Detailed Explanation of Color Fox Breeding Technology, Mastering the Key Points of Color Fox Farming

Foxes are canids, divided into two genera. The genus Vulpes includes the silver fox (i.e. silver-black fox), red fox, and color fox; the genus Alopex includes the blue fox and colored arctic fox. Color foxes and colored arctic foxes are mutant varieties arising from coat color variation, because fox coat color variation occurs under natural conditions, and the general mutation rate is only one in one hundred thousand or one in one million. Rarity makes things precious, and a single high-quality color fox pelt sells for as much as several thousand US dollars. Foreign research and farming of color foxes has a history of over 50 years, and currently there are more than 30 color types of color foxes. In order to develop China's color fox farming industry as quickly as possible, in addition to fully utilizing the limited color fox population, strengthening feeding management, increasing the reproduction rate, and expanding the color fox population, the following measures are recommended: 1. Give play to the breeding role of existing male color foxes, improve the utilization rate of male color foxes, and mate male color foxes with red fox and silver fox females to expand and breed color foxes. For example: mating a platinum fox with a red fox produces offspring of which 50% are golden glow foxes and 50% are standard cross foxes; mating a platinum fox with a silver fox can produce 50% platinum foxes and 50% silver foxes. Under natural conditions, one male fox can mate with 4 to 6 female foxes. If artificial insemination technology is used, one male fox can mate with about 50 female foxes. Therefore, those introducing breeding stock should introduce more male color foxes, should not easily kill them for pelts, and should fully utilize the reproductive capacity of male color foxes. 2. Use silver foxes or red foxes containing different genes for mating to obtain variant color foxes. Since 1988, farms in China have begun raising silver foxes, and over the years they have continuously introduced new bloodlines, causing the original population to contain multiple genotypes, and among the offspring produced, color foxes of color types such as pearl, amber, and chocolate have appeared.