Business ideas: growing mink. Key Features

2017-10-24 Igor Novitsky

In Russia, minks are known primarily as a source of valuable fur. Unlike other fur-bearing animals, the mink can be successfully bred in captivity and even used as a pet.

Who is a mink?

Mink is a small predator from the mustelid family, which makes them related to martens, otters, badgers and ferrets. Minks like to settle along the banks of rivers and large reservoirs, since the basis of their diet is fish, frogs and crayfish. However, the animal does not disdain small rodents and birds.

As a dwelling, the animal uses either its own dug holes, or someone else's. For example, an abandoned mink of a mole, a water rat, or even a low-lying hollow of a tree growing next to a pond will suit this role.

Today there are two species to which the name mink is applied - the American mink and the European mink. It's pretty close, but still certain types animals. They are very similar in appearance, lead a similar lifestyle, but do not interbreed in the wild, and therefore are ecological competitors to each other.

European minks have an elongated arched body and powerful short limbs. Average length body is 35-40 cm with a weight of just under 1 kg. Taking into account the tail, the length is up to 60 cm. There are interdigital membranes on the paws, which simplifies hunting in the aquatic environment. The skin is covered with dense fur with a thick undercoat that practically does not get wet. As a result, animals tolerate low temperatures, including cold water. The coat is dyed predominantly dark brown. A characteristic feature is also a white muzzle, thanks to which the mink in the photo always looks very funny.

Until the middle of the last century, the European mink was widespread throughout almost all of Europe, with the exception of the northwest and extreme south. However, to date, its habitat has narrowed to the Vologda and Arkhangelsk regions of Russia, as well as small isolated enclaves in Spain, Romania and the Baltic states.

The reasons for the disappearance of the animal from most of the historical range remain unclear, since not a single theory in this regard has been adequately confirmed. It is believed that urbanization and the spread of the American mink in Europe only spurred the extinction of the "European", but were not the original causes of this process.

American mink outwardly it is very similar to its European relative, but genetically it is closer to sables and martens. It is believed that "Americans" and "Europeans" arose as a species independently of each other (that is, they do not originate from a common ancestor), and external similarity is the result of evolution in identical habitat conditions.

The body length of the "American" reaches 60 cm, and taking into account the tail - 90 cm. The weight of an adult varies between 2-3 kg. Swimming membranes are poorly developed, but the fur cover is much thicker than that of the "Europeans" and is colored in black gray color. In addition to size, the key difference between the American mink and the European one is the color of the muzzle: in the “American” only the lower lip and chin are painted white, while in the “Europeans” the entire muzzle is white.

The historical range of this species is North America. Minks inhabit ¾ of the continent: they are absent only in the extreme northeast of Canada, the southwest of the USA, in Mexico and the countries of the Isthmus of Panama. When the industrial fur farming boom began in the 20th century, American minks were brought to Europe and the USSR for breeding in order to obtain valuable fur. The individuals that found themselves free at the same time quickly multiplied and occupied the ecological niche vacated during the extinction of the European mink. Today, American women "meet" everywhere in northern Europe and northern Asia, as well as in Japan.

The lifestyle and habits of the "American" are generally similar to the European mink, but due to their more massive body, they can hunt both small and relatively large prey, such as muskrats and even poultry.

domestic mink

Until the second half of XIX For centuries, there have been no serious attempts to domesticate minks. Only when fur hunting ceased to satisfy the growing demand for fur, mink, along with other fur animals, became the object of fur farming. A real boom began in the 20th century in the USSR, which was accompanied by the creation of huge fur farms, where, among other things, they began to breed the American mink.

The preference for the American mink in fur farming was given due to the fact that this animal produces better and more beautiful fur. Today, along with Russia, mink breeding is most actively carried out in Scandinavia and Canada. And although there are also fur farms in other European countries, the volume of fur production there is small. This is due to the fact that the highest quality and most expensive fur is given by animals grown in cold climates. The Russian, Canadian and Scandinavian mink are especially valued in the world.

In the second half of the 20th century, minks began to be used as pets. In apartments and private houses, instead of annoying cats and dogs, minks began to appear. With all the cuteness and amusingness of this animal, he did not go through the same long path of selection and adaptation to the conditions of coexistence with humans, like the same cats and dogs. In view of this, minks are much more difficult to educate, bring a lot of trouble when kept at home, and get along very poorly with other pets.

Minks tend to obey only one owner, ignoring or even being hostile to other family members, not to mention people who come to visit. Even ferrets, which are also not far from the wild, are much more obedient and friendly pets.

However, this does not mean that minks are completely unsuitable for home keeping. If you take a puppy at the earliest possible age and make every effort to educate him from the very beginning, he may well turn out to be a good-natured, cheerful and obedient domestic mink.

Mink: care and maintenance of a pet

As pet both European and American mink can be kept. However, due to the fact that the "European" is a rarer species and even listed in the Red Book, American minks are still more common.

By and large, the care and maintenance of a mink in an apartment is not much different from keeping a ferret. The only difference is that minks are very freedom-loving and perceive the content in the cage extremely negatively. This animal is quite easy to accustom to the tray, and in food it is not picky at all. Usually mink is fed with mixtures of rice or buckwheat porridge and minced meat. Any meat will do: poultry, fish, beef, pork. You can also use ready-made cat food.

