Transcript Management - Mink Research Library

FCUSA Annual Meeting 2008
Societal
Threats and Challenges
07.31.2008
Sherwood Hill, Logan Canyon, Utah
Peter Sandbøl
Research Manager
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center – Kopenhagen Fur
Presentation Plan
Introduction to the Speaker:
Who, Where and What
Societal Threaths and Challenges:
Ethics:
Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
Stereotypies - Domesticaiton
Environment:
Nutrient Losses
Smell Emmission
Flies
What
is ..
Kopenhagen Fur is a cooperative association owned by
1,900 Danish fur breeders in Dansk Pelsdyravlerforening
Magazines
Research
Consultancy
service
Veterinary service
Breeding
programs
Feed control
Auction house
Who
Alias
Research Manager
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Father
Grand Father
Great Grand Father
Alias Honorary Chief Eastern Star
of the Winnebagos / Ho-Chunks
Son
Peter Sandbøl
Where - Denmark
Mink farms: 1700
Farm size: 1500 females
Breeding females: 2,6 mill
Fox farms: 35
Breeding females: 3.000
Chinchilla:
Breeding females: 12.000
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
2370 Females:
1770 Brown/Glow
600 Black
About 12,500 – 13,000 pelts/year
2 stables for balance trials:
1 with 48 balance cages
1 with 36 modified farm cages
A total of 11-12 Employes
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Research
Manager
Secretary
Students
Research
Leader
Stables
Research
Assistant
Research
Leader
Farm
Ressearch
Technician
Farm
Assistant
Farm
Manager
Feed
Kitchen
Manager
Research
Worker
Research
Worker
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Danish Fur Breeders Research Center
Where
External Partners
PFC
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
Technical University of Denmark
What
External Focus Areas
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
Behaviour, Welfare & Health
Breeding, Genetics & Reproduction
(Nutrition & Physiology)
Genomics
Nutrition & Physiology
Health (Viral Research)
Behaviour
Technical University of Denmark
Health
Health (Astro virus)
Testing and Investigations on Farm Level
What
Own Focus Areas
Nutrient Requirements and Balances
Nutritional Related Diseases and
Testing of Feed Ingredients
Protein/Amino Acids
Fat / Fatty Acids
Minerals
Vitamins
Carbohydrates
Salt
Biotin
Starch
What
Behaviour
&
Welfare
Management
Health
&
Disease
Breeding
&
Genetics
Nutrition
&
Physiology
What
Behaviour
&
Welfare
Environment
Management
Production
Systems
Health
&
Disease
Ethics
Breeding
&
Genetics
Nutrition
&
Physiology
Feed
Ingredients
Presentation Plan
Introduction to the Speaker:
Who, Where and What
Societal Threaths and Challenges:
Ethics:
Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
Stereotypies - Domestication
Environment:
Nutrient Losses
Smell Emmission
Flies
Ethics
Behaviour
&
Welfare
Breeding
&
Genetics
Management
Ethics
Production
Systems
Health
&
Disease
Feed
Ingredients
Nutrition
&
Physiology
New Legislation
First Danish order on fur animals in effect last year.
Based on EU recommendations.
Contains regulations regarding:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Biological characteristics
Behavioural needs
Cage designs
Management procedures
Subjects
Biological characteristics of the farmed mink
Behavioural needs
Occupational materials
Empty cages between breeding females
Social housing
Winter feeding
Selection against fearful mink
Status of the welfare of the farmed mink
Conclusion
The biological characteristics
Improved production capacity
Reduced fear
1957:
Females 950 g
Males 1600 g
1969:
Barren females: 18 %
Kits / mated female: 3,5
2007:
Barren females: 8 - 9 %
Kits / mated female: 5,0 – 5,5
Females: 1600 g
Males: 3000 g
Brain Weight
Wild
Ranch
Reduction
9.11 grams
8.38 grams
-10.6 %
The behavioural needs (1993)
”The five freedoms”

Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition

Appropriate comfort and shelter

Prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment of injury and disease

