Abstract
From 2009 till 2011 Edelveen has looked into the effect of the number of active mammary nipples on kit survival, kit growth and the heritability of mammary nipples. The projects showed the significant negative correlation in kit mortality between birth and 3 weeks of age. There is a clear variation in number of active mammary nipples in the total population. The repeatability of nipples is high. The correlation between mammary nipples and litter size is not strong. Females with 8 or 9 active mammary nipples had kits with a higher weight at 7 weeks of age and those females lost less weight between 3 and 7 weeks in lactation. The variation in number of nipple dots at kits of 2 weeks of age is high (6 to 11). The dots are strongly correlated with the number of mammary nipples of the mother and father. Nipple dots develop into active mammary nipples when the female has kits. The number of active mammary nipples is genetic correlated and showed a high heritability. Selection on number of active nipples is effective and helps the female mink in nursing their kits and results in a better welfare in mink.
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References
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© 2012 Wageningen Academic Publishers The Netherlands
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De Rond, J., van Willigen, F.C.K. (2012). Benefit of high number of active mammary nipples in mink. In: Larsen, P.F., et al. Proceedings of the Xth International Scientific Congress in fur animal production. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-760-8_43
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-760-8_43
Publisher Name: Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen
Online ISBN: 978-90-8686-760-8
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