Mink Feeds and Feeding – New guide published at NSAC

Bible Hill– Researchers at the Canadian Centre for Fur Animal Research at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) have written a practical feeding guide to help mink producers plan, manufacture and evaluate diets made from food industry waste and byproducts.

The guide, written by Professor Kirsti Rouvinen-Watt, Research Associate Margot White and Technical Writer Rosaria Campbell, from the university’s Department of Plant and Animal Science, will also help to reduce the waste stream from human food production and manufacturing by diverting byproducts into the animal feed industry.

“The guide is intended to be an on-farm resource that will provide mink producers with the tools and skills to successfully manage ingredient selection, nutritional evaluation of feed ingredients, ration balancing and quality assurance of complete diets,” said Dr. Kirsti-Rouvinen Watt. “The main benefit of the feeding guide will be in the form of reduced production costs related to feeds and feeding which represents the largest variable costs in mink production.”

The project was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, through the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, through Agri-Futures, Nova Scotia’s Adaptation Council, the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, through the Agri-Food Industry Development Fund, the Canada Mink Breeders Association, the Nova Scotia Mink Breeders Association, and the Nova Scotia Fur Institute.

The feeding guide (Mink Feeds and Feeding, ISBN 1-555174-323-X) is a significant contribution to literature in the area of byproduct-based feed manufacturing and also provides an overview of the digestive capabilities of the mink and its nutrient requirements at various stages of the production cycle.

Supplemental to the guide is an expanded CD Rom version (ISBN: 1-55174-324-8) which contains an interactive mink feed ingredient database both of which are available for sale through the NSAC Bookstore.

Last year the mink industry generated in excess of $38 million in export revenue in Nova Scotia.

To purchase this book or CD please contact the NSAC Bookstore at abrownfulton@nsac.ca

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For more information contact Stephanie Rogers at (902) 893-7247 or by E-Mail at srogers@nsac.ca