1931 ANNUAL REPORT, 1930 9 



The average monthly cost per animal is obtained by dividing the total 

 monthly cost by the number of animals on hand. The average monthly cost 

 per animal totalled for the year equals the cost of feeding one animal of that species 

 during 1930. The column on the left of the above graph shows the average cost 

 per animal and on the right is the total average yearly cost per animal. 



Young animals are not listed until July, when it is estimated that they 

 consume as much food per head as the adults. This accounts for the sharp 

 elevations in May and June when the females require large amounts of nourishing 

 food and the pups as well are eating a certain quantity. The drop in July is 

 when the youngsters first appear as adults in the records. The second rise in 

 September and October is due to the meat ration being increased as is advocated 

 in the bulletin for that time of the year. Although the meat ration continues 

 to be heavy in November and December, horse meat constitutes a large part 

 of the meat ration for all breeding stock. Horse meat purchased locally is far 

 below abattoir prices of beef fox meat. This would appear to closely coincide 

 with ranch practice throughout the Province. Owing to feeding two tons of 

 frozen fish, purchased at a reasonable price, the costs may be a little low during 

 the winter months but on the whole they should compare favourably with ranches 

 elsewhere. Raccoon hibernate during January, February, and March, and 

 eat little during November and December. This will account for the graph of 

 feed costs being low for these animals during the above-mentioned periods. 



Fox.— The average cost of feed for one fox at the Experimental Fur Farm 

 during 1930 was S17.01. The cost of a pair and their young up to the age of 

 three months would be $34.02 for the year. The pups are figured separately 

 as adults in the amount of food consumption after June 30th. Each pup 

 cost $7.70 to feed from three months up to pelting time. The cost of feed for a 

 pair of foxes and three pups for the year 1930 would be $57.12. As the adult 

 pair must be carried over each year or pups substituted for breeders, the cost of 

 feed for each pup raised to pelting maturity would be $19.04. This is for an 

 average of three pups to the litter, which is more than ideal for most ranches. 

 As well as the cost of feed for each animal pelted, labour and overhead on pen 

 construction must be considered. Compared to other ventures in live stock, 

 fox-ranching would appear to be a legitimate enterprise, even at present pelt 

 values. 



Mink. — The average feed cost for each mink in 1930 was $8.60. As the 

 general practice is to keep one male for every three females, the cost of a unit 

 would be $34.40. An average of ten young to a unit would cost $3.51 each or 

 $35.10. The total feed cost of a unit of four mink and ten young would be 

 S60.50. As the adults are carried over or substituted, each mink raised to pelting 

 maturity would cost $6.95 for feed. Mink-raising is remunerative from a pelt 

 basis providing the overhead cost of pen construction and labour is not too high. 

 In comparison to the fox, the mink will consume a surprising amount of feed for 

 such a small animal. 



Raccoon. — Notwithstanding the fact that the raccoons hibernated for at 

 least three months and ate but little in two other months and were fed as 

 economically as possible without sacrificing a nourishing breeding ration, the 

 cost of feed for 1930 was $7.55 per coon. A unit of one male and three females 

 would cost $30.20; youngsters $3.53 each so that an average unit of twelve 

 young and four adults would cost $72.56 for the year. The feed cost to raise 

 each young coon up to December 31st, 1930, was $6.05. However, raccoon 