Freedom to display most normal patterns of behaviour

Freedom from fear
Characteristics of behavioural needs
All individuals perform the behaviour
Denying the animal to perform the behaviour induces a state of chronic
stress
The behaviour is primarily internally motivated and performed even in
the absence of the required stimuli (vacuum activity)
The behaviour is performed at an abnormally high rate when the animal
is eventually allowed to perform the behaviour after a period of
deprivation (rebound effect)
The display has in itself rewarding properties (endorphins)
Swimming water: not a behavioural need
Not all mink use swimming water
Mink don’t increase use after deprivation
Access has no effect on:
1.
2.
3.
4.
stereotypic behaviour,
fur chewing,
anticipatory behaviour,
does not unambiguously decrease the level of cortisol
Behavioural priorities
Mink are willing to work for access to swimming
water as well as access to a running wheel
Use of water seems related to foraging/explorative
behaviour, but does not seem to be an ”innate”
or biological need.
Occupational materials
Straw
•Manipulate
•Nest-building
•Insulation
Occupational materials
Shelf or tube attached to ceiling
•
•
Rest or look-out
Refuge from the male and the kits
Occupational materials
Tubes and chewing materials (ropes)
•
Reduce stereotypies, fur chewing and cortisol Level
Cage area
Doubling of the standard cage area has:
No effect on
stereotypies,
fur chewing or
the cortisol level
Empty cage between breeding females
Improves reproduction
No effect on reproduction,
but the females are less out
in the cage
Weaned kits (N)
8
*
*
6
4
Less stereotypies and less
interaction between females
2
0
Catching is stressful to the
females
1998
(Overgaard, 1999)
1999
Year
Group housing/family housing
Increased aggression
No increase in play behaviour
Increases the number of mink with bite-marks
Reduced possibility of inspection of the individual mink
Restricted feeding prohibited
Except 8 days prior to mating
Flushing:

14 days of restricted feeding followed by ad lib increases number of
ovulated and implanted eggs.
Slimming:

effect on reproduction

increases anticipatory activity prior to feeding and
the development of stereotypies

can be done without increasing stereotypies
by use of low energy feed
Effects of individual feeding and low energy feed on stereotypies
continue to be studied
Restricted feeding prohibited
Except 8 days prior to mating
Slimming: Effect on reproduction
20. - 25. of February
Kits alive pr. female
6,5
6
5,5
5
4,5
4
3,5
1
2
3
4
5
4
5
Body score
20. March - 1. April
Kits alive pr. female
6.2
6
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.2
5
4.8
1
2
3
body score
Selection against fearful mink
Fear is a natural behaviour
%
100
The threshold value for
showing fear is changed by
selection
80
60
40
20
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Generations
Commercial breeding programmes for
behavioural selection are available:
Fearful, Control, Confident.
Status of the welfare of the farmed mink
The farmed mink is domesticated
Farmed mink live accordance with their natural
behaviour
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Mate naturally
Give birth only once a year
Weaning at 8 weeks of age
Litter is split up gradually
Young mink are kept in pairs (male + female)
Adult mink are kept individually
Status of the welfare of the farmed mink
Cage size ensures performance of specific
behavioural elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Move freely
Groom themselves
Lie down, curl up to sleep, stretch their limbs
Withdraw to their nestbox to rest or use shelf or tube
Permanent access to straw and shelf or tube
Status of the welfare of the farmed mink
Abnormal behaviour
1.
2.
3.
4.
Stereotypic behaviour is rare in young mink
Stereotypies are primarily seen during winter and are
primarily related to feeding time
Fur chewing is hereditary and the occurrence has
been reduced
Fur chewing can be further reduced by use of
occupational materials for chewing and pulling
Status of the welfare of the farmed mink
Empty cage between females
1.
2.
Peace and quietness during the sensitive period
However, in practice it means catching the females
once more
Killing
1.
2.
3.
At the cages
Quick and painless
Transport is not necessary
Status of the welfare of the farmed mink
Health
1.
2.
3.
Generally the health of the mink is good
The extent and intensity of welfare problems are low
The standard cage system makes it possible to
monitor the animals
Group housing
1.
2.
3.
Reduces the possibilities of monitoring the individual
mink
No positive effect on mink welfare
Increases aggression and the occurrence of bitemarks
Conclusion on Ethics
The welfare of mink kept in standard cages is good
The new order has improved the welfare of the mink
further in relation to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Occupational materials
Selection for confident temperament
Limited restrictive feeding
Increased peace and quietness during the nursing
period.
Conclusion on Ethics
However, not all the regulations are unambiguously
positive for the welfare of the mink.



Catching/moving the females once more
Can the often fat breeding animals be brought into a
proper condition in 8 days ?
Group housing reduces the welfare of the mink
Further studies




