The new fur animal departmental order includes several new regulations regarding breeding, production and housing of mink and foxes. Some of the rules are based on well-documented research results regarding animal behaviour.

The new fur animal departmental order took effect this year. It includes several changes and new concepts compared to previous recommendations and laws. Many of the new rules are related to new knowledge about fur animal behaviour. Senior scientist Steffen W. Hansen from the Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF) at the University of Aarhus will throw light on and explain some of these concepts at a meeting about mink and the new departmental order on 18 September 2007 at DJF’s Research Centre Foulum.

In this regard it is important to consider the difference between desire and need.

- You might desire an ice cream, but that is not the same as having a requirement for it. In the same way there is a difference between animals’ desires and needs, says senior scientist Steffen W. Hansen, who with his animal behaviour studies works on shedding light on the true requirements of fur animals. One of the important ways this knowledge can be used is as a basis for well-documented legislation in the area.

For example, it has been proven that fur nibbling in mink can be reduced if they have other things to occupy themselves with. In the new departmental order there is a rule that says that mink must have straw and either a shelf or a tube in the cage permanently. However, there is no exact definition of the dimensions of the tube or its location in the cage.

If the tube lies loosely in the cage it acts as an object to play with and studies show that it in that case it can reduce fur nibbling. A tube hung from the ceiling of the cage can be used by the mink for escape from other mink in the cage, for rest, and as a lookout point. Studies show that if there is a combination of a tube hung from the ceiling and a rope to bite, then there is reduced fur nibbling and less stress as measured by stress hormones and stereotypies.

Animal behaviour can be hereditary. Studies from DJF show that you can select for inquisitive and fearful animals, respectively. The new departmental order says that the use of fearful animals for breeding purposes is not permitted, and that efforts to breed trusting and healthy animals should be part of the breeding strategy.

At the meeting Steffen W. Hansen will also explain the rules regarding winter feeding and the behavioural aspects of the rules that say that there must be an empty cage between breeding females .

The programme for the meeting (in Danish) can be found on the faculty website www.agrsci.dk.

For more information please contact: Senior scientist Steffen W. Hansen, Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, telephone: +45 8999 1326, e-mail: SteffenW.Hansen@agrsci.dk

Text: Janne Hansen

Photo: Jesper Clausen