Historic, archived document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
~ Washington, D. C.
"
4
on
”
\
SILVER-FOX FARMING
By
FRANK G. ASHBROOK, Assistant Biologist
Division of Economic Investigations
Bureau of Birlogical Survey
June 20, 1923
Pee ie : CONTENTS
ss Page Page
1 | Essentials of breeding. . - - .- 2.2 22s LEP EI 5
& ratte e a sere eeess + 2 Essentials offeeding .... . eis vs sey - 3
_ History offoxfarming. .......-..-. 3 | Generalmanagement .....- is Sere 45
a --- eri epee ‘whee MAO acd egw, oa. 5 ge Re te ere 52
Recommendations to beginners .-....-- - iS Rea oan feo ara ace ee Re 55
oes pein «ee p a so a 6 Diseases pe el en Shy a wm eae tele to 55
ahs i ee eee 9 Graig ee a. was antic e: atc Oceano ate 56
~ Pens” a Se ee 11 Preventive measures » - +++ +++ 22s 56
oie =. ag Re 22 Treatmentof disease .. - «+ +2 se ee 57
Watchtower, orlookout .... . = = PA MOCGIRGD Nc Web's oa. a" rata coe al, od ata eee 58
I ta wig ss de «ca «oe 30 | Fox shewi «eee ce se aoe Ce ae 59
|
“& EE RT SS
|
WASHINGTON .
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1923
\
PLATE I.
Bul. 1151, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
‘sosvyd [[@ UL OFT S
Jod OT) JOATIS yrep IVX9 *Y {(ADATIS J99 Jod Cz
woesia
=
qre1 oyg Jodi oy, *(aoATIs ou) xoF yoryq ‘8 {(aoATIS YUOD
9 :(ADATIS 199 Od YE) JOATIS ‘G S(AOATIS JU09 od G/) IATIS
~
JOATIS Yaep
“(SAdINA SNNAH) XO4 GAY AHL AO SASVHd YO1OD
oped ‘fF fsoxoy ssord fe pure Z% fxOJ por “Tt
Washington, D. C. June 20, 1923
SILVER-FOX FARMING.
By FRANK G. ASHBROOK,
Assistant Biologist, Division of Economic Investigations,
Bureau of Biological Survey-
CONTENTS.
Page Page.
UO SUL 6 a Tis ae ee eae Se eee oe 1 | Essentials of breeding___________ z 32
b Wraeis 2. Silver fox 72. | 2 | Essentials of feeding_____________ 39
3 History of fox farming ______ 3 | General management_______ AD
ex oTowine areas 2 2 4 (iia oo on be en 52
Recommendations to beginners_ 6 Se ETE ETE 711 2 Se Ree ee eae oie nena a5
Selecting a ranch site iu. _=- + 6 Pisses Fee ee fe 5D
tee OPTI ZATION = 9 PARAS 3 ee a ee 56
\ epee fs et es 11 Preventive measures__________ 56
Ripe areokernnele 5 fie ot a Treatment of disease_________ 57
Watch tower, or lookout______ vals ten, tel SCE ST TW , © tee Set wae oe ne Se 58
‘ SS aon aeeeeet SUE iT hc ee ee ee See ie eee 59
INTRODUCTION.
_ Silver-fox farming has attracted wide attention, chiefly because
_ of the enormous profits derived from the sale of pelts and breeding
stock. As a fur animal propagated in captivity the silver fox has
no rival, and both live foxes and their pelts are in demand. Prob-
ably no other live-stock enterprise pays larger returns for the money
- invested, although erroneous statements regarding this industry
_ have been made that have misled the public as to its real status. In
-a majority of instances lack of authentic information concerning the
_ feeding, breeding, and management of silver foxes has led to mis-
statements, although many people have been misled purposely by
_ unscrupulous ranchers and organized companies. That such ranch-
_ ers and companies would use the silver fox as a medium to extract
- money from persons unfamiliar with the business was only to have
.
_ been expected, as such a condition is found in every enterprise; and
1JIn preparing the section on breeding the writer was assisted by E. W. Sheets, Acting
_ Chief, and Dr. Sewall Wright, of the Division of Animal Husbandry, Bureau of Animal
Industry ; and by Dr. G. M. Rommel, formerly chief of that division. In preparing the
section on diseases and parasites he was assisted by Dr. M. C. Hall, of the Bureau of
_ Animal Industry: and by Dr. K. B. Hanson and Dr. H. L. VanVolkenberg, of the Bureau
of Biological Survey.
Notre.—This bulletin supersedes Farmers’ Bulletin 795, The Domesticated Silver Fox,
31825°—23———-_1
2 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
it has been quite common in the silver-fox industry, chiefly because
the business is new and profitable.
The production of silver foxes has proved to be most profitable
when conscientiously and intelligently managed. A silver-fox pelt
of high quality, taken in the wild, has always been and still is a very
‘rare article. A number of raw-fur buvers claim that pelts produced
on ranches are not popular with the fur trade because they are un-
_prime and lack the quality and finish of wild fur. That this is un-
true is shown by the fact that approximately 90 per cent of the
silver-fox pelts sold on the fur market to-day are from ranch-bred
foxes. During February, 1922, 2,375 silver-fox pelts from ranches
all over the United States and Canada were sold in London, and the
pelt which brought the top price of the market, $631.68, was from a
ranch-raised fox from the United States.
Raising silver foxes in captivity, unlike other live-stock enter-
prises, is an industry of too recent development to be supported by
extensive study and research. It is possible, however, to assist
beginners, as well as established ranchers, with information on some
of the various phases of the business, such as organizing the ranch,
feeding, breeding, management, pelting, sanitation, and the control
of diseases and parasites. Information in the following pages is
based on a study of methods and practices which have been found
to give the greatest satisfaction on ranches in the United States and
Canada, supplemented by observations and investigations on the
Biological Survey’s experimental fur farm at Keeseville, N. Y.
For other foxes raised on farms, such as the red, cross, and blue
foxes, the general principles of ranch construction and management
here set forth will be found applicable generally.
WHAT IS A SILVER FOX?
The name silver fox, as commonly used by furriers, includes the
dark phases of the ordinary red fox, variously called silver, silver-
gray, silver-black, or black (Pl. I). The color of the red fox of
the Northeastern States and of its allies of the colder parts of North
America varies from red to black, and these extremes, with the
gradations between them, form four more or less distinct phases,
known, respectively, as red, cross or patch, silver, and black.
The silver fox, therefore, is a color phase of the red fox. It is
dark all over, with silver hairs intermixed, but no red, and the tip
of the tail is generally, but not always, white.. The guard hairs
which give the silver appearance to the pelage are not entirely white,
but are black with a white band, and some guard hairs are entirely
black. Variation in guard hairs is shown in Figure 1.
In the red phase the coat is entirely rich fulvous; that is, tawny
or dull yellow with a mixture of gray and brown, excepting re-
stricted black markings on the feet and ears, a white area at the
end of the tail, and certain white-banded hairs on the back and
rump. From this phase to the next the black increases in extent
until in the typical cross fox the black predominates on the feet,
legs, and underparts, while fulvous overlying black covers most of
the head, shoulders, and back. A gradual increase of the black and
elimination of the fulvous or its replacement by white brings
the next phase, the silver fox, in which no fulvous appears, the entire
E
; SILVER-FOX FARMING. 3
_pelage being dark at the base and heavily or lightly overlaid with
the banded guard hairs previously described. Silver foxes vary
from almost entirely silver to those which are entirely black except
for a few white-banded guard hairs on the back and rump. Finally,
jn the black fox the white is absent from all parts except the tip of
the tail, which, as in all phases, is usually white.
In general, the cross fox is fairly common, the silver very scarce,
-and the pure black exceedingly rare. The prices usually paid for
_the different skins vary according to the relative scarcity of the
animals and the market demand. Red-fox skins command only a
-moderate price; cross foxes bring somewhat more; and silver foxes
several times as much. Black foxes are not so popular at present, for
the reason that dyers can so closely imitate them with a dyed red
_foxithat the average person can not tell the natural black fox from
-a dyed skin.
po
4
‘
3
se
SSS YNOER FUR ; (33)
‘ e
| Fic. 1—White bands on guard hairs of the silver fox. The extent of the band and
_ distance from the end is indicated, as well as the relative lengths of the guard hairs
’ and the under fur.
HISTORY OF FOX FARMING.
The early history of fox farming is fraught with frenzied finance,
. yreeding stock selling as high as $34,000 a pair and individual pelts
at $2.700. It reads like a romance. The operations of the breeders
were cloaked with secrecy, and the public was first skepticai, then
gullible.
__ Before the industry started silver foxes were caught occasionally
_by trappers in the far North and their furs shipped to London,
_where, because of their rarity and attractiveness, they brought excep-
tionally high prices—in fact, more than any other furs on the market.
_ Realizing the scarcity of silver foxes and the possibility of their
extermination, Charles Dalton, a trapper and fur trader of Prince
Edward Island, began in 1887 to experiment with the breeding of
red foxes, with the thought that he might be able to obtain crosses
or silvers through “throwbacks.” About this time he heard of a
trapper in the Province who had two pairs of silver foxes in cap-
tivity, and, purchasing these animals, he abandoned the raising of
the red foxes. Building a special farm at his home in Tignish, he
installed his purchases and devoted his entire time to his study.
