Intensive handling of mink (Neovison vison) dams during lactation reduces litter performance and weaning weight

摘要

Gestational stress has been found to reduce maternal behaviour such as arched back nursing in rat dams (Smith et al., 2004). The behaviour of stressed rat dams is directed more often to digging, eating, drinking and resting rather than to their pups (Patin et al., 2002). Patin and colleagues (2002) suggest that this is the reason why the pups from stressed rat dams have a higher mortality and lower growth rate compared to controls. Reduced maternal care can also have detrimental effects on the adultoffspring, causing them to be more fearful and also exhibit less maternal care (Francis et al., 2002). The objective of this study was to determine if the intensiveness of handling and blood sampling of mink dams during the lactation period affects the weight of the kits.