Year: 2012
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: Black spots in the meat side of mink pelts with dark coloured hairs have been found in the inguinal region, the back, the abdomen, the neck or spread over the whole body. The black spots have been explained by fur farmers and researchers as the remains of bite marks. Examination of the pelts learns that the distribution of the black spots did not concur with the places where bite marks usually develop. The density and distribution of the spots ware variable. When started with pelting in the first week of November of the experimental minks kept in different housing systems and finishing pelting the last animals of the same group in December, there was a reduction of occurrence and the density of the black spots was remarkably decreased. In breeder males were no black spots found. The males generally had less black spots than the females, but almost all the minks pelted in December were free of black spots. No real black spots were found in pelts from violet, pearl and white type minks. Histological examination of the black spots does not reveal indications of damage caused by biting, as haemorrhage, inflammation or fibrosis. No remnant iron products were found using the Perl’s Prussian blue stain. During the development from summer coat to winter coat, anagen (grow) fase, the bulb portion of the hair follicles is deeply anchored in the superficial part of the subcutaneous fat tissue. If the maturation of the hairs is not yet finished or retarded at the moment that the animals are killed, the hair follicles are recognizable as blue pelts and black spots. This does not happen when the hair follicles are in telogen, hair-containing phase, in which the hair follicles have a more superficial location within the dermis and the bulb portion has a white color. The conclusions of the macroscopical and histological examinations demonstrated that black spots are normal hair follicles in anagen stage and are no bite marks.
Institution: De Gezondheidsdienst voor Dieren
Language: English
Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W2182804064