Since minks have a fairly fast metabolism, they are mobile and active. The Internet is full of videos where the mink frolics and misbehaves. This is a really funny and cheerful animal, therefore, in order to minimize damage to the apartment, you need to equip a small “playground” for the beast in the apartment. It is also highly desirable to regularly take the animal for a walk.

At the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that while you are not at home, the pet will independently lay out your things there and in the form in which it is convenient for him. Sharp claws and a flexible body allow the mink to climb anywhere, including places where she herself can no longer get out. So during your absence, it is better to close the animal in a spacious cage or aviary.

Minks have a great passion for water, so you need to provide the animal with at least an imitation of a reservoir - a basin or a small personal bath. For this pleasure, the mink will be very grateful to you.

Like ferrets, minks have a noticeable specific smell. It is impossible to completely get rid of it, but by regularly cleaning it in the “nest”, it can be significantly reduced. To maintain the health of a domestic mink, it must be periodically vaccinated (especially if the mink often walks on the street) and dewormed.

10 rules for keeping a mink at home

For those who want to get a homemade mink, reviews and advice from experienced people will probably come in handy:

You need to take a mink only as a puppy (about a month old) and better than a male, since females are more aggressive. Taking the animal home, you need to constantly engage in its upbringing. If most of the day when you are at work, the animal will be left to its own devices and it will not work as a pet.
The quality of food affects the smell of an animal. Choose a diet for your mink that minimizes odor.
During the rut, the mink mother comes out of heat on her own, so females do not need to be sterilized. Males in the rut strongly mark the territory and often engage in sabotage - tearing up wallpaper, tearing linoleum, spoiling furniture. Educational measures are useless here, only sterilization.
Minks don't like cages very much. But since you can’t do without it at all, it’s better to give preference to the largest possible cage, in which the animal will not be cramped.
Minks are very fond of walks on a leash, if they have been accustomed to them since childhood.
The mink does not get along very well with other pets, including other minks. At the same time, the animal is very strong and aggressive, and therefore can easily cripple a cat or a small dog.
Also, mink should not be taken to a house where there are small children. How kids treat pets is well known. But unlike a dog or a cat, a mink will not dutifully endure bullying, but will immediately begin to bite. And she bites very hard.
To accustom a mink to a tray is no more difficult than a cat. But, unfortunately, many individuals actively mark the territory with urine and feces. If you are not ready to clean the room from strategically placed “mines” every day, it is better not to start a mink.
The mink is a very capricious and independent animal. This is not a cat that you can pick up at any time and squeeze until you get bored. The mink goes on hands only at own will.
The probability that, observing all the rules for raising and taming a mink, an evil and unfriendly beast will still grow out of it is quite high. Minks have not passed that thousand-year-old selection in which people purposefully bred obedient and friendly cats and dogs. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that the animal taken in the nursery may never become your friend.

The mink is one of the most valuable fur-bearing animals bred in captivity. She "supplies" the lion's share of the fur used in tailoring and other fur products. Everyone has heard the expression "mink coat" and "Pyatigorsk mink." It's just about these animals.

Today, according to various sources, mink provides about 70-80% of the world's demand for furs. Such a large market share is explained by the fact that among all fur-bearing animals, mink breeds best in captivity. The creation of a mink fur farm is fundamentally not much different from the organization of any other agricultural enterprise in the livestock industry. Here the main task of the entrepreneur is still the same - to create normal conditions for animals in cages, provide food, ensure communication between father and mother of minks for the production of children, establish a system for slaughtering animals and marketing finished products. FROM latest problems does not arise, since the demand for furs is very high.

The main feature and difference between the mink and other farm animals is that they are not herbivores, but predators. So you need to feed them not with grain and grass, but with meat. Also, an entrepreneur who wants to open a fur farm should keep in mind that the commodity characteristics of skins (furs) are directly related to the climatic zone in which the animals grew up. The farther north, the thicker and warmer fur the animals acquire. Accordingly, a mink farm located in the Arkhangelsk or Murmansk region will always be more profitable than a farm near Rostov or Astrakhan.

Varieties of fur minks

In the fur farms of Russia and other fur-bearing countries, exclusively American mink is bred, as it gives larger skins with fur. best quality. There are several main varieties of this animal:

Silver-blue mink. The most common variety of mink bred in captivity. Its number is about 40% of the world population (excluding wild minks).
Dark brown mink. In second place in terms of numbers. It makes up about a third of the world population. All other color groups of mink were bred on the basis of mutations and crosses of this group.
Black mink or jet. A dominant mutation bred in Canada in the 60s of the last century.
Sapphire mink. A hybrid of the Aleutian and silver-blue mink. It has a "blue" smoky color.
Pastel mink. It resembles a brown mink in color, but its fur shines with blue and is generally more beautiful.

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Recently, many subjects commercial activities prefer animal breeding. Although this kind of work is quite specific, for many it will become the basis of material support. It is worth noting that if you take into account all the nuances that are described in the regulatory framework, then you can easily achieve success in your field.

If we talk about animal husbandry as a type of business, then it is worth noting that the choice of the subject of breeding itself plays a central role in this matter. Today, every entrepreneur has the right to choose the type of animal that best suits him according to many criteria: the climate of the territory, the conditions of detention, etc.

