The influence on breeding, production, and acid-base balance when mink are fed on acidified feed
Jorgensen, G.; Poulsen, J.S.; Bendixen, P.
Nordisk Veterinaermedicin 28(12): 592-602
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-1579 PMID: 13347 Document Number: 107419
Female mink were fed during the breeding season on a normal farm diet alone or with H2SO4 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5%; HCl 0.8, 1.6 or 2.4%; or H2SO4 + HCl, 0.2 + 0.5, 0.4 + 1.0 or 0.6 + 1.5%. Blood was sampled from 2 adults and 2 of their young for study of acid-base balance. In a different locality, female mature mink were given the farm diet containing 15 to 45% acid-preserved fish silage or the fish silage neutralized with CaCO3. Addition of the least amounts of the acids to the diet had no obvious effect on the reproductive capacity of the mink but the higher doses increased significantly the number of barren mink and depressed or completely abolished appetite. Neutralizing the acidity with CaCO3 improved appetite. Birthweight and subsequent growth of the young up to age of 6 weeks fell with increasing acidity of the diet. All the mink given the acidified diets developed signs of acidosis, especially when the pH of diets fell below 5.0.