Mink

Early-life enrichment in American mink (Neogale vison): Effects of juvenile physical enrichment on behaviour, temperament, and long-term stereotypic behaviour

A single manipulable enrichment is often introduced to the pens of farmed American mink (Neogale vison) to combat stereotypic behaviour and behaviours or temperaments associated with poor welfare (e.g. inactivity, fear, and aggression). This enrichment is provided early in life,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Mink

Citation: Clark, G. B., Díez-León, M., Meagher, R. K. 2025. Early-life enrichment in American mink (Neogale vison): Effects of juvenile physical enrichment on behaviour, temperament, and long-term stereotypic behaviour. Animal Welfare 34, e4.

Early-life enrichment in American mink (Neogale vison): Enrichment of the perinatal environment improves maternal nest building and reduces stereotypic behaviour

Pens for farmed mink (Neogale vison) commonly include separate nesting areas to provide privacy and warmth in the perinatal period. However, standard bedding materials may not be sufficient to allow intrinsically motivated nest-building behaviours in dams. Further, these materials may...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mink

Citation: Clark, G. B., Díez-León, M., Meagher, R. K. 2025. Early-life enrichment in American mink (Neogale vison): Enrichment of the perinatal environment improves maternal nest building and reduces stereotypic behaviour. Animal Welfare 34, e5.

Effects of simple cage enrichment and its removal on the behavior and welfare of American mink (Neogale vison)

Environmental enrichment may reduce stereotypies in fur-farmed mink. North American mink standards require manipulable enrichment objects within cages. However, mink can rapidly destroy objects inhibiting continuous enrichment presence, which may have negative welfare impacts. This experimental study determined the effects...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mink

Citation: Campbell, D. L. M., Cohen-Barnhouse, A. M., Bursian, S. J. 2025. Effects of simple cage enrichment and its removal on the behavior and welfare of American mink (Neogale vison). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(1), 74–89.

Benchmarking enrichment efforts in the US & Canada across species and enrichment categories

Enrichment is important for animal welfare and data quality. Provision of enrichment opportunities varies between species and enrichment category. However, data benchmarking these differences does not exist. Our objective was to characterize enrichment provision and associated factors across species in...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Dog, Ferret, Goat, Macaque, Mink, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Sheep

Citation: LaFollette, M. R., Cloutier, S., Brady, C. M. et al. 2023. Benchmarking enrichment efforts in the US & Canada across species and enrichment categories. JAALAS 62(4), 303–316.

Animals with various forms of abnormal behaviour differ in learning performance and use of enrichment: Evidence from farm mink

Abnormal behaviour has been related to differences in cognitive function and reduced animal welfare. However, these associations are understudied, and little is known about how various forms of abnormal behaviour affect learning performance, stress responses and use of enrichment. We...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Mink

Citation: Malmkvist, J., Díez-León, M., Christensen, J. W. 2024. Animals with various forms of abnormal behaviour differ in learning performance and use of enrichment: Evidence from farm mink. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 271, 106167.

A perspective on strategic enrichment for brain development: Is this the key to animal happiness? Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8, 720422

Livestock animals are sentient beings with cognitive and emotional capacities and their brain development, similar to humans and other animal species, is affected by their surrounding environmental conditions. Current intensive production systems, through the restrictions of safely managing large numbers...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cattle, Chicken, Fowl, Goat, Mink, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Campbell, D. L. M., Lee, C. 2021. A perspective on strategic enrichment for brain development: Is this the key to animal happiness? Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8, 720422.

Refining housing, husbandry and care for animals used in studies involving biotelemetry

Biotelemetry can contribute towards reducing animal numbers and suffering in disciplines including physiology, pharmacology and behavioural research. However, the technique can also cause harm to animals, making biotelemetry a ‘refinement that needs refining'. Current welfare issues relating to the housing...

Year Published: 2014Topics: External Bodily EquipmentAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Cephalopod, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Crocodile & Alligator, Crustacean, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Gibbon, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Insect & Spider, Invertebrate, Lemur, Lizard, Macaque, Marine Mammal, Marmoset, Mink, Mole Rat, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Bird, Other Fish, Other Invertebrate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Parrot, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Salamander, Salmon, Shark & Ray, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Tilapia, Trout, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Hawkins, P. 2014. Refining housing, husbandry and care for animals used in studies involving biotelemetry. Animals 4(2), 361-373.

MicroRNAs as biomarkers for animal health and welfare in livestock

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and highly conserved non-coding RNA molecules that orchestrate a wide range of biological processes through the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. An intriguing aspect in identifying these molecules as biomarkers is derived from their role in...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cattle, Chicken, Fowl, Goat, Mink, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Miretti, S., Lecchi, C., Ceciliani, F. et al. 2020. MicroRNAs as biomarkers for animal health and welfare in livestock. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 578193.

Why do female mink with high stereotypy levels have slow-growing offspring? In: Proceedings of the International Congress on Applied Ethology

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Mink

Citation: Mason, G. J., Leipoldt, A., de Jonge, G. 1995. Why do female mink with high stereotypy levels have slow-growing offspring? In: Proceedings of the International Congress on Applied Ethology. Rutter, S. M., Rushen, J., Randle, H. D., Eddison, J. C. H. C. (eds), 133-134. Exeter University, Exeter, UK.

Behavioral ethogram as a health assessment tool in a feline vaccine study

For infectious disease studies, assessment of feline health is traditionally limited to metrics such as body temperature (BT), change in body weight (BW), and clinical signs (CS). Recently, behavioral ethograms designed for assessment of rabbits and rodents were demonstrated to...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Dog, Fowl, Gerbil, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mink, Mouse, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Sheep, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Burlingame, L. A., Na, J., Dunbar, M. et al. 2014. Behavioral ethogram as a health assessment tool in a feline vaccine study. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 610. (Abstract #P227).