An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions
Ethograms can serve as benchmarks against which abnormal animal behaviour can be identified, and then normal behaviour can be restored by appropriately modifying the environment in which an individual resides. The aim of the present study was to create an ethogram of the reproductive behaviour of Am...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/3/443 |
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| author | Beata Seremak Aleksandra Wojciechowska Bogumiła Pilarczyk Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak |
| author_facet | Beata Seremak Aleksandra Wojciechowska Bogumiła Pilarczyk Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak |
| author_sort | Beata Seremak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ethograms can serve as benchmarks against which abnormal animal behaviour can be identified, and then normal behaviour can be restored by appropriately modifying the environment in which an individual resides. The aim of the present study was to create an ethogram of the reproductive behaviour of American mink kept in farmed conditions. The research material consisted of 12 one-year-old male American mink, pearl coloured, selected randomly from among the varieties of coloured mink on the farm, and 60 two-year-old females. The animals participating in the study were grouped into two breeding sets, each consisting of 30 females and 6 males. Reproductive rituals included chasing the female, grasping her neck with the teeth, marking the local area, mounting the partner, and sniffing the neck, anal and genital areas. The copulation times recorded in this study varied greatly, ranging from several minutes to over two hours. The obtained results indicate that the American mink can express some natural reproductive behaviour in breeding conditions, which may also be an indicator of the welfare of these animals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:54:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e969a1dc699848a1a0234d67967de2d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:54:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-e969a1dc699848a1a0234d67967de2d62023-11-16T16:00:56ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-01-0113344310.3390/ani13030443An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed ConditionsBeata Seremak0Aleksandra Wojciechowska1Bogumiła Pilarczyk2Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak3Department of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, PolandEthograms can serve as benchmarks against which abnormal animal behaviour can be identified, and then normal behaviour can be restored by appropriately modifying the environment in which an individual resides. The aim of the present study was to create an ethogram of the reproductive behaviour of American mink kept in farmed conditions. The research material consisted of 12 one-year-old male American mink, pearl coloured, selected randomly from among the varieties of coloured mink on the farm, and 60 two-year-old females. The animals participating in the study were grouped into two breeding sets, each consisting of 30 females and 6 males. Reproductive rituals included chasing the female, grasping her neck with the teeth, marking the local area, mounting the partner, and sniffing the neck, anal and genital areas. The copulation times recorded in this study varied greatly, ranging from several minutes to over two hours. The obtained results indicate that the American mink can express some natural reproductive behaviour in breeding conditions, which may also be an indicator of the welfare of these animals.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/3/443American mink<i>Neovison vison</i>reproductionreproductive behaviourethogram |
| spellingShingle | Beata Seremak Aleksandra Wojciechowska Bogumiła Pilarczyk Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions Animals American mink <i>Neovison vison</i> reproduction reproductive behaviour ethogram |
| title | An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions |
| title_full | An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions |
| title_fullStr | An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions |
| title_short | An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Farmed Conditions |
| title_sort | ethogram of the reproductive behaviour of the american mink i neovison vison i in farmed conditions |
| topic | American mink <i>Neovison vison</i> reproduction reproductive behaviour ethogram |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/3/443 |
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