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Behavioural and Physiological Differences Between Silver Foxes Selected and Not Selected for Domestic Behaviour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

M Harri ,
J Mononen ,
L Ahola ,
I Plyusnina  and
T Rekilä
M Harri
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland
J Mononen*
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland
L Ahola
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland
I Plyusnina
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
T Rekilä*
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: Institute of Applied Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, P O Box 1627, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland; [email protected]
§Present address: Agrifood Research Finland, Fur Farming Research Station, Turkistie 8, FIN-69100 Kannus, Finland
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Abstract

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The degree of domestication of an animal is difficult to estimate because the animal's phenotype depends not only on its genetic make-up but also on its experiences during ontogeny. In addition, comparisons between wild and domestic animals suffer from the lack of a proper reference population. In this study, we compared the offspring of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) that had been selected specifically for tameness for more than 30 generations (NOVO) with normal Finnish farmed foxes (FIN) and with reciprocal hybrids between these two strains. All animals were housed under standard farm conditions without any extra handling. The NOVO foxes had higher domestication indexes and lower fearfulness scores than the FIN foxes, with their hybrids showing values in between. Almost all NOVO foxes started eating in the presence of a human and took a titbit from him, whereas only a few FIN foxes did so. Open field and urinary cortisol tests failed to discriminate between the genotypes. The NOVO cubs had lower levels of serum cortisol both before and after a stressful situation or ACTH injection and showed lower stress-induced hyperthermia than the FIN cubs, with the hybrids showing results in between. NOVO foxes can be used as a reference when developing and validating behavioural tests for use in the selection of less fearful silver foxes. The observed low fear levels and low stress hormone levels suggest better welfare in the NOVO foxes under standard farm conditions.

Keywords

animal welfareattention-seeking behaviourbehavioural testsilver foxstressVulpes vulpes
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , August 2003 , pp. 305 - 314
Copyright
© 2003 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Footnotes

†

Died on 27th January 2001

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