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Juvenile farmed mink (Mustela vison) with additional access to swimming water play more frequently than animals housed with a cylinder and platform, but without swimming water

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

CM Vinke ,
J van Leeuwen  and
BM Spruijt
CM Vinke*
Affiliation:
Ethology and Animal Welfare Group, Department of Animals, Science & Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80166, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
J van Leeuwen
Affiliation:
Ethology and Animal Welfare Group, Department of Animals, Science & Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80166, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
BM Spruijt
Affiliation:
Ethology and Animal Welfare Group, Department of Animals, Science & Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80166, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
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Abstract

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The opportunity to perform play behaviour may be an important ontogenic activity that stimulates behavioural variability and may enhance an individual's coping capacity later in life. Play behaviour in juveniles may be enhanced by the presence of cage enrichments relevant to the animal's motivations and natural behavioural repertoire. The present study aimed to investigate play behaviour in juvenile farmed mink reared and housed with the cage enrichments standard for the Dutch housing system (ie a cylinder and platform) and in an experimental group of animals with the same standard enrichments but with additional access to swimming water. Juvenile mink with access to swimming water played significantly more in the main cage than mink reared and housed with the cylinder and platform but without swimming water. The results suggest that swimming water presents the animals with biologically relevant stimuli that directly or indirectly influence the development of play behaviour. Specific implications for the animals' long-term welfare are discussed. Future studies should elucidate the effects of juvenile play on the occurrence of abnormal behavioural patterns in adulthood more precisely and more thoroughly.

Keywords

animal welfarecoping capacityenrichmentminkneedsplay behaviour
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , February 2005 , pp. 53 - 60
Copyright
© 2005 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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