Maternal behaviour in American mink females with different behavioural profiles

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to determine how the behaviour of American mink (Neovison vison) females affects their breeding results and maternal behaviour during the perinatal period. A stick test was used to evaluate the behavioural profile of 576 minks. One hundred females with a determined behavioural profile (aggressive, curious, fearful and neutral) were selected and nest building before parturition, maternal behaviour after delivery and reproduction results were examined. The preparation of the nest was assessed before the expected parturition, taking into account the necessity of human intervention in its proper construction. Maternal behaviour was observed during the first week of life of offspring. Significant differences in the fertility rate between the aggressive and neutral females with a significantly higher number of kits present at day 4 in the second type were noted. Medium quality nests were mostly observed (60%), followed by those of very good (37%) and poor quality (3%). The very good quality nests were most often built by females rated as fearful. Regardless of the behaviour profile, the females spent a similar period of time with the young at the time prior to feeding (from 16.8 to 22.3 min). So, significant differences in the number of born and raised pups in differently behaving minks can suggest that knowledge of dam behaviour can be taken into account when predicating reproduction results.