Keeping minks can be really profitable. There are still not many farmers breeding these fur animals in our country. Currently, in Russia there are only about 30 farms of this specialization. In principle, the maintenance of such fur-bearing animals is a relatively simple matter. However, successful breeding of minks in Russia, as in any other country in the world, is possible, of course, only if the farmer has certain knowledge and skills.
The value of mink skins
Currently, farms specializing in the production of these animals are the main suppliers of material for the country's fur industry. It is the mink most often goes in Russia for sewing fur coats, hats, collars, scarves and even mittens. Demand for such fur is actually very high. This is due primarily to its truly unique qualities.
In the wild, minks, the breeding and maintenance of which should be carried out, of course, taking into account the biological characteristics of their body, live mainly in the northern regions of Russia. Thick fur helps these animals to keep warm in the winter. Between the hairs of the skin of the animal creates a thick air layer that does not allow cold. However, density is not the only advantage of mink fur. All hairs of the skin of these animals have exactly the same length. Therefore, mink fur looks velvety and noble.
The price of one such unfinished skin is about 120 rubles per 100 cm 2 . But this figure, of course, is approximate. The real cost of mink skins depends on two main factors - the quality of the fur itself and its color.
Species and varieties
Most often, in artificial nurseries, including in Russia, there is a Scandinavian mink. Breeding it is a simple task, since this variety is very unpretentious. In the wild, there are only two groups of minks - European and American. Scandinavian, in fact, is a variation of the latter. As for the breeds, their breeders simply bred a huge amount. On farms, for example, a mink can be bred:
In particular, silver-blue, sapphire, iris and the like are considered valuable breeds by farmers. Skins of rare white Hetlunds are also very expensive. Breeding mink at home will be most beneficial when choosing blue and white breeds. But the purchase of such manufacturers will cost, of course, more expensive.
What a novice farmer needs to know
They contain minks, like rabbits, most often in cages installed in special open rooms - sheds. The latter are, in fact, a simple canopy without any fence. In winter, minks should be kept in conditions as close to natural as possible. That is, simply put, in the cold. Otherwise, their fur will not be so beautiful and thick. Since in the wild these animals live in holes, small insulated houses are installed for them in each cage.
Unlike the same rabbit, the mink is a predatory animal. This, of course, should be considered when choosing feeds. As the latter, farmers usually use fish, meat and chicken wastes mixed with various premixes.
Minks breed fast enough. A good female can bring up to 16 cubs at a time. But most often in the litter there are 5-7 babies.
How to make calculations
Breeding minks will be successful, of course, only if the entrepreneur first draws up a detailed business plan for the farm. The initial capital of those who want to organize such an enterprise should be quite large. Building a shed proper will not cost too much. But for the manufacturers, of course, have to pay a tidy sum.
It is believed that breeding mink at home as a business can be profitable only if the farm contains at least 20 females. The cost of one such individual of an ordinary brown color is about 3000 rubles. About 2300 rubles will have to be paid for each male. Of course, there should be several such manufacturers on the farm. In one day during the rut, the male can cover no more than three future queens. Thus, a beginner farmer will have to spend at least 60-70 thousand rubles only on the purchase of producers.
Mink foods, of course, will also be quite expensive. In fact, the success of the enterprise will depend on whether the farmer manages to find their cheap supplier or not. Most often, entrepreneurs engaged in breeding minks conclude contracts with poultry farms for the supply of offal. Calculations should be based on the fact that one female should receive 40-60 g of meat with bones per day, and the male - 60-80 g.
Very often, farmers add mink and fish to the feed. This allows you to slightly reduce maintenance costs. However, using such an additive, it should be borne in mind that its total share in the diet of animals should not exceed 40%.
Where should the mink breeding farm be located?
When choosing a place to build a shed, an entrepreneur should, of course, follow certain SES standards. Of course, a mink is not a pig. But the smell from a farm specializing in breeding these animals can come quite unpleasant. According to the regulations, if the farm contains up to 50 females, the distance from it to the nearest residential building should be at least 30 m. With a larger number of animals, this figure increases to 60 m.
Of course, you should build a shed where it is possible to connect to power lines. Also for the farm you will need a large amount of water. Therefore, choosing a shed is a place where it does not lie too deep. In this case, drilling a well will be cheaper.
Of course, the farm should be located in a place with convenient access roads. After all, breeding minks involves delivering a large amount of feed, hay, sawdust, etc. Also, skins will need to be taken out of the farm.
Construction works
To build, in fact, the shed himself would not be difficult, of course. To build this structure, you just need to put the pillars and cover them with a double or single-shed canopy. However, a shed is not the whole farm. The novice hunter will also need to erect structures designed for slaughtering animals and storing equipment and feed. You will also have to build a small quarantine block.