- Meantime, unknown to Dalton, a like experiment was being carried
on by Robert Oulton, who was more fortunate, in that he obtained
eens of silver foxes at the start and devoted his time to these.
en Dalton heard of the new experiment he paid Oulton a visit,
4 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
and the meeting of these men resulted in the formation of a partner-
ship. Their first wire pen was built on Savage Island, where Oulton
owned a ranch. Dalton had definite ideas concerning the problems
involved and the most promising lines to follow in developing the
industry, but Oulton, the practical farmer and stockman, made suc-
cess possible because of his experience and natural ability in han-
dling live stock.
In the course of a few years stories concerning the wealth to be
obtained from the silver-fox business leaked out, and as the results
of these first experiments became known a fox-farming boom started.
Three sisters cleared $25,000 a year out of their venture. A small
party of clerks organized a company and made $40,000 in four years.
A pup was sold for $9,000. A consignment of 25 choice skins sent
to London brought $34,175, an average of $1,367 per skin, the top
prices for the choicest pelts being $2,700, $2,650, and $2,500.
Prior to 1910 people were working to establish an industry, but
when knowledge of Dalton’s great success became public the real
boom started. Expansion went ahead at a rapid pace, and the boom
lasted from 1910 to 1914. The demand for breeding stock brought
about the virtual suspension of pelt production for the time being.
No skins were placed on the market in-1911, excepting from foxes
too poor to be sold for breeding stock. The demand for stock was
so great that foxes were imported into Prince Edward Island from
nearly every Province in Canada. These were a mixture of every
variety of silver and cross fox, and, as their breeding was not known,
their offspring were nondescript. Nevertheless, they were used for
breeders and sold for fabulous prices. Illicit buying and selling of
foreign stock misrepresented by producers engaged in this practice
was very harmful to the industry, and the brown color now cropping
out on many ranches among supposedly pure silvers is undoubtedly
due to foxes of unknown breeding.
During the boom period ranches were started in New England and
in New York and the industry rapidly spread to other parts of the
country.
With the beginning of the World War in 1914 and the general
conditions resulting from the war the boom was killed and more
serious thinking began among the breeders engaged in the industry.
With the depression of the fur market in England in 1915 and the
sudden development of the fur trade in the United States, Canadian
ranchers” turned to this country for the marketing of their pelts.
The rapid rise and fall of the fur market caused ranchers to take a
different view of the business, and it has now come to be realized
that pelt value is the only safe basis on which to establish the in-
dustry.
FOX-GROWING AREAS OF NORTH AMERICA.
The natural habitat of the silver fox includes the greater part of
northern North America from the central United States northward
to and including the border of the treeless tundras. (Fig. 2.) The
red fox inhabits nearly all of this region, but animals of the silver
phase, although found in most parts of it, are very irregularly dis-
2The terms “rancher,” “ caretaker,” “attendant,” “breeder,” and ‘“ feeder” as used
in this bulletin refer to one and the same person, :
SILVER-FOX FARMING,
yY rare occur-
oe
ol
rence for one to be trapped in the wild, although they have been
in
is an exceed
In general, the silver fox is more common in northern
To-day it
localities than in southern.
tributed.
,
BI0g7M
JO Tnos Isnl
Ss
-u00 DIOYM “OU0Z
>
.
vIn
ofood UT
URIPBUBY) OF
oTgr.
IOAV
J
SULMOYS
av
‘soy
Suortpaos
HS popray
q
ou} Ur ofq
‘TNPSSoONsS Wood OSTR Sey
oTYM JO Szavd ul ‘ouozZ UOTIsuBAy, 94)
OF SL SULULIBS XOJ YOM U
SUIMAIR, XOJ Soum0zZ OSoTT]
puu ‘jue[[eoxe oun
[ SeuUOZ ojlt Jo dvyy
SMOUIp
GS YA
ne!
an
und
‘
<
and between Quebec
taken in Newfoundland, in the height of 1
la of Labrador, and along the up}
il Alaska.
c
u
Territory, and in the eastern adjacent’ region of cent
yer Yukon, in Yukon
the peninsu
6 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Among fur buyers it is well known that the pelts produced in
northern tocalities are the more valuable, and while their experience |
teaches that certain areas are not too far south to produce valuable
furs, their conclusions are only general. The average person can not
judge whether his own locality is suitable for fox farming, especially
if the wild fur animals have been exterminated there. It is neces-
sary, therefore, to ascertain definitely the areas within which foxes
are known to produce superior fur.
In general it may be said that silver foxes are being grown suc-
cessfully in practically every one of the northern tier of States from |
New England westward to Washington and Oregon, and in the
cooler parts of California, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Ili- |
nois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Judging from figures that are as correct a representation as it is
possible to obtain under existing conditions in the United States,
it is estimated that in 1922 there were 500 ranchers raising silver
foxes; that there were between 12,000 and 15,000 foxes in captivity;
and that the value of the investment was about $8,000,000. This
information is based on replies to an official questionnaire sent out
annually to all known fur farmers in the United States. There may
be isolated ranches in contiguous territory, but owing to their failure
to reply to the questionnaire the Biological Survey has no record
of them.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO BEGINNERS IN THE INDUSTRY.
It is not wise for anyone unfamiliar with fox raising to start with
a large number of animals. Many troubles and obstacles arise, the
remedies for which can not yet be found in books, but must for the
present be learned through experience. A number of people who
started in this business on too large a scale, or who expanded too
rapidly, have made a failure of it. The better method is to start
with a few pairs of foxes and gradually increase the number as one’s
knowledge of care and management enlarges.
Quality, not quantity, is the factor that counts in breeding silver
foxes. On a small ranch the character, disposition, and breeding
of individual foxes can be studied intelligently, but this is difficult,
if not impossible, on a large ranch.
Stock should generally be obtained during the fall in order*that
the animals may become thoroughly accustomed to their new sur-
roundings before the breeding season. The weather is sufficiently
cool by the end of September to permit the shipment of foxes with
safety. |
SELECTING A RANCH SITE.
CLIMATE AND SHADE.
The production of a fine quality of fur is closely related to climate. —
A long, cold winter with a fair amount of rainfall, particularly in
spring, is conducive to the production of good fur. Hot summers —
are not detrimental if short and followed by a season of frosty —
weather, during which time the animals can renew their coats. t
It has been stated that excessive sunshine causes fox pelts to fade.
When the pelt of a fox is being shed the food supply to the fur is
. SILVER-FOX FARMING, 7
cut off; hence it is a natural condition for the hairs to die and be
shed, and sometimes dead hairs turn various shades of brown and
chocolate. During the season when the fox’s pelt is becoming prime
there will sometimes be found a chocolate tinge, commonly known
as rust. This, however, is not caused by sun bleaching, but is due
rather to inferior breeding stock, which has a tendency to throw
-rust-colored pelts instead of pelts of clear black in the underfur and
_ in that part of the guard hairs which is supposed to be raven black,
_ A happy medium of shade and sunshine is necessary for the com-
_ fort of the foxes as well as for the maintenance of their health.
_ Every animal likes to lie in the shade during extremely hot weather
. to escape the direct rays of the sun. Sunshine, on the other hand,
is the best natural disinfectant for keeping the dens, pens, and
_ grounds clean and sanitary.
When the fox industry was in its infancy most fox raisers thought
_ that dense shade on their ranches was absolutely necessary. At first
this was produced mainly by evergreens; later, a mixture of ever-
_ greens and hardwoods was employed. Fox ranchers are now learn-
_ ing the advantages of sunlight in keeping the pens sanitary and are
_ cutting out the evergreens and allowing only the hardwoods to stand.
- Pine needles are objectionable because they fall into the feed and
_ are consumed by foxes; they sometimes injure the intestines of pups
; and cause their death. An advantage in favor of hardwood trees
is the fact that in winter, after they have shed their leaves, they
allow the sun to shine into the pens.
SOIL.
“gan?” Fas A =
Silver foxes can be successfully raised on any type of soil that is
_ well drained and capable of producing reasonable shade, provided
- it is located in a section where there is a long, cold winter and a
fair amount of rainfall. ;
_ Successful ranches are to be found on rich heavy soil, clay soil,
_ light sandy soil, and on sandy soil where the main part of the surface
consists of outcroppings of rock and gravel. Any one of these, if
well drained, is adapted to fox ranching.
It has not been definitely determined that certain types of soil are
more favorable than others to the propagation of fox parasites.
Soils possessing an undue amount of moisture, however, and densely
shaded situations are favorable to the development of parasites.
The elements contained in the soil have no bearing on the kind
and quality of foxes produced. It has been stated that soil devoid
_ of lime is more favorable because it does not burn the pelt when the
fox burrows, but there is no foundation for this belief, as there is no
evidence that soil which will support vegetation contains enough
lime to burn fur.
LOCATION OF THE RANCH.
The latitude and climate having been determined, the next im-
portant consideration is the proper location for the ranch. It is
possible closely to approximate the conditions under which wild
foxes live, but this is by no means essential. In fact, it is somewhat
doubtful whether to-day this is even desirable.
3 BULLETIN 1151, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Fox ranchers are now established in every conceivable place.
Some are to be found many miles from civilization, tucked away in
the woods, while others have established ranches in small towns or
near the larger cities. Some are found in dense forests, in apple
orchards, in wood lots (Fig. 3), in open fields, on gravelly slopes
B21674
Fig. 3.—Fox ranch in woodlot about 100 yards off the main road.