Occupation of the mink
Reduced aggression in groups of mink
Individual feeding
Low-energy feed without the mink feeling hungry
Presentation Plan
Introduction to the Speaker:
Who, Where and What
Societal Threaths and Challenges:
Ethics:
Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
Stereotypies - Domestication
Environment:
Nutrient Losses
Smell Emission
Flies
Environment
The Environmental Agenda is
Outlined by Society!
1.Nutrient Losses
2.Smell Emission
3.Flies
Environment
Production
systems
Breeding
&
Genetics
Management
Environment
Feed
Ingredients
Nutrition
&
Physiology
Loss of Nutrients
1. Norms
2. Balance
a. – Nitrogen leaching
b. – Ammonia evaporation
3. Adjustment possibilities
Norms
Norm for N, ab dyr.
1999
2003
2005
g delivered with the feed
4923
5420
5749
394
434
460
4529
4986
5289
g deposited in body, skin and hair
332
351
386
g excreted in faeces and og urine
4197
4635
4903
679
748
899
g in urine
3518
3887
4004
Norm: g ab animal pr dam
4591
5069
5363
Norm: g ab animal pr pelt
857
959
983
g in feed spillage
g eaten
g in faeces
Model for N and P Emmission
Manure
Feed Spillage
100 % N
100 % P
25 % N
20 % N
26 % N
48 % P
7%N
26 % N
48 % P
65 % N
52 % P
Feed Spillage
8%N
8%P
40 % N
38 % P
28 % N
48 % P
Model for N and P Emmission
Liquid Manure
Feed Spillage
100 % N
100 % P
2%N
19 % N
40 % N
23 % P
10 % N
54 % N
71 % P
65 % N
52 % P
Feed Spillage
8%N
8%P
13 % N
15 % P
25 % N
65 % P
Model for N and P Emmission
Feed Spillage
100 % N
100 % P
19 % N
Feed Spillage
8%N
8%P
With Gutter and Weekly Emptying
40 % N
23 % P
13 % N
15 % P
54 % N
71 % P
Feed Spillage
100 % N
100 % P
11 % N
Feed Spillage
8%N
8%P
With Gutter and Daily Emptying
32 % N
23 % P
13 % N
15 % P
62 % N
71 % P
Ammonia Evaporation
32
68
77
41
50 59
68
Temperature, F
Emptying every 3-4 days
77
32
41
50 59
Temperature, F
Emptying daily
32
41
50 59
68
Temperature, F
Emptying every other day
32
41
50 59
68 77
Temperature, F
Emptying every 5, 6 or 7 days
77
Possibilities
Actions to reduce environmental load:
Breeding – Selection for:
1. Better feed conversion
2. Larger litter size at pelting
3. Shorter production period
a. Later birth
b. Earlier pelting
Nutrition:
1. Optimised feed composition
Management:
1. Reduce feed spillage
2. Utilise compensatory growth ?
3. Optimise the winter feeding
Possibilities
1. Better Feed Conversion
Male + Female
3 kg LWG
Feed Consumption
kg
Feed Efficiency
kg LWG / kg Feed
Highest 25 %
64
0.047
Lowest 25 %
46
0.065
Difference
18
0.022
2.
Larger Litter Size at Pelting - Mortality:
Birth to Pelting:
20-30 %
Birth to 4 days:
10-25 %
Dead born kits weighing 4.8-9.3 grams
Heritability for Feed Efficiency: 0.30
3.
Later Birth – Earlier Pelting
Time of birth is hereditary
Time of pelting varies.
Week
Possibilities
Actions to reduce environmental load:
Breeding – Selection for:
1. Better feed conversion
2. Larger litter size at pelting
3. Shorter production period
a. Later birth
b. Earlier pelting
Nutrition:
1. Optimised feed composition
Management:
1. Reduce feed spillage
2. Utilise compensatory growth ?
3. Optimise the winter feeding
Protein Requirement
Is an extreme simplification
The requirement is for Amino Acids
AA’s with a certain balance

