Animal handling and fur quality

Links between animal handling and fur quality

Measuring fur quality is a basic prerequisite in the fur industry. The pelts are divided into different classes depending on the colour, the length and density of the hair and the colour of the pelt. The quality of the pelt is directly crucial to its value and the finances of the farm. It goes without saying that animal health is linked with the quality of the fur and a good end product in the form of a high-class pelt. Good feed makes the animals grow in size and gives them shiny, thick fur. At the same time, it is well known that poor feed and diseases result in reduced growth and poorer fur quality. Good animal welfare also takes into account the mental state of the individual. So what does the mental state of the individual have to do with the quality and business economics?

Impaired mental health leads to:

• impaired immune defences and diseases
• reduced growth
• reduced reproduction

The consequence of this is less welfare for the animals and poorer finances for the farmer. As killing of fur-bearing animals is a brief part of the job which takes place at home on the farm, daily care has the biggest influence on these factors; unlike in the case of other agricultural animals, where work taking place in connection with killing is of major significance in terms of product quality. There are examples where killing may affect quality. Chinchillas may shed fur if they are stressed, and mink may bite one another unless they are kept in a dark area during killing, or if this process takes time.

Photo not available at the moment!

A chinchilla with good fur quality, which may be a sign of good animal welfare, both mentally and physically. Photograph: SLU.