Mink, a valuable fur farming project with great development potential in recent years, is known for its glossy and luxurious fur, making it one of the pillar products in the international fur trade market. It has high breeding value. Let's talk about the management measures for raising northern minks.
Management Measures for Northern Minks
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Preparation for Breeding: Seize the time (end of December to early January) to inject infectious enteritis and canine distemper vaccines, and strictly check the condition of the breeding minks to reduce fat accumulation through exercise. Especially for male minks, cultivate the habit of playing. Maintain a body condition score of 7 to 8 (with a body mass index of 24 to 26). During the breeding season, carrots, scallions, garlic, and estrus-inducing drugs can be added to the feed.
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Breeding Period: The accurate timing is from mid-February to mid-March, and minks during this period have comprehensive nutritional requirements. Male minks have a short breeding period, so eggs and lean meat should be added to the feed to supplement amino acids. In recent years, male minks have been slaughtered for fur as early as April after breeding, and mink farms now only raise female minks.
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Pregnancy Period: Also known as the gestation period, it requires meticulous management. Prevent poisoning and mold in feed; prevent miscarriage, shock, hormone-induced abortions, and pseudopregnancy in minks. Add progesterone and vitamin E to the feed for fetal protection.
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Whelping Period: Minks start whelping from mid-April, also known as the whelping and nursing period. This period has the highest mortality rate and is the most challenging to manage. In recent years, there have been fewer surviving offspring but more births per female mink. The number of offspring per mink varies greatly, with some giving birth to as few as 4 and others as many as 12, with an average of 6 to 8. However, the mortality rate is high, especially within two weeks after birth, reaching 50% or even 73% in some cases. Breakeven is achieved with an average of 3 surviving offspring, while profitability starts with an average of 4 or more. To achieve this, many breeders feed female and young minks with eggs, soy milk, and powdered milk.
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Weaning Period: By the end of June, when the young minks weigh nearly 0.5 kg (40-45 months old) and can eat feed on their own, weaning and separation into litters can be done, entering the period of managing young minks. Implementing a secondary and tertiary weaning method (gradual weaning in batches based on the development of young minks) can increase survival rates by 20%. The management of the weaning period directly affects the survival rate.
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Vaccination: In early July, inject infectious enteritis and canine distemper vaccines to prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases.
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Selection of Breeding Stock: Young minks weighing 1.5 to 2.0 kg can be selected for breeding in September (as initial selection). Female minks with good milk production, maternal instincts, and high survival rates for their offspring should be selected for retention. Male minks should be exchanged with those from other farms, with greater distance preferred. The number of initially selected breeding stock should be 30% more than the actual selection, and the final selection should be made in September to October. The selected minks should be kept separately. Minks not used for breeding should be provided with feed containing sulfur-containing amino acids and fats to increase fur size and promote molting.
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Natural Fur Harvesting: Adding fat and sulfur-containing amino acid-rich feed to the diet, such as chicken intestines, pig offal fat, various meats, and fish, can accelerate the molting process. Fur can be harvested after feeding for more than 3 months, with the peak harvesting time from November to early December.
Above are the management measures for northern minks. In the process of mink farming, it is essential to effectively improve the economic benefits of breeding by implementing proper management practices during different growth stages.
