The effect of microclimatic parameters and the birth date on the number of Mahogany mink kits born and reared |
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| Authors: | N. Święcicka H. Bernacka |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Faculty of Animal Breeding and Biology, Department of Sheep, Goat and Fur Animal Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Mazowiecka 28, Bydgoszcz 85-084, Polandswiecicka@utp.edu.pl;3. Faculty of Animal Breeding and Biology, Department of Sheep, Goat and Fur Animal Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Mazowiecka 28, Bydgoszcz 85-084, Poland |
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| Abstract: | AbstractThe objective of the study was to determine the number of Mahogany kits born and reared under changing microclimatic conditions on the farm. We found a significant influence of air temperature and relative humidity on the reproduction of Mahogany minks. Due to low temperature and high relative humidity during that period (20–25 April), the percentage of dead kits in a litter was the highest (13.7%), and the percentage of kits reared was the lowest at 76.2%, as compared to 87.8–94.2% in other periods. We established that the later a birth occurred, the lower the number of kits in the litter. We observed that as temperature was increased and relative humidity was decreased, the percentage of dead kits in a litter became lower. The negative effect of high relative humidity on the reproduction results was confirmed by negative values of the correlation between humidity and the number of kits born and reared. |
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| Keywords: | Mink reproduction rates microclimate air temperature relative air humidity |
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