What are the reproductive characteristics of mink farming?

1. Mink reach sexual maturity at 9-10 months of age. In sexually mature male and female mink, the testes and ovaries develop and regress with the seasons and light. After the spring equinox, as light increases, the testes gradually atrophy; after the autumn equinox, as light decreases, the testes develop, and by February of the following year the testes weigh 2-2.5 grams and begin to form sperm. The ovaries of female mink also begin to develop from the autumn equinox, and by early April of the following year, the ovaries begin to shrink, completing the sexual cycle.

2. Mink are seasonally polyestrous animals. During the breeding season, female mink have 2-4 estrous cycles, with one cycle lasting 7-10 days, of which the estrus duration is 1-3 days; during this period female mink readily accept mating, and the interestrus period is 4-6 days. 3. Mink are induced ovulators, ovulating 36-72 hours after mating. After the first ovulation in female mink, there is a 5-6 day refractory period for ovulation. In female mink mated again in a different estrous period, if the second ovulation is not fertilized, the previous fertilized eggs still exist; if the second ovulation is fertilized, the previous fertilized eggs mostly cannot implant. 4. During the pregnancy of female mink, the embryonic development process is divided into the cleavage stage, the blastocyst diapause stage, and the embryonic stage. 5. The expected birth date of mink is calculated from the date of the last mating. The average gestation period of female mink is 47±2 days, with a range of 37-57 days.