Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the leptin concentration and body weight of mink females on the birth parameters of their kits. Blood samples were collected 3 times during preparation for reproduction, 7±2 days before mating. Total leptin concentration in serum was measured using commercial RIA kits (Millipore, St. Charles, Missouri USA). Research was conducted on 20 clinically healthy scanbrown female minks (Neovison Vison) aged 2-3 years. To evaluate their body condition, the females were divided into two groups based on the BCS scoring system. In the first group, referred to as BCS 2, lean females were included, and the second group (BCS 4) consisted of obese females. In mink dams belonging to BCS 2, the average leptin values were one-fourth of those in the BCS 4 group. The results obtained indicate the influence of the body mass of minks during preparation for reproduction on serum leptin concentration. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed a statistically significant difference between weights and leptin concentrations in groups BCS 2 and BCS 4. Among the other traits, such differences were not found. The analysis of results obtained in the two mink groups did not reveal a clear relationship between leptin in the serum of mothers before mating and the birth parameters of their kits.
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