In this article, we tried to reveal the basic rules for maintaining entrepreneurial activity, the subject of which will be mink. How to properly arrange such a business and how to breed such animals will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

Business pros and cons

Before deciding to open this kind of activity, it is imperative to familiarize yourself with the positive and negative aspects of such a business. After all, every activity has its pitfalls, even if it brings huge profits. This rule also applies to our situation.

So, we can highlight the following advantages:

The relevance of such a business. In this situation, we are talking about the fact that the activity itself is becoming popular in our time. The subject of breeding has a certain value and demand in the market. A huge number of clothing and accessories are made from the fur of such animals. Almost every woman dreams of a mink coat. Therefore, as practice shows, there are no problems with the sale of goods.
Ease of breeding. Compared to other animals whose main value is fur, the mink lives quite simply in an artificial environment. The most important thing is to correctly arrange the minimum conditions for the existence of the animal, and then it will not only feel free, but also multiply.

The disadvantages include:

Complicated preparation process. Before you start breeding animals, you need to prepare all the conditions for the possibility of such activities. It consists in making all the necessary legal parties such a question, and directly in the actual actions themselves to create conditions for the life of the mink.
In addition, such initial preparation is quite expensive. As a rule, the creation of premises for the life of furry animals requires a fairly substantial contribution.

Therefore, before finally deciding to engage in such a business, it is necessary to count all the strengths and weak sides this project. Based on the results of such actions, it is worth making a decision. If a start-up capital allows you to do everything quickly and efficiently - then there should be no doubt left.

Where should you start?

Everyone who has finally decided that the breeding of fluffy rodents will become the scope of his activity is wondering how to organize his business. In this situation, the answer is quite simple: every entrepreneur must write a business plan. Such a document fixes all the necessary provisions on the conduct of activities.

Competent drafting of the document will be the basis for a successful career. In order to write it, you can use two options:

independent creation;
the work of specialists.

Each business entity has the opportunity and the right to independently draw up step-by-step instructions for building their business. To do this, you need to clearly state what and why you need to do, how to act in a given situation. In addition, when creating a business plan, not only the main steps are described, but also all the nuances that require a specific solution in the task.

If an entrepreneur, due to certain circumstances, cannot independently draw up such a document, then he always has the opportunity to turn to specialists.

Today, there are a huge number of companies on the service market that, for a fee, can seamlessly create step-by-step instructions for building a business. In addition, they will not only describe all the actions in a template, but also take into account all the nuances that the entrepreneur himself will provide. The only disadvantage of the second option is that such works have their own price, which is not always affordable for a novice businessman.

Breeding animals

It is quite important to understand exactly how minks breed. There is only one possibility of breeding such animals - this is natural process their replenishment. In this situation, it is necessary to take into account all the basic rules for their reproduction and the features of such a process:

First of all, every entrepreneur must know that a mink can become a mother or father only after it reaches ten months. If the mating period of animals occurs before reaching this age, then it is best to place them in another room, because it is simply pointless to wait for replenishment from them.
The mating season itself falls in the month of March. It is during this period that minks increase their sexual activity, which leads to pregnancy in females. As a rule, babies are born after from the moment of conception it will take 2-2.5 months. At the same time, it is quite difficult to determine the pregnancy of a female. Only 10 days before giving birth, the female's tummy begins to grow.
During childbirth, about 6 puppies are born. They are all rather helpless, so the first 40 days always live with their mother. After this period, they can be transplanted into individual cages.

Room options

A huge number of questions arise about where it is better to breed minks. In principle, it is possible to do this at home, but not very convenient. Firstly, not always the area of the apartment allows you to place the required number of cells. Secondly, the residence of such an animal at home becomes not its breeding for the sake of business, but simply aesthetic satisfaction as a pet.

Therefore, most entrepreneurs who decide to breed these animals create special farms. Although they are not very whimsical, they still require certain conditions for maintenance.

First of all, for rodents it is necessary build special cages in which they will live permanently. An entrepreneur can independently make such houses. The most important thing here is to proceed from the fact that the size of the cells should be smaller size the animal itself.

If it is not possible to create a cage on your own, then it can always be purchased at specialized stores. As a rule, these are markets that sell a variety of pet products. A huge number of them place their entire range on the Internet, which greatly simplifies the task for each buyer.

Room equipment

It is also important to decide what exactly should be in such a cell. As each person equips his apartment or house, so any animal wants to improve its housing. In this situation, many devices are not needed for minks:

First of all, you need to deal with the base - the bedding of the cage. In most cases, hay is used. If we talk about houses for newborn babies, then it is best to use soft wood shavings.
In addition, you can combine cells with each other and create transitions. This will allow the animals to actively spend time.
Great importance must be devoted to "cutlery". In the corners of each cage you need to place containers for food and water. At the same time, they should stand in a place that will not only be easily accessible to a person, but also outside the place of activity of the animal itself.
If we talk about the recreation area, then the mink will choose it herself. From bedding or shavings, she paves her nest, where she then sleeps. The animal itself also determines the place where exactly its offspring will see the light.

Purchase, care and feeding

It is quite important to know where is the best place to buy animals for breeding. Today, such actions can be carried out on specialized farms for breeding such animals. It is best to go there on your own and make sure that the animals had a normal place of residence and were provided with everything necessary. This will give confidence that the health of the mink is normal, and there will be no problems with it. At the same time, it is best to choose animals from the entire range on your own.

