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Gnawing bones as enrichment for farmed blue foxes (Vulpes lagopus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2010

L. Ahola ,
A. Turunen ,
J. Mononen  and
T. Koistinen
L. Ahola*
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
A. Turunen
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
J. Mononen
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
T. Koistinen
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
*
†E-mail: leena.ahola@uku.fi
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Abstract

According to present acts and regulations, farmed foxes shall have a gnawing or other enrichment object in their cages. However, research on the welfare effects of gnawing objects has been scarce. We assessed physiology and health, that is weight development, urinary cortisol-creatinine ratio, serum cortisol level after adrenocorticotropic hormone administration, internal organ masses and incidence of gastric ulcerations as well as dental and overall oral health, in pair-housed juvenile blue foxes that were housed either with or without a possibility to interact with bones (cattle femur) during their growing season (July to December). The results show that the physiological effects of the possibility to interact with bones were either non-significant or suggested that competition for bones may jeopardize the welfare of subordinate individuals. However, the results clearly show that gnawing bones are beneficial for the dental health of farmed foxes.

Keywords

animal welfareblue foxenrichmenthealthphysiology

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Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 4 , Issue 6 , June 2010 , pp. 951 - 957
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2010

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