an Amino Acid Profile
Principle for Nitrogen Metaboslism
(Protein /Amino Acid)
N for Maintenance
N for Production: Growth
Fur
Foetus
Milk
N in Feed
N in Urine
N in faeces
Digestibility Coefficient: DC = (N in Feed - N in Faeces) / N in Feed
”Biological Value”: BV = (Digested N – N in Urine) / Digested N*100
Effect of Digestibility
% Digested
81
83
85
87
89
5166
5042
4923
4810
4702
413
403
394
385
376
4753
4638
4529
4425
4326
332
332
332
332
332
g excreted
4421
4306
4197
4093
3994
g in faeces
903
789
679
575
476
g in urine
3518
3518
3518
3518
3518
g ex animal
4834
4710
4591
4478
4370
Loss in g
1088
1060
1033
1008
983
Ex stable, g
3746
3650
3558
3470
3387
75
73
71
69
68
3672
3577
3487
3401
3319
g in feed
g in spillage
g eaten
g deposited
Storage loss g
Spread, g
Feed Composition – ”BV”
Urine N in % of Digested N
%
85,0
80,0
75,0
70,0
65,0
60,0
55,0
1
2
3
4
Feed
5
6
7
Skrede, (1978)
pr
ug
D
ov
ct
ec
N
O
Se
pt
id
id
M
M
A
M
a
St
ar j
tj
un
M
i
id
Ju
ne
La
te
Ju
ne
Ea
rly
Ju
ly
M
id
Ju
li
A
Ja
nFe
b
Protein in Danish Mink Feed
MEP
60
50
40
30
FC
Recommended
20
10
0
Norms
Norm = Requirement + Safety Margin
Basis for norm = Best Available Knowledge
A norm is dynamic
Effect of Nitrogen Reduction
N-reduction, %
0
4
8
10
12
16
20
5000
4800
4600
4500
4400
4200
4000
400
384
368
360
352
336
320
4600
4416
4232
4140
4048
3864
3680
332
332
332
332
332
332
332
g excreted
4268
4084
3900
3808
3716
3532
3348
g in faeces
690
662
635
621
607
580
552
g in urine
3578
3422
3265
3187
3109
2952
2796
g ex animal
4668
4468
4268
4168
4068
3868
3668
Loss in g
1050
1005
960
938
915
870
825
Ex stable g
3618
3463
3308
3230
3153
2998
2843
72
69
66
65
63
60
57
3545
3393
3242
3166
3090
2938
2786
g in feed
g in feed spillage
g eaten
g deposited
Storage Loss g
Spread g
Nutrient Loss - Growers
g/animal/day
Urine N at Different Protein Content in the
Feed
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
% ME from Protein
Skrede, (1978)
Nutrient Loss - Growers
Urine N
gram N
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
24
29
% ME from Protein
34
Hejlesen, (2001)
Nutrient Loss - Growers
N in faeces and urine in the growing period
90
80
70
60
% 50
40
30
20
10
0
% Faeces N
% Urine N
8.-14. July 25.-31. Aug. 9.-15. Nov.
Einarsson & Enggaard, (2000)
58:34:08
47:38:15
39:35:26
Faeces
Urine
Feed
Faeces
Urine
Feed
Faeces
Urine
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Feed
gN
Nutrient Loss - Lactation
250
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
g Milk
200
150
100
50
0
Mælk
Protein
ox.
58:34:08
Mælk
Protein
ox.
47:38:15
Mælk
Protein
ox.
39:35:26
% of Heat production
Lactation
Weaning
Kit Weight at 8 Weeks
gram
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
717
649
542
510
Males
Females
59
40
% ME from Protein
Protein Level
Energy Distribution in the Tested Feeds
Percent ME from:
Protein
Fat
Carbohydrates
14.9
54.0
31.1
19.0
53.8
27.2
26.7
52.0
21.3
DM, %
38.9
38.0
38.9
201.6
193.9
188.0
ME, Kcal/100 g
Protein Level
Urine N i response to digested N
at three levels of ME from protein
Urine N, g/day
4
3
2
1
1
2
3
Digested N, g/day
14.9% Protein
19.0% Protein
26.7% Protein
4
Possibilities
Actions to reduce environmental load:
Breeding – Selection for:
1. Better feed conversion
2. Larger litter size at pelting
3. Shorter production period
a. Later birth
b. Earlier pelting
Nutrition:
1. Optimised feed composition
Management:
1. Reduce feed spillage
2. Utilise compensatory growth ?
3. Optimise the winter feeding
Feed Spillage
Feed spillage in July
Feed spilllage, %
30
20
%
% Feed spillage
30
20
10
10
0
33
0
1992
1994
1996
Year
1998
2000
35
38
Week
41
43
Compensatory Growth?
Average Weight
3,000
Weight in grams
2,500
2,000
Late Born Males
Early Born Males
1,500
Late Born Females
Early Born Females
1,000
500
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
Age in Weeks
19
21
23
25
27
Conclusion
Relevant measures to reduce nutrient loss
must be based on
a total economic evaluation
including a.o.:
1. Alternative feed ingredients
2. Price for land
3. Alternativ deposition / utilisation
Environment
The Environmental Agenda is
Outlined by Society!
1.Nutrient Losses
2.Smell Emission
3.Flies
Smell Emission
Reduce the amount of
Sulphur containing Ingredients
in the feed: (Feathers – Sulphuric Acid)
Add relevant ”smell reducers”
To the feed and / or the manure
Smell Emmision
Waste Management: It's About Thyme
Thymol is the acktive compound in thyme oil, which
can be extracted from herbs like thyme and oregano.
Thymol is used in i.e. tooth paste, mouth wash products a.o.
In cattle manure thymol reduces the concentrationen of
Foul smelling fatty acids and coliform bacteria
Environment
The Environmental Agenda is
Outlined by Society!
1.Nutrient Losses
2.Smell Emission
3.Flies
Flies
Optimize the present management strategy
Develop new and better management strategies
Use alternatives to traditional insecticides
Flies
Alternative Insecticides?
Glucosinolates
Produced in brassica species, i.e. rape seed.
When the plant is destroyed, they are hydrolysed
to, i.e. isothiocyanates, thiocyanates and nitrils.
These are poisonous against a range of pathogenes,
like nematodes, bacteria, fungus, and insects.
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