Detailed Explanation of fox farm site selection and construction methods

Whether the fox farm@#@185@#@is reasonable directly affects the breeding benefits and future production development. The purpose of site selection should be based on natural environmental conditions suitable for the biological characteristics of foxes, and comprehensively considered according to the production scale and long-term development plan. Key considerations include feed, water and disease prevention conditions, while also taking into account other conditions such as environment, temperature, light, transportation and electricity. Therefore, before building the farm, it is necessary to carry out careful and comprehensive surveys and rational layout according to the overall planning requirements of the farm, and it is best to choose barren land or non-cultivated land. The land area should be compatible with the number of foxes and future development needs.

1 Site selection

All site selection conditions should be suitable for the biological characteristics of foxes, so that under artificial feeding and management conditions, they can grow, develop, reproduce and produce fur normally, allowing foxes to reach their maximum potential for cage-raised growth and obtain maximum economic benefits.

The author observed and investigated continuously for 3 years within a 10 km radius of Bayuquan District, Liaoning Province, and found that fox farms on leeward, sunny hillside areas 1 km from the Bohai Sea had foxes entering estrus 10 to 15 days earlier each year than fox farms in plain areas at the same distance. Therefore, the site is best chosen on leeward, sunny hillside areas with good drainage, sufficient water sources and good water quality. In plain areas, choose a place with higher terrain or slightly sloping to the southeast.

The site must be far away from residential areas, preferably more than 1 km away. Foxes have a very strong distinctive odor, which causes relatively large pollution to residents' living environment (air, surface water sources), and environmental sanitation is difficult to control; secondly, residential areas are not convenient for closed feeding, and outsiders and other livestock enter and exit frequently, which is extremely unfavorable for disease prevention; moreover, noise in residential areas (motor vehicles, fireworks and firecracker sounds, etc.) is difficult to resist, easily leading to fox miscarriage and eating of cubs, causing heavy economic losses; mixing people and animals leads to constant disputes and is harmful to health.

With the continuous development of the breeding industry, there are more and more infectious diseases, especially zoonotic infectious diseases. Some infectious bacteria lurk in soil, feed, water, tools and animal bodies, and some release pathogenic sources in the air, easily causing cross-infection. Keep away from other livestock and poultry farms to reduce the occurrence of diseases. This is a major matter in the fox farming industry and must be taken seriously.

2 Construction

The basic construction of a fox farm must include a management office, duty room, cages and sheds, feed processing room, technical room, preliminary fur processing room, dry feed warehouse and perimeter wall, etc. The construction of fox farms varies with climate conditions and economic conditions, and construction materials are not necessarily the same, but the cages and sheds should face the sun, be ventilated, and meet hygiene and disease prevention requirements.

2.1 Fox shed

The fox shed is used for shade, rain protection and snow protection, and local materials can be used according to local conditions. The ridge height of the fox shed is 2.6 to 2.8 m, the front eaves height is 1.5 to 2 m, the width is 5 to 5.5 m, and the working aisle width is 1.2 m. A single-row pen can also be used, with a width of 1.0 to 1.5 m, a front wall height of 80 to 100 cm, a rear wall height of 60 to 80 cm, and a top made of wooden cover or asbestos tile cover, sloping so rainwater does not easily leak in.

2.2 Fox cage

The fox cage must be sturdy and durable. The iron mesh is best made of galvanized iron wire with a thickness of 2 to 2.5 mm. The mesh openings on the cage bottom are 2.5 x 2.5 mm, and the mesh openings on the four walls and top are 3 x 3 cm or 4 x 4 cm. Generally, the length, width and height of a male fox cage are 200 x 100 x 100 cm, and those of a female fox cage are 150 x 100 x 100 cm or 1.50 x 90 x 80 cm. The cage door height is 100 cm or 80 cm, and the width is 45 cm. The length, width and height of the feed trough box are 25 x 20 x 8 cm. On one side of the front bottom edge of the fox cage, cut 5 to 6 mesh wires from the lower end, and slightly bend the upper wire ends of the cut ends into the cage. When placing the feed trough box, just tilt the feed trough box slightly to smoothly put it into the cage. The water box should be hung on the front side of the fox cage.

The rack for placing fox cages can be made of square wood into a wooden rack 50 cm high and 60 cm wide front to back, or built with bricks at appropriate spacing. The rack must be sturdy, then place the fox cages on it and fix them.

2.3 Whelping box

The whelping box can be made of wooden boards 2.0 cm thick or built with bricks. The specifications of the whelping box are 70 to 80 cm long, 45 cm wide and 50 cm high, with the middle divided into inner and outer chambers. The inner chamber is a 45 x 45 cm square, with a movable cover on top. The outer chamber is a passage, and the inner chamber is used for giving birth. Before giving birth, it is best to spread the inner chamber into a concave shape (a relatively low-slope hemispherical shape). Both the inner and outer chambers have a 20 x 20 cm passage for foxes to enter and exit. The passage opening of the inner chamber should preferably be lower. The wooden boards used to make the whelping box should be smooth, and the joints of the wooden boards should have as few gaps as possible. If there are gaps, paste them tightly with paper or cloth.

To ensure the safety and quietness of the fox farm, a 1.8 m high perimeter wall should be built around the fox farm, and fast-growing poplars should be planted around it and inside the farm, which beautifies the environment, prevents wind, and also creates a better climate zone for the fox farm.

Outsiders should be strictly prohibited from entering the farm as much as possible, and disinfection equipment should be provided at the farm gate and the entrances and exits of the production area.