Abstract
The influence of time of weaning on weight changes, and on hormone and electrolyte status in domestic mink (Mustela vison) dams raising at least five kits per litter was examined. The kits were weaned at either day 42 (group 1) or day 49 (group 2) after birth. The dams were weighed and urine and blood were sampled from day 29 to day 56 after delivery. A considerable loss of dams' body weight, constituting 6.3% in group 1 and 8.1% in group 2, was noticed on the day after weaning, indicating a greatly reduced food consumption on the day of weaning. No changes in plasma aldosterone and no significant decrease in urinary sodium concentration were seen in dams after removal from their litters, whereas, irrespective of time of weaning, urinary sodium and chloride concentrations were halved a few days after weaning compared with the other group. The plasma cortisol concentration was high before and during weaning and was nearly halved 1 week after weaning, implying less strain on the dams after weaning. It is concluded that the weaning period is a most vulnerable and stressful period to the dams irrespective of the actual time of weaning.
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Schedule a callMore From: Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A — Animal Science
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