(Fig. 4), on steep sloping hills (Fig. 5), on islands, and on sandy
deserts. In any situation there are always ways of avoiding the
disturbances which might be caused by too many visitors, by ‘dogs,
or by undue noises during the breeding and whelping periods.
B21650
Fig. 4.—Fox ranch on a gravelly slope.
The ideal location probably is a reasonably level, well-drained
piece of land with a gentle slope to the south. “It is not intended to
convey the impression that foxes should be ranched only on such
land, for they are being raised successfully on rolling ground and
on hillsides. The productiveness of the soil is of little direct im-
ee ee eee
3 | SILVER-FOX FARMING, i)
Z portance. If the area does not include a few trees, however, they
oud be planted to provide shade in summer and to encourage a
feeling of seclusion and security in the animals. Construction will
be facilitated if there is a hardpan subsoil, as the walls of the pen
_ would not then need to extend below this to prevent the animals
- from burrowing under and escaping. /
In exaggerated advertising or publicity matter the fox farm is
usually described as occupying a lonely island or a vast inclosure of
wild land, and too often beginners are led to believe that such places
are essential. Islands have some advantages and apparently are
suited to the requirements of the silver fox, but their inaccessibility
makes it difficult to secure feed and supplies. While good roads
- facilitate the hauling of feed and supplies, they are of little im-
_ portance in the matter of marketing the pelts, for foxes differ in this
BISO7M
Fic. 5.—Fox ranch on a hillside.
respect from other classes of live stock. It is an advantage to locate
in a fox-raising community, in order to profit by the experiences of
others.
RANCH ORGANIZATION.
PLAN OF THE RANCH.
When the location of the land on which the ranch is to be con-
structed has been decided upon the area should be cleared of under-
brush. This is desirable, no matter on what type of soil the pens are
to be built. It is well, also, before the pens are staked out to remove
all stumps and sticks in order to eliminate the danger of pups or
older foxes running against or falling over such obstructions and
thus injuring themselves. The branches of the trees should be
trimmed from the trunks to a height above that of the fence line
so that the foxes can not crawl up and jump over the fence. -Trunk
shields should be nailed to the tree trunks at a height of 10 feet from
31825°—23-——_2
10 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
-
the ground. The shields —
can be made of wire or
tin. Trimming branches
from the trees 10 to 12
feet up the trunk wiil
facilitate construction and
also the free movement
of air through the ranch,
and the branches will not
hamper the rancher in his
daily work.
Ranches vary in size
from 2 up to 100 or more
pens in a single layout.
It is advisable to have
a space of 2 feet between
the pens, for serious in-
juries will result if foxes
are separated by only a
single partition of wire
netting. Foxes climbing
Fic. 6.—Square plan of ranch, showing location of the wire have had feet,
Watch tower and the alferbate arrangement of Jes, and tails torn off by
the occupant of the neigh-
boring pen. Such accidents can be avoided only if the walls are
separated. “Another advantage of such construction is that it
will lessen the chances of dis-
ease spreading through an entire
ranch.
The space between rows of pens
should be at least 15 feet, in order
to permit a horse and wagon to
be driven through to haul neces-
sary materials. The advantages
derived from this arrangement
more than offset the additional cost.
The idea of enlarging or adding
to the ranch should be kept in
mind when making the original
layout. There are various methods
of laying out pens, such as are
shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
When arranged as nearly as pos-
sible in the form of a square the
expense of inclosing by a guard
fence is less than when the pens
are arranged in long rows. It is
false economy to build too many
pens on a small piece of land.
Pens of ample size are those con-
taining from 800 to 1,500 square
feet. Fic. 7.—Rectangular plan of ranch,
SUH UU UHL
JUUUUOUUUE
SILVER-FOX FARMING. ‘a
CONSTRUCTION OF PENS.
i is
\
= SIZE AND SHAPE.
_ There are almost as many styles of pens as there are fox ranches.
They range from very large ones to those so small as to endanger
the health of the foxes, both in the matter of sanitation and through
Jack of space for exercise.
_ The usual procedure has been to construct a pen the inside area
of which has been inclosed by one roll of wire of 150 linear feet.
od
. Ss
LOOKOUT HOUSE
“GF
x
ASP
8
4
il
ie TREES 3
Fic. 8,— Circular plan of ranch.
This has been done primarily for convenience, as it obviates the
necessity of cutting the rolls of wire and lacing the pieces together.
__. Conditions of topography may make it necessary to build pens
long and narrow instead of square, but the number of square feet
inclosed depends upon the shape of the pen. A 150-foot roll of wire
will inclose an area 50 by 25 feet (1,250 square feet), or one 30 by
45 feet (1,350 square feet), or one 37 by 37 feet (1,369 square feet).
The more nearly uniform are the lengths of the sides, or the more
nearly a pen approaches a circle, the more square feet can be inclosed
by a given length of wire. A circular pen, however, is very difficult
12 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
to construct. The nearest practicable approach to it is one having
eight sides, a type now being used by some ranchers. The additional |
area inclosed in this type of pen is not its only advantage. The
principal advantage les in its widened corners, as this feature
minimizes the danger that foxes will crawl up the wire.
Many ranchers have built pens 50 by 25 feet with a partition
fence midway, making double pens 25 by 25. The advantage claimed
for this is that the adults can be separated during the period of
pregnancy and while the pups are very young. When the parents
and young are kept together, the pups can be fed in one pen and the
old foxes in the other.
CHUTES.
Small chutes constructed between pens permit the foxes to be
transferred from one to the other. “These should be not less than
10 inches high and 9 inches wide to
jl allow the fox to crawl through with-
Hout rubbing the pelt and injuring or
!
r
i Rey ee pulling out the guard hairs. It is not
advisable to allow the chute to remain
open, especially during the season
when the foxes are growing their new
ew ae
pl} coats, as constant running and jump-
ing through the chute wears the pelt.
Chutes can be closed by the use of a
slot and sliding door (Fig. 9). If
the distance between pen walis is not —
great, one sliding door can be con-
structed in the middle of the
chute.
A double pen construction assists in
- keeping the pens clean and sanitary,
ES .
(3) for after the foxes have occupied one
for some time, say four months, they
I'ic. 9.—Chute with sliding door for ‘ 1 7T ; 1
connecting yards. This can be com be removed to the neighboring
closed from’ either end by insert? pen and the old one thoroughly
ing door in slot. cleaned
c .
PEN WALLS.
The height of the pen wall may be 8, 9, or 10 feet. This is de-
termined largely by the snowfall in the locality. As a rule, in the
United States a wall 9 feet high is sufficient, and one 8 feet high will
answer very well in some sections unless deep snowdrifts are likely
to occur.
The walls should be sunk into the ground 2 feet, while at the top
18 inches or 2 feet should be allowed for an inward overhang to
prevent the animals from escaping. A strip of carpet wire some-
times extends on the surface of the ground inward from the wall
2 or 3 feet to prevent the foxes from digging out, as illustrated in
Figure 10. The sunken part may be turned in 1 foot or more and
flat stones laid at the end to prevent escape by digging. This
arrangement affords sufficient security, for experience has shown that
foxes try to escape by digging at the edge of the wire only. Where
; SILVER-FOX FARMING. 18
there is a solid hardpan 1, 2, or 3 feet below the surface the fence
may be laid directly on it. If the subsoil is light and open, the pens
are not fox-proof unless the fence extends down 3 feet. Some
ranchers take the additional precaution of digging a trench and
installing a concrete wall 2 feet below the surface with a 1-foot
underlay.
OVERHANG.
An inward overhang 18 inches or 2 feet wide prevents the fox
_ from escaping from his pen, but when he has scrambled up to an
overhang his only means of
“descent is by falling. Some- Beats
times valuable animals are seri- x ez
: ee :
_ ously injured in this way. To
_ prevent such accidents inter-
mediate overhangs have been
_ developed, as well as new types
of pens. Intermediate over-
hangs are sometimes con-
structed 5 feet from the ground.
as shown in Figure 11, or a
smooth zone is made by nail-
ing a strip of galvanized sheet
iron to the posts around the
entire pen at a height of 4 or
5 feet from the ground.
WIRE CARPETING.
=
On soil which is principally
sand, ranchers place an entire
carpet of wire a few inches to a
foot below the surface. When
_ this is done it is not necessary
to dig a ditch to plant the posts
and underground wire. The
_ post holes only should be dug,
the posts set in, and stones and
earth put in place. The whole
pen area should be excavated
ee Gepth of approximately 40M ee rine Tain on euitace Fe the one
to 6 inches. The wire netting entrance gate, and wire overhang.
should be cut and.put in place,
then laced together and to the sides of the pen. Hog rings are
handy to fasten the carpet wire to the walls. An easy method of lay-
ing carpet wire is to prepare a strip of land as wide as the roll of
wire to be used by shoveling the earth to one side. When this strip
is shoveled clean, 4 inches deep, lay in the wire and shovel the soil
back on it. Repeat the operation until the area is completely car-
. peted, as shown in Figure 12.
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION.
To construct a pen, first stake it out and line it up with a cord.
