Key Technical Points for Feeding and Management of Mink During the Winter Fur Growth Period
The winter fur growth period of mink is mainly from October to December. After September, the young mink have nearly reached body maturity, transitioning from body length growth to a fattening stage dominated by muscle growth and fat deposition. Meanwhile, as the daylight hours become shorter after the autumn equinox, the short-day effect that triggers winter fur growth and maturation takes over.
Mink are kept in dim environments. After the autumn equinox, fur mink should be moved to the upper tier of double-layer cages and to cages on the north side, as a dimmer environment helps improve fur quality, especially the glossiness of black mink. It is recommended to raise fur mink without nest boxes, and it is not recommended to keep two or more mink per cage (note that mink winter fur growth is driven by the short-day effect, so no form of artificial lighting should be added during the winter fur growth period).
Maintain good environmental hygiene, carry out timely live combing of fur, promptly remove leftover food and feces, and be careful not to soil the mink's fur with feed during feeding to prevent the fur from matting. Promptly repair any sharp protrusions on cage netting that could scratch the skin or fur. The entrance and exit of nest boxes are best wrapped with metal ring plates; for those without wrapping, if the nest box opening is bitten and damaged, the broken area should be filed smooth, so as to avoid damaging the mink's guard hairs.
After the autumn equinox, bedding straw should be added to the nest boxes to help comb the fur. If matted fur is found on a fur mink, live combing should be carried out as early as possible to prevent a decline in fur quality.
Check the progress of winter fur growth and maturation, and improve the feeding and management of fur mink.
During the winter fur period, mink feed must ensure an adequate supply of sulfur-containing amino acids, and be rich in vitamins and trace elements.