 2008

Animal

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“…Previously, it has been proposed that weaning the kits before 6 wk of age could reduce the risk of nursing sickness Hunter 1992, 1993). However, early weaning (around sixth and seventh week) increases the risk of stereotypies (Jeppesen et al 2000;Mason 1996) and fur gnawing (Mason 1994 For personal use only. Malmkvist et al 1996) later in development.…”

Section: Behaviour Of the Kitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, some authors recommend separating the dam and kits at 6 wk (Schneider and Hunter 1993) in order to reduce cases of nursing sickness, a condition that occurs when the dam fails to eat enough to compensate for the energy loss due to milk production. Others find positive consequences of waiting until 8 or 11 wks after delivery as compared to 6 or 7 wk as this seems to reduce later development of stereotypies and pelt-gnawing in the kits (Jeppesen et al 2000;Mason 1994). More knowledge about the behaviour of the dam and kits may be helpful in ensuring a good and healthy lactation period and in determining the optimal time of weaning.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour of mink kits and dams (Mustela vison) in the lactation period

Brink¹,

Jeppesen²

2005

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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Brink, A.-L. and Jeppesen, L. L. 2005. Behaviour of mink kits and dams (Mustela vison) in the lactation period. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 85: 7-12. This study describes the development of the behaviour of mink kits and dams from the fourth to the eighth respectively seventh week after delivery. The study is based on scan observations of 72 mink dams and their kits at a conventional Danish mink farm. The kits started eating when they were about 30 d old. Drinking started almost 2 wk later. During these 2 wk there was a peak in the licking of saliva from the dam and of the inter-litter agonistic behaviour. A causal relationship between experienced thirst and agonistic behaviour is suggested. The kits' sucking declined to only 5% of the time budget in the seventh week and the stereotypy frequency of the dams increased to about 4% of the time budget. It is suggested that some dams are frustrated by the forced cohabitation with their nutritionally independent kits already in the seventh week and that this should be taken into account when deciding time of weaning. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 85: 7-12. Cette étude décrit l'évolution du comportement des femelles du vison et de leurs petits de la quatrième à la septième et huitième semaine, respectivement, suivant la mise bas. L'étude repose sur l'observation par balayage de 72 femelles et de leurs petits dans un élevage classique du Danemark. Les petits commencent à manger à l'âge d'environ 30 jours; il se mettent à boire près de deux semaines plus tard. Au cours de ces deux semaines, l'absorption de la salive de la mère par léchage atteint un maximum tout comme le comportement agonistique entre les portées. Les auteurs pensent qu'il existe un lien causal entre la soif et le comportement agonistique. À la septième semaine, les jeunes ne tètent plus que 5 % du temps et la fréquence des comportements répétitifs de la mère augmente à environ 4 % du temps. Il se pourrait que la cohabitation forcée avec des jeunes capables de se nourrir eux-mêmes accroît la frustration de certaines mères la septième semaine et on devrait en tenir compte pour établir quand procéder au sevrage.

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