ANNUAL, REPORT, 1935-36 



Following the economic conditions which developed in 1930, values declined 

 severely, forcing a revaluation and a corresponding reduction of breeding stocks on 

 fur farms. 29,331 animals were pelted in 1931, as compared with 13,140 in 1930; 

 8,149 in 1929; and 5,427 in 1928. The increase over the normal production further 

 adversely influenced prices in the fur market and caused some severe financial losses 

 to individuals. There were, however, some factors which compensated the industry 

 as a whole. In the process of reduction, the quality of breeding stocks was im- 

 proved, creating a new standard of excellence. The lower values of breeding stocks 

 attracted additional capital and new farms were established. While the reduction 

 of breeding stock continued, the number of farms actually increased until a peak 

 was reached in 1931, when 1,609 farms were licensed. A slight annual decline 

 subsequently developed until 1934, when only 1,217 farms were licensed. The in- 

 dustry is again showing progress both in the number of farms and the breeding 

 stock kept. There were 1,239 farms licensed this year and breeding stocks in- 

 creased by eighteen per cent. The propagation of mink is now commanding con- 

 siderable attention, live stock having increased almost fifty per cent, whereas the 

 silver fox, the other principal species, increased only twelve per cent. 



SUMMARY OF BREEDING STOCK ON LICENSED FUR FARMS 

 AS AT JANUARY 1ST 



1934 



1935 



1936 



Beaver 



Fisher 



Fox (cross) 



Fox (red) 



Fox (silver or black) 



Fox (blue) 



Lynx 



Mink , 



Muskrat 



Raccoon 



Skunk 



Bear 



Marten 



The work at the Experimental Fur Farm continued, and the following is a short 

 summary thereof: — 



EXPERIMENTAL FUR FARM 



Further investigations were carried out regarding the feeding of raw cereals 

 to pup foxes after weaning at around eight to nine weeks of age. It was found that 

 in an uncooked stage raw cereals were not only very improperly digested but that 

 they were actually detrimental to the health of the pups. Scouring, bloating and 

 intestinal disorders could be traced directly to this soujce. Once the raw cereal- 

 fed pups were placed on a diet containing thoroughly cooked cereals these objec- 

 tionable symptoms entirely disappeared. 



Due to the number of enquries from mink ranchers regarding the substitution 

 of fresh meat and fish with dehydrated products, like meat meals and fish meals, 

 feeding experiments were carried out to attempt to ascertain how far this might cor- 

 rectly be done. A summary of these experiments shows that fresh products cannot 

 be entirely replaced by dried ones. Where animals were fed fish meals there was 

 a steady decline in the haemoglobin of the blood resulting in mutritional anaemia. 

 If liver meal was added to the fish meal diet the anaemia was arrested and finally 

 disappeared. This was also the case with meat meals unless one third of the ration 

 consisted of liver meal. 