If we talk about caring for minks, then it is worth noting that they are not squeamish. It will be enough that they are fed on time and the bedding changed.

Breeding requires special knowledge during the period when animals mate, special conditions are created that contribute to such a process. In this situation we are talking about the separation of individuals who are sexually mature from babies.

Special attention should be devoted to feeding. Here we must proceed from the fact that the mink itself is a carnivore, which in natural environment has a fairly varied diet. It must be taken into account when keeping the animal in artificial conditions.

The basis of the diet should be fresh meat, cereals, milk and fish. In no case should you feed these animals with waste. This will affect both their coat and overall health. If it is not possible to independently calculate the balance of nutrition, you can purchase food. To date, there is a huge range of food for minks, which greatly simplifies the procedure in terms of time and quality.

Sales channels

It is important to establish relationships with organizations to which the entrepreneur will sell products. As a rule, this fur factories. They gladly buy the wool they need.

If it is not possible to find a partner on your own, then you can always turn to intermediaries for help. Today, there are a huge number of companies in the service market that are engaged in establishing relations between the manufacturer and the distributor. The only negative is that such persons take a certain part of the profits.

Total Costs and Revenues

It is worth noting that this business is quite profitable. As practice shows, in just a few seasons, an entrepreneur can cover all his expenses for the initial opening of a business.

It all depends on how many individuals there are, and how quickly they reproduce. Here it should be noted that the skin of one animal costs from 100 to 200 dollars. Therefore, you yourself understand that the self-sufficiency of such a business is quite high.

Business video

The video provides valuable information about the content of these animals:

Animal farming has been a profitable and fast-paying business for many years. Considering the breeding of fur-bearing animals, this is not surprising. What young lady does not dream of a chic mink coat or hat? Fashion trends provide all the prerequisites for the development of this type of entrepreneurship. Plus, the price of fur is steadily growing every year.

Mink breeding as a business can be divided into two components: live sales and furs. Now it has become very popular to have this animal as a pet, like a cat or a dog. And products from it do not leave indifferent both women and men, showing their wealth and position. And who will refuse a coat or a mink hat.

Mink is a predator that needs proper care and food. It is on this that the quality of the fur and further products from it will depend.

Types of minks for breeding

There are many types of mink for breeding. The main ones are:

black;
sapphire;
grey-blue;
pastel;
american.

Mink is a beautiful and profitable animal to breed.

The black mink is the most common type of animal. For many years, its fur has been used to make fur coats, hats, bags and is used in great demand. Products are shiny and beautiful. Well, we must not forget that black is very practical to wear.

The American mink is well suited to farming and is the most ancient species of the animal. Color - the so-called standard or brown. For the price, the fur will be the most inexpensive among others. In terms of quality, it is no different from blue mink fur, it's all about quantity and prevalence.

Blue-gray and pastel mink are among the most expensive species. Although they have a fecundity of about 4 puppies, the price of their fur only increases. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that it is these minks that are recommended to be kept at home as a pet. They are the least aggressive and quickly get used to people.

The sapphire mink is an artificially bred animal. It can be bred as pets, and for the purpose of obtaining fur. It differs from the blue brother in a delicate ash shade. A fur coat from such an animal will cost an order of magnitude more expensive than from an American. It has a friendly character, but recognizes only one owner. Perfect replacement for a small dog in the house.

Keeping and feeding animals

Breeding mink at home can become not just a hobby, but a business, but for this you need to know the principles of keeping and feeding these animals in captivity.

First you need to decide on the place where the farm itself will be located. It is better to choose areas remote from the city - minks do not like noise. The number of animals depends only on financial possibilities. But females should be 70% of all heads.

For breeding mink, you need to order durable wooden houses

For a breeder, it is important to know the nature of the beast. It is not worth releasing a female and a male into an open area. At first, you need to take the animal in your hands with gloves to avoid injury.

Given that the mink is an aggressive animal, it needs a separate cage. They can be arranged horizontally or in two rows, forming the so-called sheds. The length can be completely different, it all depends on the number of animals that will live in it. Cells should not be drawn close, for this they are placed between them wooden partitions. From above, this entire structure is covered with tiles. Each shed looks like a separate face. Together, the sheds are covered with a canopy, which saves from rain and sun, but at the same time, the animal is, as it were, in the fresh air.

The mink's cage should be spacious and metal. The animal needs to move freely without feeling discomfort. It should not be less than 45 centimeters in height and about 115 in length. Each cell should contain the following items:

feeder;
drinker;
bathing water container;
house.

Read also: Breeding pheasants at home as a business

In the feeder at the mink, food should appear 1-2 times a day. It can be dairy products, fish, eggs and, of course, meat. We must not forget that this beast is a predator! All products must be fresh and preferably raw. Remember that vitamins and minerals will enter the body of the beast only from vegetables and cereals. They should not be processed. Feeding should be close to the natural habitat. A meat delicacy for a mink in captivity will be mice. You can buy them in pet stores, but it is better to grow them yourself.

Also, this beast will never give up chicken. You can give any part of it, even with bones. With regards to fish, you need to be extremely careful. Try to freeze this product before feeding. It should also dominate in the diet. It can be pollock, crucian carp, as well as any small fish. The animal will not disdain offal. Mink cereals can use any. If the animal refuses to eat them, then replace them with bone meal. With vegetables, things can get worse. Mink is a predatory animal, but this does not negate the fact that vitamins and minerals must be supplied to her body (especially for females). If the animal still refused to eat vegetables (it can be zucchini, carrots, beets), then buy vitamins or yeast.