Dig a trench 30 inches deep and wide enough to permit the free use
14 BULLETIN 1151, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
of a shovel. Care should be taken in digging this trench to keep
the inside edge square and on the line laid out by the cord. Place —
30-inch, 2-inch mesh, 14-gauge wire in the trench, so that the upper
surface comes to the level of the ground. Lay the wire close to the
inside of the trench. If desirable, the trench may be dug wider, in
order to lace an 18-inch underlay of wire to the 30-inch wire at the—
bottom of the trench.
Set the posts in the trench so that the outside of the post comes
flush or nearly flush with the inside of the trench. This helps to keep —
the wire straight -
regular.
‘Above the 30- inch
roll of wire use a 4-
foot width of 13-inch |
mesh, 15-gauge wire.
Wire of 2-inch mesh
should not be used
here, because young
pups may crawl
through it or hang
themselves; $-inch
mesh or less i is pref-
erable.
Above this 4-foot —
roll use a 5-foot roli —
of 2-inch mesh, 16-—
gauge wire, which =
completes the height
of a 9-foot pen wall.
Rolls of 6-foot and
3-foot wire could be-
used, but it is more
difficult to manipu-
late wire 6 feet wide
in stretching. Two
rolls of 4-foot wire
een a acne ee ett At
are provided on the yard fence, one of which (5 feet cided that 8 feet is
Re id atin IRIGRY EeOe cued rence tat a enough for the
wa
After the ground wire is placed in position stones can be packed ~
closely ar ound the posts and the trench filled with earth. Great care
should be exercised to see that the posts are kept in line, especially —
when the ground is tamped solidly around them.’ (See Fig. 13.)
A band of 1-inch boards 4 to 5 inches in width should be nailed
to the posts around the entire pen. The upper edge of the board —
should come flush with the top of the posts at the required height,
as shown in Figure 13. This serves to stay the posts and furnishes —
the support to which the top wire may be stapled, as well as the out- —
side of the overhang. It also gives a finished appearance to the pens. —
Brace boards should also be nailed to the top of the posts inside to
furnish a place upon which a roll of 18-inch, 16-gauge, 2-inch-mesh
wire can be placed to form the overhang.
1s na sharaetenaalll Rete Mretrd bee eae
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 15
The wall wire should be laced neatly together with lacing wire
made for this purpose. Great care should be exercised in stretching
the wire before it is permanently stapled to the posts. If it is not
stretched tightly enough it will sag, thus making a very shiftless-
looking job.
B21668
Fic. 12.—Carpet wire laid and laced in position ready for covering with 4 inches of soil,
pile of which is in background.
DOOR.
After the wire is laced, stretched, and stapled and the overhang
is in place, a door should be constructed. (Fig. 14.) This may be
made by placing a 2 by 4 timber the required distance from one of
B21666
Fic. 13.—Pens in course of construction, showing posts lined up and ready for the wire.
the posts. One end of this should be placed on the ground and the
other should extend to the top of the wall, where it should be nailed
to the top board to make it rigid. The rigidity is increased by
stapling the wire to it.
The door may be made as large as desired, but 2 by 4 feet is gen-
erally sufficient, unless dens are to be removed from the fox yards.
OO
—
16 BULLETIN 1151,.U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
In localities where there is an exceedingly heavy snowfall it may —
be well to have the bottom of the door 15 inches above the ground.
The board frame should be made of the size required, and the wire
cut from the opening may be stapled to the frame to complete the
door. Good hinges should be provided and the door hung to a post,
which may be made square, if not already so, by nailing a 2 by 4
strip to it.
B21675
Fic, 14.—Front of completed pen, showing stretched and laced wire and door construction.
BILL OF MATERIAL.
The following material is necessary to construct a pen 37 by 37
feet, with a 9-foot wall extending 3 feet into the ground and a 24-inch
overhang and underlay:
20 posts, each 13 feet long and from 5 to 8 inches in diameter.
150 linear feet of 11-inch board, 5 inches wide.
150 linear feet of 24-inch wire netting for overhang, 2-inch mesh, No. 16
gauge.
150 linear feet fence wire, 5 feet. wide, 2-inch mesh, No. 16 gauge.
150 linear feet fence wire, 4 feet wide, 14-inch mesh, No. 15 gauge.
150 linear feet ground wire. 23 or 8 feet wide, 2-inch mesh, No. 14 gauge.
150 linear feet of carpet wire, 380 inches wide, 2-inch mesh, No. 14 gauge.
Spikes, nails, staples, hinges, hasps, snaps, No. 16 or 18 soft lacing
wire, and extra lumber for doors will also be needed. Hog rings,
No. 12 gauge wire, are often used in place of lacing wire. Mesh wire,
No. 15 gauge, will do very well for the pen valls, but No. 14 gauge,
being heavier, makes a more durable wall. Woven wire, galvanized
after weaving, 1s recommended because it is stronger at the joints, a @]
‘place where strength is most needed. -It-has the further advantage
of lasting longer under ground.
CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.
Some pens are constructed ‘with iron posts and the foundation
is of concrete.? Although the initial cost.is-much more than in those
’See Concreté Construction on~Live Stock Farms, Farmers’ Bulletin 481.
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 7
just described, the pens are more durable. (See Fig. 11.) In some
ranches the floors of the pens are of concrete. This makes it much
easier to keep them clean and sanitary, but it is yet to be determined
whether foxes will do as well living on a concrete as on a dirt floor.
Square as well as rectangular pens with wooden posts have been
‘set on concrete foundations, the walls of which are 4 inches wide at
the top and set into the ground 3 feet, with an underlay of approxi-
mately 1 foot.
NEW TYPES OF PENS.
B1908M
The square pen and the
rectangular pen have been in
use ever since fox ranching
was started. Both these types
seem to have been very satis-
factory, but a great disadvan-
tage has been that it is very
difficult to prevent foxes from
climbing the wire. Foxes
climb wire fences readily, but
only when badly frightened.
(Fig. 15.)
OCTAGONAL PEN.
In a pen of the octagonal
type the maximum practicable
area can be inclosed within a
certain length of wire. The
top of the pen may be covered
with wire if desired, and then
the height of the walls need be
only 7 feet, a center pole being
used to support the roofing.
The plan shown in Figure 16 :
is suitable for 100 feet of wire ““Giimb” suck corners readily when frightened,
for the walls around the pen. ae frequently are badly injured in falling
. yack to the ground.
A pen of any size can be
made in the same manner. A 2 by 4 strip running from post to
post is necessary when the pen is covered over the top, to prevent
the wire from drawing in the side boards between the posts. A
coil-spring wire supports the wire netting, running under it from
the wall posts to the center post.
PENS WITH SLANTING SIDES.
The walls of the pens in some new ranches are built slanting
inward, at an angle of about 20°. This is for the purpose of pre-
venting foxes from climbing the wire. Some have walls 7, 8, or 9
feet high, with an overhang similar to that recommended for pens
with straight walls, while others, as in Figure 17, have walls 7 or 8
feet high and the entire top covered with wire.
31825°—23——_3
18 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
CRATE PENS.
A crate pen is easily and cheaply constructed and meets most
requirements. One in which to house a pair of foxes is usually 40
feet long, 12 feet wide, and 6 feet high. A frame made of 2 by 4
NO.2 COLL
SING HIRE 5PRING WIRE.
NO. 2 COL
SPRING WIRE
LXE" ON SIDE
OF POSTS
30° O- —— es a a
ZO PLAN EW
CENTER £0. 10 C"LONG
Cc ¥ FEE — ¥
SSS ee SSS SS SSS ES
L'D/ 7.
GROUND 9
r ZINE \
ae b SHWE OTA - : - oh
SOS UNG WU LU ll Il WII Ul kl
US ue kK ~SLINUSSTUS CS TUN SSS USI)
SS ys SS SS KG
<< pA “ip “Ue BA
SIDE ELEVATION (63)
ig, 16.—Plan of octagonal pen.
lumber is entirely covered with No. 16-gauge 14-inch mesh wire. In
the front is a door 2 feet wide and 4 feet high, the frame constructed
of 2 by 4 lumber. This pen or crate rests on the surface of the
ground. It is not usual to cover the netting on the bottom with
soil. (See Fig. 18.)
!
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 19
HOSPITAL AND TEMPORARY PENS.
Although quarters for constant occupancy should be roomy, those
for temporary tse, such as are required for male foxes, pups, injured,
B21672
Fic. 17.—Pens with slanting sides and wire top built on concrete base. Wall may be
sunk into the ground as in other pens if desired, instead of using concrete base.
sick, or newly purchased foxes, may be comparatively small. Suit-
able pens should be constructed for male foxes, preferably some dis-
BI9s8M
Fig, 18.—An entire ranch of crate pens.
tance from the breeding pens, but within the guard fence. The style
and method of construction will depend upon the location and lay
20 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
of the land. (Fig. 19.) A satisfactory arrangement is to build a
long, low shed with board partitions dividing it into compartments
7 feet high, 7 feet wide, and 11 feet long. ‘These dimensions can be
varied if desired, although it is not advisable to reduce them. The
front and back are of wire netting, preferably 14-inch mesh, No. 15
gauge. <A door is constructed in the front of each pen in the same
manner as described for breeding pens. It is well also to build a
‘small nest box, so that the occupant of the pen may be sheltered
from extreme weather.
