Amino acid availability of protein meals of different quality for adult and growing mink ().

Protein and amino acid (AA) availability of three protein meals of expected different quality were evaluated in young growing and adult mink. Lamb meal (LM), poultry meal (PM) or fishmeal (FM) were used as main protein sources in three extruded diets investigated by determining apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and nitrogen balance in 12 growing mink males aged 8-11 weeks in a Latin square design. In adult mink, ATTD of the diets was determined.

Fetal life malnutrition was not reflected in the relative abundances of adiponectin and leptin mRNAs in adipose tissue in male mink kits at 9.5 weeks of age.

Background: Malnutrition in fetal life and during suckling have in some animal studies resulted in adaptive changes related to the fat and glucose metabolism, which in the long term might predispose the offspring for metabolic disorders such as obesity later in life. The objective was to study the effect of fetal life malnutrition in male mink on the gene expression of leptin and adiponectin in different adipose tissue sites.

Results: Thirty-two male mink, strict carnivore species, exposed to low (FL) or adequate (FA) protein provision the last 16.

Foetal life protein provision of mink (Neovison vison) changes the relative mRNA abundance of some hepatic enzymes regulating fat metabolism.

The nutrient provision to pregnant females has high impact on the growth and metabolism of their offspring. The objective was to investigate if the expression of hepatic enzymes regulating the fat metabolism was affected in foetuses and adult female mink born by dams fed either a low or an adequate level of protein during late gestation. The relative abundances of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1) mRNA were determined by qualitative polymerase chain reaction in the livers of F₀- and F₁-generation dams and in F₁-generation foetuses.

Metabolic and growth response of mink (Neovison vison) kits until 10 weeks of age when exposed to different dietary protein provision.

Growth performance and metabolism were investigated in mink kits (n = 210) exposed to the same dietary treatment as their dams (n = 30), i.e. high (HP; 61% of metabolisable energy, ME), medium (MP; 48% of ME) or low (LP; 30% of ME) protein supply, from birth until 10 weeks of age.

Effect of late gestation low protein supply to mink (Mustela vison) dams on reproductive performance and metabolism of dam and offspring.

Protein malnutrition in utero that induces permanent changes in metabolism has been investigated intensively in various animals in recent years, but to the best of our knowledge, not yet in the mink, a strict carnivore. In the present study, minks were fed either a low-protein (LP) diet, i.e.

Feeding mink (Neovison vison) a protein-restricted diet during pregnancy induces higher birth weight and altered hepatic gene expression in the F(2) offspring.

Malnutrition during foetal life can induce modifications in the phenotype of an individual. The present study aimed to observe effects of low foetal life protein provision on modifications of the phenotype and changes in the progeny of 1-year-old female mink (F(1) generation) offspring of mothers fed a low-protein diet. Traits studied included reproductive performance, energy and protein metabolism, and key hepatic enzymes associated with glucose homeostasis and metabolic hormones.