Minks should be kept in strong metal cages with a small cell

Dairy products and eggs are pampering for the mink. She will like fat cottage cheese and milk. Adults are generally not fed with such food, but small predators must be fed with such products 2 times a week. They just need calcium for the formation of the skeleton and teeth. And the quality of the fur directly depends on how the animal eats.

The drinking bowl of the animal should always be filled with liquid. Since this animal is very nimble, it is desirable to fasten the drinker to the cage. The size of the tank should be larger than the muzzle of the animal. It may contain either pure water, or milk. Water must be changed once a day. And remember that the mink is an animal that loves to drink, the average consumption of drinking per day will be 0.5 liters. You can buy such a drinker at any pet store.

One of the main devices that should be in the cage is a bathing container. The mink is a very active animal by nature. All day long she can run or swim. Bathing - favourite hobby this furry animal. Water should be clean and moderately cold, but in no case hot! Such a pool can be made by hand or bought ready-made. It, like the drinker, must be firmly attached to the cage. Dimensions must be at least 2 times the size of the beast itself. A self-constructed bathing tank must be made of material that the mink cannot chew through with its teeth!

The house for the animal is a very important part of the cage. In it, the mink should be comfortable to hide and rest. You can use hay or wood pellets as bedding. You need to change it as it gets dirty, but at least once a week to keep the cage clean. It is desirable that there are several labyrinths in the house, as minks are very fond of hiding. A dwelling can be made from improvised materials such as wood, tiles and metal. How interesting it will be depends only on the imagination of the master.

Mink care

This fur animal quite whimsical, so growing a mink at home is a lot of trouble.

It is not enough just to keep her in a cage and feed her. The first thing to think about is the temperature in the room where it is located. Given that this furry animal has warm fur, the room should be cool. Cleaning is carried out about 1 time per week when kept on a farm. You don’t need to bathe her, she will clean herself in sawdust.

Large-scale breeding of mink began in the 20th century due to the great demand for the valuable fur of this animal. Breeds of mink with a variety of colors were bred: blue, white, spotted, pastel, and the size of the cellular mink increased significantly compared to the wild one. There is a difference between European and American mink. In fur farms, the American is bred, since its fur is much more beautiful, and it itself is much larger than the European one: the body length of the male is 40-50 centimeters, the female is 30-45 centimeters. The American mink has successfully acclimatized in Russia.

Fur farms that specialize in breeding mink are in a labor-intensive business that requires a large start-up investment, but is profitable, as a result of which mink is one of the most popular animals raised in fur farms.

Activities for breeding breeding animals, as well as for the production and use of breeding products are licensed. The licensing authority is the Ministry of Agriculture Russian Federation. The applicant provides the following documents:

a statement indicating the licensed activity that the applicant intends to carry out,
copies constituent documents and a document confirming the fact of making an entry about the legal entity in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities,
a copy of the certificate of state registration of the applicant as an individual entrepreneur,
a copy of the certificate of registration of the applicant with the tax authority,
a document confirming the payment of the license fee for consideration of an application for a license,
copies of documents confirming the qualifications of an individual entrepreneur and specialists that meet the licensing requirements and conditions legal entity carrying out work on breeding breeding animals.

A fur farm must comply with a number of licensing requirements. First, breeding animals must meet the requirements of the breed standard. The breeder must have documents confirming the origin and assessment of the breeding and productive qualities of animals. Secondly, it is necessary to carry out an annual appraisal of breeding animals. Bonitation is a comprehensive assessment of animals by origin, exterior, productivity, reproductive ability and quality of offspring. Thirdly, an individual entrepreneur must have the education of a zoo engineer or livestock specialist. If needed vocational education no, you should register as an LLC and issue a specialist with a zootechnical education as a deputy head. Persons carrying out work on breeding breeding animals must also have the appropriate education. A licensed fur farm is obliged to comply with veterinary and sanitary and hygienic standards and rules for keeping animals. With norms process design fur farms can be found at this address http://www.gosthelp.ru/text/NTPAPK1100600200Normytexn.html.
Within 60 days from the date of submission of the application and documents, the licensing authority decides whether to grant a license or refuse to grant a license. The license is issued for a period of five years. Once every two years, scheduled inspections of compliance with license requirements may be carried out.

For the construction of the farm, you should choose a flat, dry area, protected from winds and snow drifts. Minks are best suited temperature conditions middle lane and coastal climate. If in summer the temperature rises above 30 degrees, then it is worth equipping an air cooling system. The farm must be provided with water and electricity. Important condition profitability of livestock farming - the presence of a nearby local forage base, which are meat and fish processing enterprises.

The fur farm must be separated sanitary zone at least 300 meters from a residential area. The distance to the road is 25-30 meters. In addition, measures should be taken to prevent minks from leaving the farm. To do this, the farm is surrounded by a high fence, a visor is made on top of the fence from the side of the farm. The lower part of the fence is dug into the ground by at least 30 centimeters.