The kind of floor is determined by the soil and the length of
time the pens are to be used. On light, sandy, well-drained soils
a dirt floor is satisfactory. It should be from 2 to 6 inches higher
than the outside surface of the ground. Dirt floors should be
renewed frequently by removing the contaminated surface down
to clean soil and then refilling with fresh sand or fine gravel and
earth. It should be remembered, however, that where dirt floors
are used the wire netting and the side partitions will have to be sunk
from 2 to 3 feet below the surface, in order to prevent the foxes
A B C &
Fic. 19.—Plan of arrangement of dog and quarantine pens. A, pens arranged in a single
row; B, pens arranged on both sides of an alleyway; C, shed with a semimonitor roof,
the pens arranged on both sides of an alleyway; the advantage of this roof is that it
provides better ventilation. With any of these arrangements it is possible to add
more pens to the unit.
from digging out. -This is not necessary with board or cement
floors.
When the level of the floor in the pen is above the ground,
board floors are sometimes used. However, if too low, such floors
may harbor rats and rot quickly. They should be raised some dis-
tance off the ground to facilitate cleaning under them.
Cement floors are satisfactory when an artificial floor is required
and can be built on the ground level. They are generally used in
pens intended for sick or injured animals. These floors are easy
to clean, sanitary, rat-proof, and comparatively inexpensive if a
supply of gravel or sharp sand is available.
It is essential on a large ranch to have a group of isolated pens in
which sick or injured animals, or those newly purchased, can be
quarantined.
A temporary pen, used for the purpose previously described, may
be 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4 or 5 feet high. A frame of 2 by
4 material is entirely covered with netting of 14-inch mesh, No. 15
gauge wire, and @ small door placed in the front. As the pen rests
directly on the surface of the ground, it is well to cover the floor wire
with sand or fine gravel and earth. This material should be re-
moved frequently and clean dirt substituted to prevent the soil from
becoming contaminated. A small nest box can be placed inside the
STILVER-FOX FARMING, 91
pen, or it may be outside and connected with it by a chute such as has
been described (see page 12).
The cheapness, security, and portability of these pens make them
a very useful adjunct. Every fox ranch should have a number of
them. They are not only suitable for male foxes and sick or in-
_jured animals but may be used for the pups taken from the mother
when they are 2 months old. If this is done the dog may be re-
_ turned to the breeding pen with the vixen* and the pups put in the
dog pen. Animals that appear to be very thin may be placed in the
small pens and given individual feed and attention.
P EXERCISING CRATE.
The main purpose of the exercising crate shown in Figure 20 is
_ to provide a place for the pups to sun themselves without getting
ZNO LIEW
PREIS
————_9 ae 4
>
a
8
LEAR ELEVATION. :
Fic. 20.—Details of construction of exercising crate.
into the slush and mud that might chill them or even result in their
contracting pneumonia. Feed can be placed in it, thus facilitating
the feeding of the mother and pups during the lactation period.
This crate is easily and cheaply constructed, the floor elevated 9
inches above the ground. The uprights and braces are of 2 by
4 material, and the outside dimensions are 5 feet long, 3 feet wide.
and 24 feet high. The floor and roof are of tongue-and-grooyve
boards of any convenient width. The door may be either of wire
or of wood. The wire surrounding the crate is 24-inch mesh, No.
15 gauge. The den and exercising crate should be connected by a
chute 4 feet long, 10 inches high, and 9 inches wide (Fig. 21). Two
sliding doors are inserted in the chute, so that the foxes can be shut
‘In or out of the den or exercising crate as desired.
3 4“ Vixen’ is the name given to the female fox; “dog” to the male.
22 BULLETIN 1151, U. S: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
DENS OR KENNELS.
Dens or kennels are built mainly for the purpose of sheltering the
foxes and furnishing a place for the vixen to whelp her young.
They are built some distance off the ground to prevent foxes from
digging under them and to furnish shade, and should be so con-
structed as to protect the occupants from extremes of heat and cold,
to exclude moisture, and to deaden sound. These features are par-
ticularly important during the breeding and whelping periods, when
foxes are usually nervous and when the pups can not stand exposure.
Fresh air should be obtained by ventilation (see Figs. 23, 31, 32, and
33) rather than by providing more cubic feet of air space than is
required, but it is extremely important to avoid the creation of
drafts. As the dens and nest boxes require frequent cleaning and
spraying to keep them free from vermin, the construction should be
as simple as possible. The convenience of the caretaker is a matter
that is to be kept in mind as well as the comfort of the foxes.
i
RRM
renee
erate
reocone
oO
rere!
SY
ORS
Sg
OOO
erate
COS
RX
XXX]
ore",
nee
OO”
X54
S509
Se]
SH
“arora
SS
Sey
xx]
QO
OO)
ORG
Ox
OO>D
52525
52529
e529
OOO)
"es
RSS
RSS
ROXS
KX
RNS
RX
"es
es
‘es
aD
IR
eters
eteren
Pe
2525
"ites
oesese
Hee
R525
ote
wearers
Sonate
SLES
Limetereree
S |
Fig. 21.—Connection between den and exercising crate.
The walls, floor, and roof are generally double boarded with build-
ing or tarred paper between the boards. All rough edges that a fox —
might rub against should be smoothed and sandpapered, to prevent
injury to the pelt.
The roof of the den is generally covered with tarred paper, shin-
gles, or metal. This is not necessary if it is to be double and made
of tongue-and-groove boards. It is well, however, to give it two
coats of paint or to creosote the boards. Creosoted boards, however,
will not take paint.®
Chutes through which the foxes enter the den from the yard
should be so constructed that they can be hooked to the den and
easily removed. They should have a slight rather than a steep
grade, so that the pups can crawl back into the den. In every type
of den the back and roof should be made on hinges to afford access
to the interior without unnecessary noise and to facilitate cleaning.
DOUBLE-BOX DEN.
The double-box type of den has been found very satisfactory, as
it facilitates catching the foxes for inspection and provides a con-
venient place for starting the pups on feed. It consists of two
5 See Use of Paint on the Farm. Farmers’ Bulletin 474.
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 93
boxes, with hinged sloping tops, set about 18 inches apart and on
legs 18 inches high, as shown in Figure 22. The two are connected by
a chute 9 inches wide and 10 inches high, the entrance from the
ground being into the smaller box through a sloping chute 4 or 5
feet long. Each chute is fitted with a slot and sliding door, and
both should be so constructed as to be easily hooked in place or taken
off when the dens are to be moved or cleaned. When it is desired
to look at a fox in the larger den, the caretaker closes the door in
the connecting chute and then lifts the hinged roof. By closing both
doors inspection may be similarly made in the smaller box, which
is used chiefly as a feeding place for the young and as a place in
which to separate them from the parents.
The walls of both dens are double and lined with building paper.
The outside base measurements of the larger should be 4 or 5 feet
by 24 or 3 feet, and of the smaller 3 by 15 feet. The front of the
larger should be 2 feet high and the back 14 feet, while in the
smaller these heights should be 14 feet and 14 inches, respectively.
The larger den is partitioned so that a room is made in the far end for
-anest chamber for the
use of the vixen and
her young at whelp-
ing time. The nest
box is of dressed
lumber, 18 inches
long, 15 inches wide,
and 15 inches high,
and is also provided
with a hinged lid. A
chamfered strip is Fie. 22.—Double-box den.
fitted against the floor
and sides to prevent the pups from rolling too far away from the
mother, and is an aid also in cleaning the nest box. The spaces be-
- tween the wall of the nest box and the main wall of the large den
are filled with dry sawdust, oat hulls, ground cork, or other suitable
material.
DEN WITH REMOVABLE NEST BOX.
A most convenient den from the standpoint of the caretaker, and
one very simple to construct, is made with a removable nest box.
This box is fastened in temporarily in the front part of the den by
a board fitted in slots in the sides, in order to prevent the foxes from
moving it about, thus causing accidents to the vixen or to the pups.
The detailed construction is shown in Figure 23. The outside base
measurements are 4 by 14 feet, the front is 24 feet high, and the rear 2
feet. It is double walled and lined with building paper. A chute,
_ 9 by 10 inches, that can be hooked to the den and removed whenever
necessary, leads from the entrance to the ground, as shown in
Figure 22.
DOUBLE-COMPARTMENT DEN.
A very simple and useful den is constructed in two compartments
and entered from the outside by separate chutes, as in Figure 24.
It is 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet high (oatside measurements),
double walled, with building or tarred paper between the walls.
24 . BULLETIN 1151, U..S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Each compartment or nest box is 20 inches square, the inside con- |
struction being of the same general character as that described for
the double-box den. The chutes are 9 by 10 inches by 4 feet, and the
opening into the chute is on one side, to prevent direct drafts. The
top or roof of the kennel is hinged. In Figure 25 is illustrated a
double-compartment den with one chute entrance.
BARREL DEN.
The barrel den shown in Figures 26 to 29 is still in common use,
more as a shelter for the foxes, however, than as a whelping nest.
