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Farmed Fur
Fur Farming, a proud heritage of care
Click here to learn more about the people involved in fur farming and animal care
Fur farming began in North America in the 19th century, arriving in Europe in the early years of the 20th century. Today, after over 100 years of selective breeding, combined with good nutrition, housing and veterinary care, farmed fur-bearing animals are domesticated and amongst the worldís best cared-for farm animals.The most common farmed fur-bearing animal is mink (Mustela vison), followed by fox (Vulpes vulpes and Alopex lagopus). Other species farmed on a smaller scale include nutria (Myocastor coypus), chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera), fitch (Mustela putorius and Mustela eversmanni), sable (Martes zibellina) and finn raccoon (Nyctereutes procyonoides).
Most mink farming takes place in Europe (73 per cent) and North America (12 per cent). The remainder occurs in countries as far apart as Argentina, China, Ukraine and Russia.
Farmed furs are the mainstay of the fur trade, accounting for some 85 per cent of the industry's turnover. Production figures for mink and fox farming vary annually. Most recent figures (2004) show that approximately 40.5 million pelts were produced in that year (88 per cent mink; 12 per cent fox).
An employment lifeline
Fur farming provides a livelihood for many thousands of individuals in Europe and North America. In Europe, there are some 6,500 fur farms, while the fur sector as a whole provides some 214,000 full and part-time jobs in the European Union. In North America there are some 1,135 mink, fox and chinchilla farms. Most farms are small family-run businesses. The fur sector as a whole provides some 255,000 full and part-time jobs in North America.
Revenue from fur farming allows many farmers, particularly in Europe, to supplement income from other agricultural activities. Fur farming also allows farming to remain economically viable where climatic conditions limit the options open to farmers in terms of what they can produce and market profitably.
Efficient use for animal by-products
Fur farming provides an efficient use of animal by-products from human food production purchased from fish and poultry processors and other farming sectors. The consumption by fur animals of these by-products, which are not intended for human use, helps to keep down the actual cost of human food production.
Farming methods
The present housing systems have evolved through independent scientific research (notably behavioural studies), and practical experience over many generations of animals on farms. Mink are generally housed in sheds four metres wide. These sheds are open-sided with roofing panels. They provide normal temperature and light conditions, while protecting against direct sunlight, wind and rain. Wire cages are placed in rows in the sheds. Foxes are housed in similar sheds. In both cases, the cages are raised off the ground to ensure good hygiene. These cages give the farm animals sufficient space for normal movement and investigative behaviour.In mink farming, year-round nestboxes bedded with straw or wood shavings are provided for breeding purposes and to ensure that the animals sleep and rest comfortably. Research has shown that the provision of a nesting box, which is now standard in mink production, is of great importance to the welfare of farmed mink.
Both mink kits and fox cubs remain in the same cage as their mothers until weaned at the age of 7 - 8 weeks. After that the animals are housed in little groups of 2 - 3 through their growth period, and only breeding animals, selected among the mature animals late in the autumn, are housed separately. Non-breeding mature animals are killed quickly and humanely. Methods used are closely controlled under national and European law and North American provincial/state or national requirements. They are administered on the farm thereby minimising the need for stressful transport.
Generally, both mink and fox are fed on a wet feed made from fish, dairy, poultry and other agricultural by-products. This is high in nutrients and may have added supplements to ensure that ideal nutrition levels are provided to maintain good health and well-being. Clean water is available at all times.
Welfare first
Fur farmers attach great importance to supporting scientific research. First, they want to ensure that farming systems continue to maintain high standards of animal welfare. Second, they want to ensure that any rules or regulations governing the sector continue to be based on sound scientific fact.
In 1999, the spending by government and fur sector contributors on fur farming research in four of the main producing countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and The Netherlands) exceeded Euro 1,600,000.
Since 1999, the European Fur Breedersí Association and the International Fur Trade Federation have been supporting the work of the Fur Animal Welfare Research Committee (FAWRC), an independent committee which reports to the Council of Europe. Four projects have been exploring whether farmed mink need swimming water and the potential effect of swimming water on animal welfare. Three projects are looking into behavioural and welfare aspects of farmed foxes.
In North America, the fur industry works with suppliers of medicines and feedstuffs to fund disease and nutritional research.
Since the late 1930s, independent research has been ongoing in Russia on farmed mink and foxes. This work has largely focused on the domestication process in farmed fur animals.
Results from the various research programmes have in many instances been incorporated into law and/or farm practices to benefit farmed fur animals in areas such as:
- housing (eg. the introduction of nest boxes for mink and observation platforms for foxes)
- disease prevention (eg. Aleutian disease)
- breeding and selection (eg. selection for more confident animals)
- husbandry (eg. promotion of early handling of kits)
- nutrition (eg. composition, hygiene and control of feed)
What the experts say
"From a scientific point of view, fur animals that have been domesticated for more than ten generations must be considered as so far genetically removed from their ancestors that they have to be treated as fully domesticated subspecies. Irrespective of the present taxonomy of the animals it has to be realised that it would be disastrous to the welfare of the animals to go on treating them as wild animals in respect to legislation. The majority of farmed fur animals require the same status as all other commonly held animals in modern husbandry."
Professor Knud Erik Heller, Institute of Population Biology, University of Copenhagen
ìThese are absolutely not wild animals, these are farmed animals, and they have been farmed for generations and generations. Like cattle, like pigs, they were wild, now they are farmed.î
Dr Einar Einarsson, former President of the International Fur Animal Scientific Association (IFASA), Norway
ìThe role of the fur farmer for the welfare of the foxes is the most important thing. In my opinion itís even more important than the physical environment that foxes are living in. Itís very important for the farmer to know the character of the foxes, how they behave in nature, how they behave in the farm, because foxes, as other animals, they are showing, by their behaviour, what they think about things, what they feel. The present housing system meets quite well the needs of foxes today. During the recent years farmers have added to the environment, platforms and also chewing objects, that is because of the Ministry results from the welfare studies.î
Dr Teppo Rekil‰, Senior Scientist, MTT Agrifood Research, Finland
ìWell the mink is a very curious animal, itís very inquisitive and is very playful and normally when you come into a farm, they will stick up their head and see what is happening.
The present housing system consists of a pen and a nest box for the minks so they can have a place to sleep, so in general they are pretty well cared for.
I would say that the mink is domesticated in most senses of the word. There are some different signs of domestication, for instance, their brain size and a lot of other characteristics. In that respect, I would say that mink is domesticated."
Dr Steen H M¯ller, Senior Scientist, Department of Animal Health & Welfare, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences
Click here to read the European Fur Breedersí Associations paper on fur animal domestication http://www.efbanet.com/publications.html.
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