Three types of buildings are being erected on the farm: premises for people, warehouses and premises for keeping minks. Animals are housed in cages with raised floors above the ground. Adults are kept individually. The cages are installed under a gable canopy called a shed. Shed is electrified and provided with water supply. Sheds are usually rectangular in shape, with cages on the sides of the longitudinal passage. Such a device makes the process of feeding and cleaning manure convenient, and, if necessary, makes it possible to automate this process. The shed is covered with a net, burying it 30 centimeters so that the animals do not dig through the walls. The roof is made of corrugated asbestos-cement sheets, covered with roofing material placed on a wooden grate. The floor in the aisles is made of concrete, the subfloor is left unpaved, as the soil absorbs urine. The width of the passage is at least 117 centimeters. In the cages there are hanging houses and a territory for walking, drinking bowls are equipped. Important to use right stuff for building cells. Usually cages are made of a metal galvanized grid. The mesh of black non-galvanized wire rusts and leaves a coating on animal hair.

Adults are kept in cages one at a time, working young animals - two at a time. For the normal growth of the mink, it is necessary to provide the animal with a territory of at least 5.25 square meters. Breeding young are kept in a ratio of three females and one male per cage. The standard hexagon mesh has a mesh clearance of 25 millimeters. Through holes of this size, a puppy up to two weeks old freely falls out, therefore insertable birth mats with a finer mesh are inserted into the cages of females.

In a building intended for people, in addition to a room for rest and eating, it is necessary to provide a room for storing documents, a room for examining animals by a veterinarian, a room for the primary processing of skins, a room with refrigerators.

To provide fire safety there must be a distance of 8 meters between buildings and sheds, as well as between groups of sheds. Sheds are arranged in parallel rows.

Sample project fur farm, designed to keep 10,880 females, 2,160 males and 54,400 heads of young animals, involves the construction of 40 sheds 90 meters long for the main herd and 40 pancake sheds 120 meters long for young animals. Of course, novice farmers do not consider such figures. To open a small farm, it is enough to buy 1000 minks, build and equip premises. This will require about 20 million rubles.

In the world there are about 340 various kinds mink colors, in animal farms animals of the following color forms are most often bred.

Standard dark brown - the main type of mink, occupies a leading position in terms of the number of individuals. From it, by crossing, various color variants were obtained.
The black mink, also known as the jet, is a dominant mutation that originated in Canada. This is a rare type of mink. Fertility 4-5 puppies.
Silver blue mink is a fairly common type of colored mink. Fertility 6-7 puppies, survival rate of the offspring is more than 90 percent.
The sapphire mink is the result of crossing the Aleutian mink with the silver-blue one. Smoky coloring blue color. Fertility is 5-6 puppies, the survival rate of the offspring is 87%.
Pastel - mink color from light brown to blue-brown, sometimes with chocolate shade. Fertility - 6 puppies, offspring survival up to 90%
The American Palomino is a mink with a light beige to dark beige coat color. Minks with a yellow and orange tint on the back and contrasting coloration of the coverts and downy hairs are culled. Animals of this breed have quite big size and are highly productive.

Mink for breeding can be purchased from breeders. The average price of an adult is 14 thousand rubles. A three-month-old mink puppy costs 10,000 rubles.

For one adult animal, at least 30 kilograms of bedding material should be prepared per year. Straw from awnless cereals, hay or small wood shavings are used as bedding. The bedding is changed as it gets dirty. Rodent-damaged or rotting material is not suitable for use.

In no case should you try to save money on mink feed. Everything that the animal does not receive in terms of food will be reflected in the coat. The use of high-quality and balanced food, vitamins will help in the end to get the most valuable fur of extraordinary beauty. 70% of the beauty of the fur is the quality of the feed. Minks are fed with meat, fish, grain, feed, fish, bone or meat meal, milk and dairy products, succulent feed, fodder yeast, sprat, cake, fish or combined fats. Animal products account for 70 percent of a mink's daily diet. From vegetable feed, oatmeal, buckwheat, barley, millet, pea, sunflower meal, soybean, flaxseed, carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes, grain vegetables and berries, cabbage, tomatoes are fed. Add in spring and summer green onion, young grass, tops of root crops. Vegetables are finely chopped or ground in a mixture with other feeds. For the normal development of minks, their diet also includes table salt, bone meal, and vitamins. Succulent feeds make up 2-3% of the calorie content of the diet. If minks only eat meat, fish and vitamin preparations, then vegetables can be excluded from their diet without causing any damage to development and growth. If the diet is dominated by dry food with a high fat content, then vegetables are necessary. Liver is often used as a vitamin feed, as it is rich in vitamins A and B, iron and copper. The liver is recommended to be fed before the rut, during pregnancy and lactation, and it is also fed to lagging young animals. The amount of liver - no more than 10 g per individual per day. When fattening a mink, the main task is to get the animal to eat as much as possible. This is done by developing high energy diets in a small amount of food. One adult mink consumes 0.5 liters of water per day, young animals - 0.7 liters.

The mink gives birth once a year, in spring. Animals are ready for breeding at the age of 10-11 months. Mating takes place in March, whelping in late April or early May. The number of puppies is from 5 to 12. About 10-20% of the offspring die, and 10% of the females do not give offspring at all. Young animals are weaned from the female at about the age of 40 days.

As a rule, fur farms harvest raw skins, since dressing requires expensive equipment and professional craftsmen. Skins can be sold raw, after drying and salt treatment. However, the cost of raw skins is low - about 150 rubles per square decimeter. Farmers prefer to order dressing from enterprises. The cost of dressing one skin is 200 rubles.