In ranches where there are two dens, or kennels, in a single fox pen
be. —_¢'/»____ ______
TOP FLAN LILY
== :
cassesaasasrwrwrresrrere reese,
. 2
Nd Z
Z
|
a
hos
i
)
N
:
;
Nj
N
NJ
N
:
N
N
S/DE ELEVATION HORIZONTAL SECTIONAL WIEW
Fig. 23.—Practical den with removable nest box.
one is generally of this construction, It is made of a clean barrel
placed inside a protecting box, the space between the two being filled
with oat hulls or other materials, the best material to be used depend-
ing largely on what is most easily obtainable. An entrance hole,
9 by 10 inches, is made in one end of the barrel, and a similar open-
ing in the upper side for inspection, cleaning, and ventilation. The
barrel should have a smooth interior. <A screen door is hinged above
the barrel to prevent the foxes from escaping when the cover is raised,
and a sheet of burlap tacked to one side of the frame and spread
over the netting when the cover is raised for ventilation will keep
out air currents and light. At the entrance hole is an elbow spout 24
feet in the shorter arm and 6 feet in the longer,
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 95
HOUSE WITH NEST BOX USED EITHER AS A SHELTER OR A DEN.
A shelter for the male fox is used rather commonly,: especially
where two dens are used in a single pen. A type for the purpose,
Bi987M
Fic. 24.—Double-compartment den with separate chutes.
which is popular with ranchers using underground dens, is illus-
trated in Figure 30. During the breeding season a nest box is put
B21645
Fie. 25.—Popular type of double-compartment den with single chute.
into it for the vixen to whelp her young. The construction described
for other pens applies to this, with the exception of the dimensions.
31825°—23——_4
-
26 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
The outside base measurements are 3 feet 6 inches long by 2 feet 10
inches wide, the front side 2 feet 7 inches high and the rear 2 feet
1 inch.
UNDERGROUND DENS.
The underground den is a recent type. Advantages claimed for
it are that it deadens sound and preserves an even temperature all
the year round, thus protecting the foxes
from extremes of heat or cold; it is an excep-
tionally cool place on hot days in summer.
This den will prove satisfactory only in
Iicg. 26.—Vertical cross sec- Fig. 27.—Horizontat longitudinal section
tion of barrel den, of barrel den.
light, well drained, chiefly sandy, soils; it is not practicable in heavy
souls or in those containing outcroppings of rock which make exca-
vation very difficult. Figure 31 gives plan of construction.
Underground dens are made chiefly of wood, but a few ranchers
have used hollow building blocks and cement. It has yet to be
determined whether the Iast-mentioned materials make the foxes
)
Z
bestia ises Peak ae 1SR° et
CLI IZ II aa IT II IIT Ia IIIT
47
2 SSE |
SSS Sosy
a a a :
wae
=,
(es)
Fie. 28.—Vertical longitudinal section of
barrel den. Fic. 29.—Exterior view of barrel den.
more comfortable. The main parts are assembled before being
placed in the hole excavated for the purpose. The den proper is
generally placed in an alleyway between the pens, while the chute
runs from the den into the pen yard. Inspection is made through
the manhole at the top without going into the fox pen. Figure 32
shows the arrangement of dens in the alleyway.
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 2
NEST BOXES.
The nest box is the home of the pups and the mother for some
time, and should be large enough to prevent crowding, but small
IB SUB FLOORING
BUILDING PAPER
AOFUIZONTFAL SECTIONAL LIEW
Fic. 30.—Simple type of aboveground den.
enough to keep the occupants warm by their own body heat. A good
size is 22 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 20 inches high. The en-
MAN HOLE
N
227 ee oN
PSS SSSR
HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION
&
Fic. 31.— Underground den.
ae ELLLATION.
trance is 8 inches square and is not cen-
tered, but placed to one side to keep
drafts from striking the pups. Cham-
fered strips placed on the floor at the
corners prevent the pups from creep-
ing too far away from the mother.
(Fig. 33.)
The nest box should be fastened in
the den in some temporary manner, by
hook and eye or slat boards, as it 1s 1m-
portant to be able to remove it for cleaning and during the summer.
when not needed. It should have a hinged cover or removable top
28 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
eatcee §=6 to. facilitate clean-
ing and to permit
the removal of foxes
or pups. Several
holes one-half ineh
in diameter bored
in the cover furnish
ventilation. The
nest is kept warm
by being packed on
all sides with dry
sawdust, oat hulls,
ground cork, leaves,
seaweed, chaff, or
sand.
A solid box with
a hole in one end is
commonly used for
a. nest: box, -but.-4f
is impractical from
the caretaker’s point
of view. (Fig. 34.)
With such a box it
is almost impossible
Fic. 32.—Arrangement of underground dens, showing ventila- is
tion, the den properly located in alleyway. to remove a fox or
pup without pick-
mg up the box bodily and dumping out the contents. If the care-
taker reaches in for the purpose of dragging out a fox or pup he is
almost certain to be bitten.
THE WATCH TOWER,
OR LOOKOUT.
The watch tower,
or lookout, is used
for the purpose of
observing and study-
ing the behavior and
habits of the foxes
and their conforma- TOP FLAN
tion, tricks, and.gen- —§ Kv"
eral make-up during = =
various seasons of the
year, but more espe-
cially during: the
breeding and whelp-
ing periods. It is a
most necessary ad-
junct to fox raising,
E"SQUARE
and without it on a
ranch of more than 10
12" SQUARE Gs :
pens the caretaker is
greatly handicapped. Fig, 33,—A good type of nest box.
et
‘a7
SLE ELEVATION
LAONT ELEVATION
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 99
The location of the tower depends on the topography of the land
and the size of the ranch. The center of the ranch is often chosen,
but any convenient place from which the foxes may be observed is
satisfactory. It is questionable, however, whether the natural be-
havior of the foxes
can be observed to = aaa
as good advantage
from a tower inside
the ranch as from
one outside, for the
presence of the care-
taker going to the
lookout puts the
foxes on their guard.
To save labor and
material and to at-
ford a better lookout
it is well, where pos-
sible, to place the
tower on a rise in the
land. Field glasses
facilitate close ob- Ie
servation, but are Fh aa
not essential. If the
ranch is spread out
over a considerable Fic, 34.—Type of nest box in common use but very imprac-
area it may be neces- Cane standpoint of sanitation and convenience
sary to.construct two
or more towers in order to obtain a view of all the foxes in all the
pens. (See Figs. 35 and 36.)
There are various types of watch towers, but the main point is to
have a building of sufficient height to afford a good view of all pens.
4
ree ee
Bi992M
Fig. 35.—Arrangement of watch tower (outside of guard fence), rancher’s cottage, and
outbuildings.
It may be one, two, or three stories high, the top story only being
used as a lookout. A desk, chair, and small heating stove are all
.the furniture necessary. The floors not used as a lookout may be
used for storing tools, feed, feeding utensils, or other equipment.
30 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The extra floor space may also be used when skinning the foxes
and curing the pelts. 7
GUARD FENCE.
The guard fence serves to keep dogs and other intruders away
from the breeding pens and in addition provides greater security,
for in case a fox escapes from a pen it may be captured within the
LEALTICAL CROSS SECT/ON
e)
Fic. 36.—Plan of watch tower commonly used in circular ranches.
FL OOLE Sf LLFIN
outer fence. It may be of wire (Fig. 11) or wood (Fig. 37), or a
combination of the two, and may be constructed like the pen wall
already described. Boards for the first 6 feet, with the addition of
an upper 4 feet of wire netting, are frequently used; on the ground,
inside, carpet wire 2 feet wide is nailed to the boards. The type of
guard fence to be built depends upon the location of the ranch. If
it is in a secluded spot, away from general annoyances, it is well to
make it entirely of wire. In other cases it should be built partly
or all of wood.
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 31
If the ranch is in a wood lot the guard fence may be of wire 9 or
10 feet high and constructed in the same manner as the walls of the
pen, with ‘the exception that the carpet wire may be laid on the sur-
face of the ground and laced to the wall wire at the ground level, as
shown 1n Figure 10, or, in the case of a board fence, stapled to it.
To prevent it from {urning up, the other edge of the wire should be
‘stapled to stakes driven into the ground. In localities where there
are severe winters and the snow drifts badly, the fence should be built
of boards, especially on the north and w est sides, to prevent snow
from piling up in the yards.
On flat, level land, or land having a decided southern exposure, a
guard fence of boards 9 feet high’ will keep air from circulating
freely through the ranch, unless placed $ 20 or 30 feet away from the
B21649
Fig. 37.—Ranch surrounded by guard fence entirely of wood.
pens. If the ranch is located on a slope exposed to frequent summer
breezes it is not necessary to place the fence at such a distance.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.
Not all of the equipment listed in the following paragraphs is
essential to the successful operation of a fox ranch. How much will
be needed depends upon the number of foxes kept for breeding
purposes.
A rancher’s cottage, slaughterhouse, refrigeration plant, feed
house, bake oven, and Darn are some of the essentials on lar ge ranches.
An outbuilding should be constructed for use as a feed house, the
size depending upon the number of foxes to be fed. Its sole purpose
is for storing and preparing the feed. A good location is outside
the guard fence a short distance from the ranch. It may be desirable
to install in this house a steam cooker, a meat and bone grinder, and
~a steam bath in which to sterilize the feed dishes. Such a building
may also include an ice house if the size of the business warrants.
It should be used strictly as a feed house and not as a place in which
to store tools, to pelt foxes, or treat sick foxes, or as a loafing place
¢
32 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
for the help on the ranch. If there is no convenient place to store
tools or to pelt foxes it would be well to construct a building for this
purpose. ~
Some ranchers have the guard fence lighted or strung with charged
wires to keep out robbers.
Feed pans or dishes are essential and their kind and use will be
taken up later under “ Feeding.” Other pieces of equipment are dis-
cussed under “ Handling” and “ Pelting.”
