Mink is one of the most popular animals for the breeding of which they organize animal husbandry.
After all, they are the main "suppliers" of fur for sewing different types of clothing and accessories. For example, a mink coat is the dream of every woman.
In addition, mittens, hats, collars, scarves are produced from this material. Therefore, there is a great demand for these furry animals. They take root well in captivity. In other words, mink breeding is very beneficial and promising. The business plan in this case is not difficult to draw up. Consider this topic in more detail.
How to start a mink farming farm?
The answer to this question is quite simple. To start the activity you will need the following:
- In order for mink breeding to be successful, a business plan is drawn up first. In this case, you may need a specialist recommendation.
- It is also necessary to study the characteristics and varieties of these animals.
general characteristics
Mink is a small predatory animal from the marten family. It is small in size - 40-50 cm (without tail). Her fur is smooth, short, shiny and has a dense undercoat. In total there are 300 different colors. The most popular items are brown, black, blue and silver-blue mink.
Everyone knows that the difference in the color of an animal is determined by genes. Hence this diversity. For example, the color of dark brown is determined by 20 genes, including 14 dominant and 6 recessive.
The main colors of the mink
Standard dark brown mink is the main species. It occupies a forefront and accounts for 33.7% of the total population. From this species, as a result of mutations and crosses, different color groups are obtained.
Black mink (jet) is a dominant mutation. Her appearance was recorded in the years 1963-1964 in Canada. It reproduces quite well. Fertility of this species is 4–5 puppies.
The silver-blue color of this animal is one of the most famous and common on farms. This view is medium in size. Its population is 39.3% of the total number of animals.
Sapphire color is the result of crossing the Aleutian and silver-blue mink. The average output of 4–5 puppies. In this case, a blue smoky color is obtained. Survival is 87.6% of the total population.
Pastel - this color is like a brown mink. However, since her fluff shines blue, she is much more beautiful. In this case, color varies from light to bluish-brown with a touch of chocolate. The fecundity of this type of animal is 6 puppies, and the survival rate of their offspring is 89%.
European mink is a rare animal. It is listed in the Red Book.
American mink is widespread and is perfect for developing a business selling its fur.
Keeping animals
When organizing mink breeding as a business, it is necessary to take care of the acquisition of cages and the construction of premises (sheds) for them. Let's consider these questions in more detail.
Cells for breeding and keeping minks can be different. Their sizes should be such that these animals can feel themselves freely and actively move.
Attach a house in a cage where they can hide. Be sure to put a feeder, a drinking bowl and a container of water, as they love to swim.
Secure all placed elements in the cage.Otherwise, the minks will throw them. The cells in the cells should be 2-2.7 cm in diameter. These sizes are determined to accommodate adult minks.
Therefore, when small animals are born, they need to be planted in other cells with small cells. If you can’t make them yourself, then it’s quite possible to get ready-made ones at affordable prices. Minks are quite aggressive animals.
Therefore, it is better to keep them in separate cells. The construction of mink sheds should also be arranged. These structures are a hinged structure with a gable roof, in which the arrangement of cells is two-linear.
However, there may be other options. For example, there are sheds in which cells are placed in four rows or more. For the construction of these structures, mainly reinforced concrete, wooden elements and metal are used. The supporting structure of the shed is the frame. It can be built from metal, wooden or reinforced concrete frames that will be connected by girders.
The length of this building is on average 60 m. However, it depends on individual desire. You can do longer. For the construction of a Shed roof, shingles or asbestos cement corrugated sheets are used. Then carry out the equipment of these structures with hanging tracks and water supply. It is better to make the coating of the main passage asphalt or concrete, as this will make it easy to use feeders.
Mink Feeding
Minks are predatory animals in nature. They try rodents, various small animals that they catch, as well as fish and birds. The diet is selected individually. If you decide to breed these animals at home, you need to feed them fresh fish, meat, vegetable food, use special feeds and dairy products.
Proper nutrition will ensure a healthy state of minks. Do not feed them with waste - this affects the quality of the fur and color poorly. Live feed should be used. For example, ordinary mice. You can breed them at home on your own, while the feed for them is the cheapest. Mink eats one mouse per day.
