ANNUAL REPORT, 1934 



ranches. It has been found that the disease can be entirely prevented by the 

 feeding of beef liver. Liver is also curative in the early stages. Fish is a common 

 article of diet for the mink but it should be noted that fish liver does not seem to 

 possess, for mink at least, the anti-anoemia properties present in beef liver. Two 

 diseases of major importance have made their appearance among mink during 1933-34. 

 One of these diseases attacks the suckling females wlien the kittens are between five 

 to six weeks of age. The affected females lose flesh rapidly and there is a complete 

 cessation of the flow of milk. The appetite is completely lost and the animal becomes 

 partially paralysed in the hind quarters and frequently dies in a coma. Convulsions 

 often take place before the comatic condition is reached. The disease appears to 

 be of metabolic origin but considerable work will have to be done in an attempt 

 to discover the true cause of the condition so that preventive measures can be 

 worked out to offset the disease. 



The other disease encountered is caused by a sarcophagid fly Wolilfahrtia Tigil. 

 This fly was first reported by Walker in America in 1920 and in 1931 Dr. Norma 

 Ford described the results of an attack made by these flies on an infant two weeks 

 old. Since this date this fly has been found attacking young mink to the extent that 

 it may become a serious menace. The fly deposits its larvae on the young suckling 

 mink which burrow into the skin resulting in small abscessed lesions. If sufficient 

 of these lesions are formed, the young mink will die from the effect. Within two 

 to three weeks the adult fly hatches from the larvae and in a few days mate and 

 in turn commence to deposit their larvae. The flies do not apparently attack adult 

 animals; only the young are affected. It is not yet possible to state how serious a 

 menace these flies may become but preventive measures can be taken by screening the 

 mink houses during the season when the flies are active. A new type of mink house 

 was built during the summer with the primary object in view of guarding against 

 infestation with these flies. The layout appears to have been successful as no larvae 

 were deposited on any of the Farm stock. 



Observations were made on different rations and their general effect on the 

 nutrition of mink. There is still, however, a great deal of work to be done in this 

 respect. The question whether mink should receive just suflficient water for drink- 

 ing purposes or whether they should be given sufl[icient water to allow them to 

 bathe is one that is frequently asked. This j'ear both methods were employed with 

 the quite definite results that where the mink were allowed to bathe, the fur was 

 off colour and distinctly singed. Those given only drinking water grew a pelt which 

 was satisfactory in colour and texture. There also appears to be no question that 

 shade is essential in securing a desirable colour. Mink which are marked for 

 pelting in the Fall should be kept in shaded quarters and not exposed to the weather. 



In addition to these observations, a number of parasites were collected from 

 post mortem examinations and have been forwarded to parasitological institutes for 

 identification. In this connection the feeding of fish, especially from sluggish waters 

 appears to be fraught with danger to mink breeders as a number of the parasites 

 of mink spend some part of their life cycle in the fish. The Experimental Fur Farm 

 strongly advocates the removal of the entrails of all fish before feeding and under 

 certain conditions it may be a wise precaution to place fish that are being fed to 

 mink in boiling water for fifteen to twenty minutes. 



During the year, a bulletin was prepared dealing exclusively with the fox and 

 it is hoped that this bulletin will, to some extent, meet the requests for information 

 from not only established fox breeders but from those contemplating engaging in 

 the industry. All through the breeding season examinations were made of the sper- 