One factory-made skin costs about 3.5 thousand rubles. The cost of production is 1.5 - 2 thousand rubles.

The main clients of fur producers are domestic fur factories and foreign buyers. China is buying up huge quantities of fur. Skins are sold on stock exchanges or fur auctions.

Fur auctions are regularly held around the world.

Russian fur auction - Soyuzpushnina. St. Petersburg. The only fur auction in Russia. http://www.sojuzpushnina.ru/ru/s/2/
Copenhagen fur auction "Kopenhagen Fur". Denmark, Copenhagen. The most famous and largest auction in the world. The main commodity is mink. It sets the average world prices for mink. http://www.kopenhagenfur.com/
Finnish fur auction - "Saga Furs". Finland, Helsinki. The second largest auction in the world. The main commodity is the fox and arctic fox. Mink is also for sale, mainly Finnish and Scandinavian. http://www.sagafurs.com/en/
North American Fur Auctions (NAFA). Canada, Toronto. Third largest auction. This auction sells American and European mink. http://www.nafa.ca/
Seattle Fur Auction American Legend Cooperative. USA, Seattle. The fourth largest auction. The main commodity is American mink.

Over time, the fashion for keeping unusual wild animals in the house is gaining momentum: it seems banal for many people to keep a dog or a cat in an apartment, they want to feel like the owner of a squirrel, fox, ferret, or exotic animals (snakes, koalas). More and more began to domesticate the mink, which was previously considered only a valuable source of fur. - one of the few fur-bearing animals that They can get along well with people with the right upbringing. In this article we will talk about what a mink looks like and how to feed such an animal at home.

Description and photo of the animal

Minks in the wild are predators, but are relatively small: body length - 40-50 cm (without tail), female weight - 750-850 g, male weight - 1.4-1.5 kg. The body of animals from the weasel family is slightly flattened, the legs are short, and therefore small predators cannot move quickly. But in the process of evolution, they have formed membranes between the fingers, which allow animals to swim quickly and dexterously.

Did you know? Male mink during the period of sexual activity are able to make unusual sounds, similar to giggling or whistling.

Many people probably know about mink wool. It is very thick, iridescent, has many different colors (white, dark black, gray-bluish, brown, brown). These animals have very sharp teeth and a strong bite, so they can bite through a human hand without any problems. This fact should be considered before buying a mink for your children.

Some people worry that keeping a mink in an apartment is associated with the constant presence of an unpleasant odor. We hasten to note that an animal from the weasel family very clean, and will not emit unpleasant odors. This will only be possible if the cleaning is irregular and of poor quality.

This beautiful animal has a selfish nature. Mink can recognize and love only one person, or even treat all family members with increased aggression. In this regard, experts do not recommend giving mink to children to play with. It is best to buy a toy for the animal, with which he will play with great pleasure.

This animal is susceptible to many diseases, and, unfortunately, does not tolerate many of them. Therefore, a pet should be regularly taken for examinations to the veterinarian and vaccinated in a timely manner.

Features of life in the wild

The natural habitat of minks is considered to be most of Eastern Europe and North America. There are two varieties of mink: European and American. The second was brought to Europe before the start of World War II, and today the population of the American mink in Europe significantly exceeds the population of the European one. To a greater extent, this is due to the displacement of the European animal by its larger relative.

This animal lives near rivers, lakes and bays, but very rarely settles further than 200 meters from a reservoir. Minks get their name from the fact that a large number of time is spent in burrows that are built near thickets of bushes, or near roots big trees. The main enemy of the mink is the river otter, which almost always wins the battle for the territory, as it is a larger beast.

An animal from the weasel family leads an active lifestyle for all year round, in winter period time begins to roam more and stay near non-freezing water bodies. The animal tries to pull all prey to the shore: frogs, fish from nets, water rats. Sometimes eats plant food, rich in essential vitamins (lingonberries, mountain ash, seeds of perennial plants). If the animal lives near the village, then with a high degree of probability, chickens or other household birds will disappear from people.

When the males are ready to mate, they start actively searching for females. At this time, they can move far from their holes. Usually, several “admirers” begin to look after one female at once, but one always wins - the most aggressive and strong. The female's pregnancy lasts a month and a half, after which the mother takes care of her cubs for 12-14 weeks. The lactation period in these animals is long, and takes about 10 weeks. When small animals learn to hunt and get their own food on their own, they will leave their mother in search of a place to live.

Mink in the house: pros and cons

Many people are still very surprised when they find out that mink can be kept as a pet. Perhaps in 20-30 years this will become commonplace, and animals from the weasel family will replace many domestic cats and dogs. But today, many doubt the domestication of these predators, and in order to make it easier for people, below we will give all the pros and cons of the domestic mink.

About the pros

Among positive aspects domestication of this animal, it is necessary to highlight the following:

They are very active and interesting animals with enough high level intellect. Every child will have fun watching these little fluffies play.
Loyal, faithful and sincerely loving only one person in the family. Usually it turns out to be the one who best looked after the animal from early childhood.
With proper upbringing, the mink will become an excellent companion for a cat or dog. They will play together and protect each other.

