Influence of Dietary Fat Source on Growth and Fur Quality of Mink and Blue Fox

Abstract

The influence of different dietary fat sources on growth and fur quality of the mink and the blue fox was studied. The fats used in the study were beef tallow, mink fat, capelin oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and beef tallow: rapeseed oil mixture (50:50). The level of dietary fat was 20% in the dry matter of feed. All of the fat sources investigated here were of good quality guaranteeing approximately normal growth performance to the animals. No signs of fat peroxidation or vitamin E deficiency were found, and no adverse effects on feed consumption, feed palatability, growth of the animals and their fur characteristics were observed in the mink or in the blue fox.

Key words:

• vegetable oil
• fish oil
• animal fat
• fur defects