If the farm will contain 20 animals, the owner will be able to take care of them, of course, and independently. For more animals, you will likely need to hire additional staff. In this case, the farm will need to provide, including a change house with a changing room and a shower.
Mink breeding at home: what should the cells be like?
The size of the shed, of course, will depend primarily on the number of animals raised. Cells in such structures are installed close to each other, in one tier, in several rows. The sizes of such dwellings for minks can be different. But in any case, the length of the cage should not be less than 70 cm, and the width - 30 cm. At the same time, the height of the frame for mink is considered to be 45 cm.
In most cases, farm owners purchase ready-made cages for minks. However, if desired, such equipment can be manufactured independently. The cells for these animals are made of timber and a metal mesh with a mesh size of 25x25 mm. Mink houses are often shot down from boards or plywood. A feeder and a drinking bowl are hung on the door of each cage.
Minks are not afraid of cold. However, to make the animals feel comfortable, litter must be put on the bottom of each cage. They usually make it from an equal amount of wood shavings, hay and straw. In the future, the litter, of course, will have to be periodically changed. On average, about 40 kg of a mixture of hay, straw and shavings per year is required for one mink.
Features of feeding minks
Breeding mink as a business will bring tangible profits, of course, only if the animals are properly developed. The meat and fish of any species are given to these animals exclusively with bones and veins. Adult animals are usually fed twice daily. Young animals are given 3-4 times a day. The ease of feeding minks lies primarily in the fact that these animals never overeat. You should not be afraid to overfeed them.
In addition to fish and waste products from poultry farms, minks can be given specially prepared, factory-made dry feed, beef, lamb, game and mice. You can’t feed these animals sausages, sweets, salty foods, canned food, citrus fruits, dairy products and anything fried. Mink fish can only be given marine.
Animal breeding
Breeding minks will not be successful if the farm owner does not take care of periodically updating and increasing his livestock. The mink race comes in March. It is possible to determine that an individual is ready for mating by its characteristic rumbling. The case of these animals may be carried out from the age of 11 months. Offspring of queens covered in March appears by early May. During pregnancy, females eat much more than in their normal state. This farmer, of course, must be considered. If a pregnant mink does not receive enough nutrients and vitamins, her cubs will be born weak and painful. It will be impossible to get good skins from them in the future. Pregnant mink should be fed ad libitum. Of course, you need to pay maximum attention to the development of men’s menus. It should be as diverse as possible.
Owners of mink farms usually start preparing for childbirth from April 15. At this time, the houses of the females are cleaned, treated with fleas and disinfected. Further, the females lay a larger mixture of hay, straw and sawdust in the cage.
Mink cubs appear completely naked. They begin to grow in valuable fur only after some time. Therefore, the house of the female in the cage should be well insulated. Only in this case, breeding mink at home will be successful. In a cold nest, puppies can easily catch a cold and die.
Baby Care
Initially, mink puppies feed exclusively on breast milk. The eyes of the cubs open approximately on the 25-30th day. On the 20th day, puppies cut their teeth. It is by this time that a well-ground feed on a small metal plate should begin to be put in the cage. The uterus will independently carry it to babies in the nest.
When the puppies turn one month old, the female will begin to pull them out to the feeder. After some time, the cubs get used to go out to the tray themselves.
At 5-7 weeks of age, mink puppies become very voracious. If they do not have enough food at this time, they can gnaw each other or even kill and eat the female herself. This must be taken into account by the owner of the farm, of course.
Lunge of young animals in minks is usually small. Some puppies die mainly only in the first week after childbirth.
Young minks are deposited from the uterus most often at the age of 1.5 months. Cages for young animals are prepared in advance. Puppies are planted one at a time or in pairs. Mink born in May are usually killed in November.
Possible profit and reviews
You can get income from a farm of this specialization mainly in two ways - by selling animal skins, as well as pedigree producers. Some owners of mink farms also sell part of the young animals as pets. Profit with the correct organization of the farm breeding minks can bring really big.
Cost and revenue calculation example
So how profitable can a mink farm be? Further, for clarity, we present to the reader several numbers for a nursery for 240 heads of females and 60 males. Organization of a farm in this case usually costs about 4,200,000 rubles. Moreover, annual expenses amount to about 2 891 000 rubles. Skins and producers for the year in such a nursery can be sold for about 4 million rubles. Thus, the net profit of the farmer is 1 109 000 p. / Year.
Instead of a conclusion
Of course, 240 heads of females is a lot. In most cases, entrepreneurs initially buy far fewer manufacturers. But even a farm of 20 goals can be quite profitable. It is believed that with just one pair of minks you can get up to 120,000 rubles of income per year. Thus, this business is really quite profitable - breeding minks as a business. Reviews of such farms, of course, are mostly only good. But, according to farmers, efforts to maintain such a nursery will have to make a very, very much. Otherwise, to profit from the breeding of minks, of course, will not work.