ESSENTIALS OF BREEDING.§
Those engaged in raising foxes should have a clear conception of
the important factors involved in breeding. Mendel’s law has a di-
rect and practical application to the br eeding of silver foxes, and an
understanding of its principles is vital to success in the enterprise.
The silver fox being a recessive, always breeds true, with some degree
of silver, but not ‘alw ays a desirable type. It is found in actual
practice that’ Alaskan silver foxes bred to standard silvers will pro-
duce cross foxes in the litter.
METHODS OF SELECTION.
Success in fox raising is directly dependent upon a careful and
intelligent selection of the right type of breeding stock. By type is
meant the sum total of certain features, the possession of which
makes a fox meet definite requirements for the production of a high
quality of fur. Only those individuals meeting standard require-
ments should be selected for breeding purposes. Pedigreed foxes
as such do not always do this; some register ed foxes are detrimental
to any ranch, being not only ‘inferior in type but worthless in fur
value.
PELTS.
The real basis for selecting foxes for breeding purposes is the
quality of fur produced by_ the offspring, the “indications from
conformation (see p. 33) occupying a secondary place. In the case
of sheep, wool production is judged directly and the same should be
true of the fox and its fur.
The pelt of a fox should be perfectly and evenly furred all over,
both on the back and on the belly. The fur should be reasonably
long, lustrous, and silky in appearance. These characters determine
the “quality. The guard hairs, whether silver banded or black, should
be long, fine and silky in textur e, and longer in the region of the nape
than on other parts of the body. The underfur should be abundant,
soft, and dark in color, the darker the better. Matty or woolly un-
derfur is not desirable.
When prime, a silver fox should be black and silver, the glossy
black shading to blue black. The silver bands on the ouard hairs
should be br ight i in color. The color must be clear, whether the fox is
classed as black, extra dark silver, dark silver, silver, or pale silver
(see frontispiece), for clearness of color is one of the most important
6 For a comprehensive treatment of this subject see Principles of Live Stock Breeding,
by Sewall Wright: Bull, No. 905, U. S. Dept. Agr., 67 p., 25 figs., 1920; and for a dis-
cussion of the subject in popular style, ae Essentials of Animal Breeding, by George
M. Rommell: Farmers’ Bulletin 1167, U. 8S. Dept. Agr., 37 p., 32 figs, reprint, 1921.
PLATE. LI.
Fic. I.—MALE SILVER Fox.
A good type of the dark silver; foxes such as this show strong evidence of breed
masculinity, and impressiveness.
FiG. 2.—FEMALE SILVER Fox.
An excellent type of adult vixen, medium silver.
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 33
factors in determining quality. Smuttiness and deficiency in luster
and a rust or tinge, which give a brownish or chocolate cast to the fur,
etract from the value of the pelt. A fox possessing a rusty pelt,
matter to what degree, should be eliminated; a perfectly furred
. pelt slightly tinged is less valuable on the fur market than one fairly
| well furred but clear in color.
e Much has been said about the cause of rust or tinge, and it has
been attributed both to feed and to sunlight. It is well known,
however, that both rusty and clear-colored pelts can be found on
the same ranch, where identical feeding methods are followed and
__ where the sunlight is approximately the same in every pen. It is
_ probable, therefore, that heredity is the determining factor in rusti-
' ness and that the character can be eliminated by careful selection.
| The term “samson” is applied to foxes devoid of guard hairs and
_ carrying a very inferior woolly underfur. This condition has been
| variously attributed to breeding, feeding, and parasites. The real
| cause is not definitely known, and for this reason it is highly inad-
_ visable to use such foxes for breeding stock. The pelts have small
P value on the market.
The brush should be reasonably long, in order to balance properly
_ the length of the body, and should carry a white tip 2 to 4 inches
- inlength. The general principles determining the quality of the fur
~ on other parts of the body are equally applicable to the brush.
= CONFORMATION.
é Conformation involves the individual structure of each part as
_aunit. A defect in any part offsets to some exterit an otherwise
; perfect structure. Some parts, as the chest, back, loin, or leg, are
_ Yelatively of greater importance than others; a deficiency in such
_ parts would have more effect on the serviceability of the whole than
a similar inferiority elsewhere.
The vixen (PI. II, Fig. 2) should show much refinement about the
head and ears and should be wide between the eyes. She should
be long, deep, and roomy in body, wide through the hips, and full
in the heart girth. The body width should be uniform from chest
_ to tail head. The dog (PI. II, Fig. 1) should be similar in make-up
and possess a rugged masculine appearance rather than the refinement
_ found in the vixen. Constitutional vigor is evidenced by a well-
developed heart girth, chest, front flank, and loin, and both vixen
and dog should be deep, wide, and well coupled in these regions
(Fig. 38). There should be no indication of a pinched appearance
behind the shoulders or in the loin. If breeding foxes are strong
in these regions it is safe to assume that, other things being equal,
they have strong lungs and heart, and consequently are stronger,
healthier, and more able to resist disease.
BHiaT ha
'
fel, NG
"
Ww,
dor Weptyiaeeei hen eertion
THE BREEDING RECORD.
The best evidence of the value of any animal for breeding is
found in its offspring. The possession of prepotent foxes of the
desirable kind means more for progress than any other factor.
Wright defines a prepotent animal as one that however mated im-
presses its characteristics on all its progeny, and adds that pre-
hehe a
ye
Pied oe
34 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
potency is a property of characteristics and not of individuals, |
breeds, or sexes.? |
The secrecy which surrounded the breeding of silver foxes in the
early days is largely responsible for the present lack of informa-
tion regarding ancestry and breeding. In general, no systematic
records were kept. of pelt production, breeding, and pedigree, and
for this reason prospective buyers are compelled to rely largely on
the word of the seller. A few breeders, however, have been far-
sighted enough to see that records regarding the quality of fur
produced are necessary to the successful conduct of fox breeding
as a business. ‘There is probably nothing that will make more for
progress than the systematic maintenance of the breeding record
of promising foxes based on the production of a high quality of fur.
LARS
‘ ae _ NAPE OR NECHT
BACK
| ae RUMP
EYE TAIL HEAD
MUZZLE
SHOULQEF
CHE ST-
: "BELLY :
FORE ABM i HIND FLANPS
ee /PONT
5 FLANA
fs
eo
, ywoCH XS
< a, -. "
aN
CLAWS" ~ ppony 7 FOOT HIND FOOT
ey
Fic. 38.—Points of a fox.
PEDIGREE.
Selection must be based on the ancestors as well as on the indi-
vidual. An inferior fox of good pedigree is in every way prefer-.
able to a better-appearing individual of unknown ancestry. The
selection of either of these individuals as a breeding fox might prove
disastrous, but the latter offers by far the oreater, chance of unsat-
isfactory results. The best test of the br eeding powers of a fox is
to see the progeny. Rarely are a pair of foxes ‘of proved excellence
as breeders offered for sale, and selections must generally be made
from untested stock on the basis of individuality and pedigree. The
value of particular individuals in the pedigree depends on the de-
gree of relationship. A good sire or dam is a very important con-
sideration; the grandparents, when judged by themselves, do not
have so much weight; and remote ancestors need hardly be taken
into consideration.
7 Bull, 905, U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 34.
oe
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 35
In judging the value of a pedigree it is important to give as much
weight to the inferior animals represented as to the superior. Un-
fortunately, it is not possible to learn much of the characteristics of
any but the latter class. Superior foxes would be classed as those
descended from high-grade pelt producers and the winners of prizes
in well-judged fox shows. It is evidently extremely difficult to Judge
quickly and accurately the amount that a certain pedigree adds to or
subtracts from the value of a fox as an individual. The early his-
tory of fox breeding can not be learned from books, since at first
no accurate records were kept. Recent history, which is more im-
portant, can be learned by following the results of fox shows and
fur sales for a number of years and by keeping in touch with cur-
rent fox journals.
The pedigree of registered pure-bred foxes can be obtained from
one of the associations registering foxes. The following associa-
tions at present register foxes in the United States and Canada.
American Silver Fox Breeders’ Association, 227
Mass.
National Silver Fox Breeders’ Association of America, 204 Rosen Block,
Muskegon, Mich.
Canadian National Silver Fox Breeders’ Association, Summerside. Prince
Edward Island, Canada.
Silver Black Fox Breeders’ Association of Prince Edward Island, Charlotte-
town, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Congress Street, Boston,
BREEDING.
It is to be constantly borne in mind that silver foxes are not do-
mesticated animals in the true sense of the term. The purpose of
breeding silver foxes is not merely to increase their numbers but to
produce a uniform product and improve the stock. A uniform
product depends tipon such knowledge and control over the heredity
of the stock that matings may be made with assurance that the off-
spring will be of the certain definite type in demand. Improving the
stock, of course, is closely related to control over heredity, but the
methods which give the greatest control are not necessarily those
which lead to the most rapid improvement.
The business of fox ranching is new, and he who would succeed
in it must give it careful thought, study the moods of the animals,
and prepare himself to meet intelligently emergencies as they arise.
Many companies formed for the sole purpose of raising foxes have
failed because of the great difficulty in hiring a keeper having the
necessary personal interest. To an even greater extent such failures
have been due to the tendency of stockholders who know nothing
about the industry to urge purely theoretical and impractical meth-
ods. The more thoroughly a man studies breeding practices and his
foxes the more closely he may approach a desired degree of fixity in
his breeding operations.