About cons

Minks, unlike cats and dogs, have not gone through many thousands of years of evolution under human control. Animals from the marten family are still wild. It may also take them many hundreds and even thousands of years to become more "socialized". Concerning, negative sides in the content of such animals at home, there are several more:

If you leave your pet unattended for a long time, he will become aggressive and naughty.
A poorly selected diet will lead to the fact that an unpleasant odor will come from the animal's cage.
You should not take such a pet to a house where there are small children. The fact is that the mink may not like children's games, and it will begin to bite and scratch.
It is possible to accustom this animal to a tray, but this still does not prevent him from marking the territory with urine and feces, because such instincts remain at the subconscious level.
Mink often changes mood. Sometimes she gladly goes to the hands of the owner, but in some cases she can behave aggressively and unpredictably.
There is a fairly high probability that even with all the rules of upbringing, you will grow an aggressive and unfriendly beast.

Did you know? Statistics say that mink provides about 75% of the world's fur needs.

Choosing a pet when buying

Prices for animals from the weasel family can vary greatly. Some sellers offer predatory animals for $50 or more, others want $300 or more for their pets. Everything will depend on the type of mink, the quality of its wool, the popularity of the nursery and the living conditions in it. Be that as it may, only the fact that the animal needs to be bought only at a young age remains important. If you buy an adult, chances are high that you will never be able to find mutual language with your pet.

Breeding and selling mink- not as common as, for example, breeding German Shepherds or British cats. This is due to the popularity of these pets, which is only gaining momentum and is still at the very bottom of the rating. The easiest way to purchase is to search for good nurseries on the Internet.

Of course, if there are nurseries in your city where mustelids are bred, this will greatly facilitate your task. It is not so easy to choose a healthy cub, so it is better to take an experienced friend or veterinarian with you to the nursery. The cub must be mobile, active, without visible defects on the skin and musculoskeletal system. His coat and eyes should be shiny and there should be no sign of stool under his tail.

Conditions and place for the animal

Experts recommend keeping such an animal only in spacious cells, where there is a lot of space for active games. Due to the fact that mustelids are very mobile predators, leading an active lifestyle all year round, they need to be given freedom of action. Many people try to practice keeping a mink without a cage, when she just walks around the apartment, like a cat or a well-mannered dog. Of course, with a free content, one should be prepared for torn wallpaper or scattered things, but such behavior is characteristic only of ill-mannered animals.

If you still decide to purchase cage for your pet then buy only a metal product, since the tree will not stand under the sharp teeth of a furry predator. The cells of the cage should be small, the cage itself should be spacious, equipped with a drinking bowl, a feeder and a tray. It should be noted that the pet's cage will have to be cleaned daily, as long-term neglect will cause unpleasant odors, characteristic of many representatives of the marten family.

Don't Forget Walking with your pet. Minks are very fond of walking on a leash in the fields or in the forest. Bathing is also an important aspect of pet care. It will be good if you live in a private house, and you have the opportunity to equip a "fluffy" small pool near the house. If this is not possible, then take him to swim in the nearest body of water, just do not let him swim without a leash.

What to feed the animal

You already know that the mink is a small aggressive predator that in the wild feeds on fish, toads, birds, small rats and some foods. plant origin. At home, it is important to create an optimal diet that will be balanced in terms of the presence of all the necessary nutrients in food. vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, polyunsaturated fatty acids. An improper diet can lead to poor pet health, hair and claw problems.

Veterinarians recommend feeding the animal with fish, poultry, seafood, porridge, and dairy products. Fresh berries (blackberries, lingonberries) will also benefit the animal, because they are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Sometimes you can feed the animal with purchased dry cat food, but always make sure that there is clean drinking water in the cage.

Important! An adult needs 150-300 grams of balanced feed per day.

Care and cleanliness

An animal cage is needed service regularly so that unpleasant odors do not arise in the house. This must be done with special care and affection, so as not to cause excessive aggression in the animal. In addition, do not forget about the regular combing of wool. For such procedures, you should purchase a special brush, after consulting with your veterinarian. Regular combing will help the animal quickly change the fur coat; in addition, such procedures improve blood circulation in the upper layer of the epidermis.

We monitor health

About mink breeding

The process of breeding these beautiful furry predators is not so complicated. It just needs to be treated with care, seriousness in intentions and readiness for unforeseen circumstances (always keep the phone number of the nearest veterinarian at the ready).

Did you know? The first mink farm was established in 1925 in the US state of Utah. It was created by Kento Vernon, who caught a furry predator when he ate his chicken.

These animals reach sexual maturity only at the age of ten months. Before the onset of puberty, animals must be closely monitored and all sexual intercourse should be interrupted, because early pregnancy can lead to the loss of the female and her offspring. It is best to plant a male and a female in one cage in March, since it is during this period that the animals are at the peak of sexual activity. The period of gestation by the female takes 1.5-2 months, but it is not so easy to find out about the pregnancy of the animal. The fact is that the round tummy of the animal appears only 2 weeks before the expected date of birth.

One female able to bring up to 10 cubs, who are born blind, hairless and defenseless. For a month and a half, they feed exclusively on mother's milk. After this period, babies can be placed in a separate cage and transferred to adult food.

In general, caring for a mink is not difficult even for beginners. It is no more difficult than keeping many other exotic animals. You should be patient and take care of the animal, and he will delight you with his playful character, wonderful fur and beautiful offspring.

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