females kept, the percentage of females bred, the number of litters born, the num- 

 ber of litters lost, the number of kits surviving and the ranch average. In addition, 

 the feed ration which was used during the period December 1st to May 1st was 

 obtained. 



Production — Normal production is considered to be 3.5 to 4 kits per female. 

 However, 8 of the 1 5 ranches affected had a production of from to less than 1 . 

 Four had a production of from 1 to 1.5 and the remaining three ranches had from 

 2 to 2.8. Also, the number of litters born was very much below normal, many being 

 reabsorbed by the female. Of the ones that were born, many would be found dead 

 in the nest within 24 to 36 hours of birth. The females generally appeared in good 

 health with an abundant supply of milk. Kits would die shortly after receiving milk 

 from the mother. 



Ration — The only common factor in ration of the 15 affected ranches was the 

 feeding of perch racks obtained from three suppliers on Lake Erie. From the infor- 

 mation gathered it would appear that in cases where more than 1 5 % of perch was 

 used, the losses increased in proportion to the increase of perch in the ration. 



Bacteriological and pathological tests were inconclusive and DDT detection 

 tests were negative. The above tests were made at the Ontario Veterinary College. 



During the year, seven cases of distemper, 12 cases of plasmacytosis and 

 three cases of virus enteritis was diagnosed at the Ontario Veterinary College from 

 specimens of mink supplied by Ontario ranchers. While distemper and virus enter- 

 itis can be prevented or controlled by the use of commercially produced vaccines, 

 the only method of preventing plasmacytosis is to kill the mink that show positive 

 when subjected to the iodine agglutination test. 



A total of 499 Fur Farmers' Licenses were issued in 1964. Of these, 459 were 

 renewals of previous licences, 39 were for newly established ranches and 1 licence 

 was issued with retroactive provisions to legalize the operation of an unlicenced 

 ranch during the previous year. 



The following table shows the location by County or District of Licenced Fur 

 Farms in 1964: 



County or 

 District 



Number 



Manitoulin 



Muskoka 



Middlesex 



Nipissing 



Norfolk 



Northumberland 



Ontario 



Oxford 



Parry Sound 



Peel 



Perth 



Peterborough .... 



Rainy River 



Simcoe 



Sudbury 



Thunder Bay 



Victoria 



Waterloo 



Welland 



Wellington 



Wentworth 



York 



5 



2 



23 



6 



12 



1 



20 



17 



5 



9 



38 



1 



1 



30 



3 



9 



4 



21 



18 



40 



19 



25 



TOTAL 499 