Also, the specified animal can be fed cheap fish. However, do not forget that these animals are very prone to various diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to feed them with vitamins. If the disease appears, then it can turn into an epidemic, and in a few days all minks can become infected and die.
Breeding and reproduction
Initially, everything must be carefully planned and organized. In early spring in March, a mink begins at the mink. By ten months, these animals reach sexual maturity. Minks can be mated in March, and puppies must be expected in late April or early May. Pregnancy in appearance of animals is difficult to determine.
About two weeks before giving birth, the female’s tummy increases in size. You should prepare in advance the nest where the offspring will be located, sprinkle it with hay and soft wood shavings. On average, fertility is 5–6 puppies. They are born blind and deaf.
The first two weeks, puppies should be in the nest and feed on mother's milk. When the puppies turn 20 days old, the mother begins to feed them. By this time, the offspring are still blind, but they are trying to eat on their own. To teach puppies to dressing, food must be placed in a cage. At the age of forty days, the cubs are separated from the mother.
From September to November, the young grows fur. It has the greatest value. In November, animals are selected for slaughter for fur, which is the main means of generating business income. The duration of the maintenance and cultivation of minks is 5-6 years. Then, the quality of the fur and the ability to reproduce in this animal change.
Breeding mink. Business plan
As mentioned above, for the successful implementation of this idea, it is imperative to draw up an accurate project. If you have already formulated a plan, then opening this business will not be so difficult. According to experts, in this area, the content of one individual of this animal is an average of 65-70 rubles. per month. In this case, the cost of the skin can vary between 20-200 dollars.
Having the necessary equipment, one entrepreneur can service a fur farm for one thousand females. If there are twenty females and three males, then during the year you can get 120 animals. Therefore, to obtain 1,500 skins per year, 300 females are required. As a result of this, the breeding of mink, the business plan of which is framed according to these recommendations, will definitely bring good profit. And this is one of the main goals of such an activity. Thus, the profitability of breeding mink will be ensured.
Organizational moments
For fixing on the fur market, there are 2 ways:
- Buy animals of rare color. For example, a pearl shade. The price of such a fur is very high.
- Open a farm with a significant number of animals of different colors.
If you decide to organize this business, then initially you should decide on the size of the room. You also need to calculate the number of necessary personnel to care for these animals. It all depends on your desire and the size of the available initial capital. If the mink breeding farm consists of 50 animals, then you can manage it yourself. A veterinarian can visit animals only periodically.
Main criteria
For mink breeding to be successful, the following must be considered:
- The recommended number of main females is 20-200 goals.
- It is necessary to contain these animals in separate cages.
- Herd formation: 1 female should have 0.2 males and 5.1 young animals.
- Puppies are born in late April or early May.
- Young growth is individuals from 8 months.
- Bearing offspring - 7 weeks.
- Breeding offspring by one female at a time - 5-15 puppies.
- Deposition of young animals is carried out after 35-45 days after birth.
To breeding mink, you will need:
- cages for animals in the required quantity, where the nest and the platform for walking should be;
- a feeder for food;
- premises for slaughter and processing of hides;
- electricity, heating, water supply, sewer system;
- a place for storing bedding and feed;
- a room for storing equipment;
- area for the export of manure.
In order to organize animal husbandry, permits from the SES, fire control, veterinarian and other authorities are needed.
The list of necessary products for these animals:
- Fish, meat food.
- Grain, compound feed.
- Fish oil.
- Special vitamins.
- Grass.
- Milk products.
Product Sales
There are three options for implementing mink:
- Sale of live animals (today it is fashionable to keep exotic animals at home).
- The implementation of skins.
- The implementation of tailoring of fur products.
The main thing is to establish a consumer network. The main customers of these products may be fur factories, salons that sell and tailor clothes and accessories from the specified material.
Conclusion
Summing up, we can say the following: for a successful business in this area, you first need to invest, and also observe the technology of breeding, raising, vaccinating and feeding animals. If you do not adhere to all these points, then there is a possibility of the death of the entire livestock. The main problem of this business is the search for a responsible buyer.
