Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions
Observation and behavioral analysis of animals can be one of the factors taken into consideration when assessing the welfare of animals kept in artificially created breeding conditions. Disturbed welfare and prolonged exposure to stress can lead to the emergence of abnormal behaviors, including repr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/21/3346 |
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| author | Beata Seremak Bogumiła Pilarczyk Aleksandra Wojciechowska Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak |
| author_facet | Beata Seremak Bogumiła Pilarczyk Aleksandra Wojciechowska Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak |
| author_sort | Beata Seremak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Observation and behavioral analysis of animals can be one of the factors taken into consideration when assessing the welfare of animals kept in artificially created breeding conditions. Disturbed welfare and prolonged exposure to stress can lead to the emergence of abnormal behaviors, including reproductive issues. The aim of this study was to examine the mating behavior of male American mink, with regard to the duration of mating and any potential differences with regard to time of day, mating period, number of mating attempts, and time spent with the female. The study material consisted of 12 one-year-old male American minks with pearl coloring and 60 two-year-old females. Observations were conducted using images captured using externally mounted cameras. The video material capturing the activity of males and females during the mating period was analyzed using the Behawior program. The obtained results indicate the presence of individual differences in copulation duration. It was observed that the copulation time increases with successive days of the breeding season and with number of copulations. It was also observed that a longer time spent with the female to initiate copulation, and behaviors such as rubbing or sniffing the female, were associated with a shorter copulation time. The above-mentioned studies provide specific guidelines regarding the management of matings on the farm, demonstrating the feasibility of conducting matings both in the hours before and after noon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:34:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0432230e28954a7a830bf23b573bdec6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:34:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-0432230e28954a7a830bf23b573bdec62023-11-10T14:57:47ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-10-011321334610.3390/ani13213346Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial ConditionsBeata Seremak0Bogumiła Pilarczyk1Aleksandra Wojciechowska2Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak3Department of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandObservation and behavioral analysis of animals can be one of the factors taken into consideration when assessing the welfare of animals kept in artificially created breeding conditions. Disturbed welfare and prolonged exposure to stress can lead to the emergence of abnormal behaviors, including reproductive issues. The aim of this study was to examine the mating behavior of male American mink, with regard to the duration of mating and any potential differences with regard to time of day, mating period, number of mating attempts, and time spent with the female. The study material consisted of 12 one-year-old male American minks with pearl coloring and 60 two-year-old females. Observations were conducted using images captured using externally mounted cameras. The video material capturing the activity of males and females during the mating period was analyzed using the Behawior program. The obtained results indicate the presence of individual differences in copulation duration. It was observed that the copulation time increases with successive days of the breeding season and with number of copulations. It was also observed that a longer time spent with the female to initiate copulation, and behaviors such as rubbing or sniffing the female, were associated with a shorter copulation time. The above-mentioned studies provide specific guidelines regarding the management of matings on the farm, demonstrating the feasibility of conducting matings both in the hours before and after noon.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/21/3346American minkreproductionreproductive behaviormating |
| spellingShingle | Beata Seremak Bogumiła Pilarczyk Aleksandra Wojciechowska Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions Animals American mink reproduction reproductive behavior mating |
| title | Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions |
| title_full | Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions |
| title_short | Selected Aspects of Reproductive Behavior of American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) under Artificial Conditions |
| title_sort | selected aspects of reproductive behavior of american mink i neovison vison i under artificial conditions |
| topic | American mink reproduction reproductive behavior mating |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/21/3346 |
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