Abstract
The effects of addition of evening primrose oil (EPO) to a mink diet in the breeding season on the reproductive performance and kit and female performance during the lactation period were investigated in an experiment with 4 groups of male and female mink. Matings were carried out so that control males were mated to both control and supplemented females. Similarly, supplemented males mated both control and supplemented females. Reproductive results were evaluated both on a group basis and as an effect of male or female treatment, respectively. After males supplemented with EPO, there was a tendency for reduced rate of stillborn kits and kit losses during the first 21 days of life. These effects could not be explained physiologically. Female treatment did not affect reproductive performance, but there was a tendency for lower weight losses during lactation for EPO-supplemented females. Kit performance during the lactation period was independent of experimental treatment.
Sammanfattning
Inverkan av tillsats av jättenattljusolja till en foderblanding för mink under reproduktionsperioden på reproduktionsresultat, valptillväxt och honornas viktutveckling under laktationsperioden har undersökts i ett försök med 4 grupper av mink. Kontrollhanar parades med såval kontrollhonor som supplementerade honor. På motsvarande sätt parade supplementerade hanar både kontrollhonor och supplementerade honor. Reproduktionsresultaten utvär-derades såväl gruppvis som i relation till hanarnas resp. honornas försöksbehandling. Det fanns en tendens till sänkt frekvens valpar registrerade som dödfödda och valpförluster de 21 första levnadsdygnen efter supplementerade hanar. Dessa effekter kunde ej förklaras fysiologiskt. Honornas försöksbehandling inverkade ej på reproduktionsresultatet, men det fanns en tendens till mindre viktförluster under digivningsperioden för supplementerade honor. Valptillväxten under försöksperioden var oberoende av försöksbehandlingen.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous: Amtsblatt der Europäischen Gemeinschaften L 279. 17 Official Journal of the European Communities L 279. 1971, p 995.
Brush MG: Nutritional approaches to the treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Nutrition and Health. 1983, 2, 203–209.
Cunnane SC: Foetal mortality in moderately zinc-deficient rats is strictly related to the process of parturition: effect of maternal essential fatty acid supplementation. Brit. J. Nutr. 1982, 47, 495–504.
Cunnane SC, Horrobin DF, Sella GE: Effect of essential fatty acid supplementation in rats maintained on dietary zinc deficiency. Trace Substances in Environmental Health. 1979, 13, 332–338.
Einarsson EJ: The time of increase in plasma progesterone during pregnancy in mink (Mustela vison). Theriogenology. 1985, 24, 375–383.
Elofson L, Lagerkvist G, Gustafsson H, Einarsson S: Mating systems and reproduction in mink. Acta agric, scand. 1989, 39, 23–41.
Enders RK: Reproduction in the mink (Mustela vison). Proc. Amer. Soc. 1952, 96, 691–755.
Eneroth P: Personal communication. 1986.
Friend DW, Crampton EW: The need for supplementary dietary fat by breeding mink fed rations containing cod fish products. J. Nutr. 1961, 73, 317.
Hansson A: The physiology of reproduction in mink (Mustela vison, schreb.) with special reference to delayed implantation. Acta Zool. 1947, 28, 1–136.
Henriksen P, Hansen M: Minkavlerne i Danmark vil i år miste 600.000 hvalpe inden fravaennin. (The Danish mink farmers will loose 600.000 mink kits before weaning this year). Dansk Pelsdyravl 1985, 48, 263–265.
Horrobin DF: The importance of gamma-linolenic acid and prostaglandin E, in human nutrition and medicine. J. holistic Med. 1981, 45, 118–139.
Horrobin DF: The role of essential fatty acids and prostaglandins in the premenstrual syndrome. J. reprod. Med. 1983, 28, 465–468.
Jarosz S, Barteczko J: Influence of diets containing fish, meat by-products and various quality fat on the growth rate, fur quality and fertility in mink. Proc. 1st Int. Congr. on fur animal production, Helsinki, 1976, 8 pp.
Martinet L, Allain D, Meunier M: Regulation in pregnant mink (Mustela vison) of plasma progesterone and prolactin concentrations and regulation of onset of the spring moult by daylight ratio and melatonin injections. Can. J. Zool. 1983, 61, 1959–1963.
Melier OM: The progesterone concentration in the peripheral plasma of the mink (Mustela vison) during pregnancy. J. Endocr. 1973, 56, 121–132.
Morris JG, Rogers QR: Comparative aspects of nutrition and metabolism of dogs and cats. In: (eds.) Burger IH, Rivers JPW: Nutrition of the dog and cat. Waltham symposium 7. Cambridge University Press. 1989, 35–66.
Murphy BD, Concannon PW, Travis HF, Hansel W: Prolactin: The hypophyseal factor that terminates embryonic diapause in mink. Biol. Reprod. 1981, 25, 487–491.
Opstvedt J: Fish fats. In: (ed. Wiseman, J.). Fats in animal nutrition, Butterworths, London, 1984, 53–81.
Papke RL, Concannon PW, Travis HF, Hansel W: Control of luteal function and implantation in the mink by prolactin. J. Anim. Sci. 1980, 50, 1102–1107.
Rimeslåtten H: Normer for protein, fett og kullhydrater i fôret til mink. (Standards for protein, fat and carbohydrate in mink diets). Nord. Jordbr.forskn., Suppl. II, 1964, 483–486.
SAS Institute Inc. SAS User’s Guide: statistics, 1982 Edition. SAS Institute Inc., Cary N.C. 1982, 584 pp.
Tauson A-H: Effects of flushing on reproductive performance, ovulation rate, implantation rate and plasma progesterone levels in mink. Acta agric, scand. 1985, 35, 295–309.
Tauson A-H: Flushing of mink. Effects of level of preceding feed restriction and length of flushing period on reproductive performance. Anim. reprod. Sci. 1988 a, 17, 243–250.
Tauson A-H: Varied energy concentration in mink diets. 2. Effects on kit growth performance, female weight changes and water turnover in the lactation period. Acta agric, scand. 1988 b, 38, 231–242.
Tauson A-H, Aldén E: Pre-mating body weight changes and reproductive performance in female mink. Acta agric. scand. 1984, 34, 177–187.
Tauson A-H, Forsberg M: Effect of evening primrose oil as food supplement on reproduction in the blue fox. Acta vet. scand. 1991, 32, 345–351.
Tauson A-H, Gustafsson H, Jones I: Flushing of mink. Effect on plasma progesterone, plasma estradiol, implantation rate nad reproductive performance. Acta agric. scand. 1988, 38, 421–432.
Venge O: Reproduction in the mink. Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Yearbook 1973, 95–146.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tauson, AH., Neil, M. & Forsberg, M. Effect of Evening Primrose Oil as Food Supplement on Reproduction in the Mink. Acta Vet Scand 32, 337–344 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546963
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546963