The Ocurrence of Cotton Fur Defect and Its Correlation to Other Skin Properties in Finnish Mink Skin Production

Abstract

The Occurrence of Cotton Fur Defect and Its Correlation to Other Skin Properties in Finnish hlink Skin Production. Acta Agric Scand 34, 52G526, 1984.The annual cotton fur incidence varied from 2.2 to 4.1 55 of all the standard mink skins produced in Finland during the years 1978-1980. In the pastel skins, cotton fur \\as found yearly in 0.7-1.8 % of all classified pastel mink skins. Cotton fur H~S found to be negatively correlated (pcO.001) with skin size and skin quality both in the standard and pastel skins, in males as well as in females. The annual cotton fur incidence varied between 0.5% and 14.6% depending on the year and the feed kitchen area during the production years 1977-1981. It is concluded that the cotton fur defect is accompanied by impaired skin quality and reduced skin size in the whole skin production of a farm, including both male and female skins. K q words: Skin defect, stnndnrd nrinX. pnsrel /,rink. nrinirnl stnristics.