INBREEDING.
Of the effective means of improving the stock at the command of
the breeder, next in importance to selection is the judicious mating
of related animals. This process is known as inbreeding.s It should
®See Farmers’ Bulletin 1167, U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 20.
36 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
be practiced, however, only by the most skillful breeders, and by them
only when they have definite knowledge of ancestry.
Each breeder will have to decide for himself whether he will
practice inbreeding with his foxes. Inbreeding tends to fix char-
acters that can be fixed, but one of its most valuable uses is in bring-
ing clearly to light the relative merits of different strains in such
characteristics as fecundity, resistance to disease, and the like, which
are affected so much by factors other than heredity that they can
not be fixed in individuals. In these respects progress is more likely”
to result from the selection of strains than of individuals.
BREEDING AGE.
Because of the tremendous prices paid for breeding stock and for
pelts in the early days of the fox industry, little thought was given
to the important problem of improved breeding. The age at which
silver foxes should be bred has likewise been given very little atten-
tion or consideration, the general practice being to select the best
foxes from the pup crop ‘produced in sprint for mating late in fall
or early in winter. Most of the foxes used for breeding purposes,
therefore, are first so used at the age of 10 months, and if the first
season’s mating is successful the vixen produces her first litter before
she is 1 year old.
Breeding and feeding are now receiving more serious thought.
A number of breeders believe that better pups are produced if the
vixen. skips theefirst season without producing a hitter, but just as
many favor the production of a litter the first year. Some may —
think that they have definitely settled this matter, but among breed-
ers generally it is a much-debated question.
Domestic animals as a rule make most of their growth during the
first year. This is also true of foxes. Intelligent live-stock breeders
deem it a serious mistake to breed females under a year, for the reason —
that nature has not fitted them to become mothers at this early age.
Animals born from underaged mothers are generally small and weak,
and in spite of good care and feeding the mother too often does not
supply sufficient milk to nourish the offspring. This occurs rather
commonly among foxes bred the first year, although it can not be
definitely stated that it is caused by early breeding. If a rancher
follows the practice of breeding his animals too young he may find
in a few years that the offspring are degenerating in size, constitution, ©
and quality. Objections to early breeding may not apply directly in —
the silver-fox industry, but they are worthy of consideration until
the facts are definitely established.
TIME OF BREEDING.
The mating season occurs principally during the months of Feb-
ruary and March. The oestrum, or heat period, occurs once a year
and lasts about three or four days; and while the vixen will accept |
service only at this time it seems to make little difference whether it —
is early or late in the period. Service has been observed to be —
accepted many times during the period of heat, but as a rule not more
than one service is necessary to Insure conception.
The gestation period is 51 or 52 days, and the young are usually
born in April and May, Young born between April 15 and May 15
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 317
have better chances to develop and grow to maturity than those
born at earlier or later dates. Generally the growth of very early
pups is retarded by cold weather, while extremely late pups are
handicapped by heat and flies.
The breeder should make every effort to ascertain the date of
breeding. By keeping a service record he is able to determine accu-
rately when to expect the pups. Table 1 shows the breeding and
whelping dates for service on any day from January 1 to April 30,
the calculations being based on a 51-day gestation period.
TABLE 1.—Dates of breeding and whelping, based on 51-day gestation period.
The first line of dates in each column indicates the date of breeding and
directly opposite in the same column is the date on which the viren may be
expected to whelp.
‘
Jan. 1-Feb. 20 Feb. 1-Mar. 23 Mar. 3-Apr. 22 Apr. 2May 22
Jan. 2 Feb. 21 Feb. 2-Mar. 24 Mar. 4-Apr. 23 Apr. 3-May 23
Jan. 3-Feb. 22 Feb. 3-Mar. 25 Mar. 5-Apr. 24 Apr. 4May 24
Jan. 4 Feb. 23 Feb. 4Mar. 26 Mar. 6-Apr. 25 Apr. 5-May 25
Jan. 5-Feb. 24 Feb. 5—Mar. 27 Mar. 7-Apr. 26 Apr. 6-May 26
Jan. 6-Feb. Feb. 6-Mar. 28 Mar. 8-Apr. 27 Apr. 7-May 27
Jan. 7-Feb. Feb. 7-Mar. 29 | Mar. 9Apr. 28 Apr. &May 28
Jan. 8-Feb. Feb. 8&-Mar. 30 Mar. 10-Apr. 29 Apr. 9May 29
Jan. 9Feb. Feb. 9-—Mar. 31 Mar. 11-Apr. 30 Apr. 10-May 30
Jan. 10-Mar. Feb. 10-Apr. 1 Mar. 12-May Apr. 11-May 31 4
Jan. 11-Mar. ~ Feb. 11-Apr. Mar. 13-May Apr. 12-June
Jan. 12—Mar. Feb. 12-Apr Mar. 14-May Apr. 13-June
Jan. 13-Mar. Feb. 13-Apr Mar. 15-May Apr.. 14-June
Jan. 14—Mar.
Jan. 15-Mar.
1
2
3
4
Mar. 16-May 5 Apr. 15-June
6 Apr. 16-June
Jan. 16-Mar. u
8
9
1
2
3
4
5
Apr. 17-June 6
7
8
9
10
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
Jan. 19-Mar. 10 Feb. 19-Apr. 10 | Mar. 21-May 10 Apr. 20-June
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Jan. 17-Mar. Feb. 17—Apr Mar. 19-May Apr. 18-June
Jan. 18—Mar. Feb. 18-Apr Mar. 20-May Apr. 19-June
Jan. 20—Mar. Feb. 20-Apr. 11 Mar. 22-May 11 Apr. 21-June
Jan. 21-Mar. Feb. 21-Apr. 12 Mar. 23-May 12 Apr. 22-June 11
Jan. 22-Mar. Feb. 22-Apr. 13 Mar. 24-May 13 Apr. 23-June 12
Jan. 23—Mar. Feb. 23-Apr. 14 Mar. 25-May 14 Apr. 24-June 13
Jan. 24-Mar. Feb. 24-Apr. 15 Mar. 26-May 15 Apr. 25-June 14
Jan. 25-Mar. Feb. 25-Apr. 16 Mar. 27-May 16 Apr. 26-June 15
Jan. 26—Mar. Feb. 26-Apr. 17 Mar. 28-May 17 Apr. 27-June 16
Jan. 27—Mar. Feb. 27-Apr. 18 Mar. 29-May 18 Apr. 28-June 17
Jan. 28—Mar. Feb. 28-Apr. 19 Mar. 30-May 19 Apr. 29-June 18
Jan. 29-Mar. Mar. 1-Apr. 20 Mar. 31-May 20 Apr. 30-June 19
Jan. 30-Mar. 21 Mar. 2-Apr. 21 Apr. 1-May 21
Jan. 31-Mar. °22
The average length of the profitable reproductive period in a fox
is about 10 years. The number of young if: a litter varies from 1 to
10, but the average from adult parents is 4. The average number
of pups raised at present, however, is about two to the litter.
MATING.
_ Hope for increased profits in fox raising lies almost entirely in
improving the stock by selective breeding. The better practice has
been to mate a dark-silver male (25 per cent or less silver) with a
lighter female (25 per cent or more silver) with the expectation that
the majority of the pups produced will fall in the dark-silver class.
This does not always occur, however, for the reason that the ancestors
of the parents may not have been bred along dark-silver lines. On
the other hand, if the ancestors as well as the parents have been
mated with the aim of producing extra-dark and dark-silver pelts,
then the chances are that the offspring from such matings will con-
tinue to produce dark silvers.
38 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The chief factor to be borne in mind is the general tendency of
each generation of silver foxes to be lighter than that preceding.
To overcome this is one of the objects of inteiligent breeding. Ar
intimate knowledge of the breeding and pedigree of the ancestors
as well as of the parents is required. In selecting pups for breeder
it should be remembered that as a rule the pelt becomes hghter with
age. For example, a dark-silver pup (see frontispiece) may withi
a year or two nearly approach the light-silver class. It is not ad-
visable, therefore, for anyone starting in the fox business to purchase
for breeding stock animals classed as silver or light silver (75 per
cent or more silver). At present, pelts of this class find a ready
market at a reasonable return, but they do not have so fine a texture.
and finish as the darker pelts and therefore do not command so high
a price.
A ranch should contain both light and dark silvers, however, for
the following reasons: (1) Dark silver animals of approved ancestry
are essential for breeding stock because of their known ability to
transmit this character; (2) lght silvers are desirable because, while
the pelts do not now bring so high a price as the dark, they have a
quicker turnover; and (3) lght silvers should be maintained as a
safeguard in case the present preference for dark-silver pelts, which
is based largely on fashion, should turn to the hghter strains,
It should be remembered that breeding for prepotency, prolificacy,
and disposition are of as much importance as breeding for color. —
These factors have been given some consideration by a few progres-
sive breeders, but if more thought were given to these points by the
average breeder some of the main difficulties now encountered would —
be overcome.
It is necessary to study as carefully as possible the natures of the’
two foxes to be mated by watching their actions. It should be re-
membered, however, that foxes, when aware that they are being |
observed, do not act naturally. When the foxes to be mated have
been finally determined upon, they are placed in a pen together and.
further observed to determine accurately and quickly whether they
will live together peaceably. A decision one way or the other may,
in some instances, be reached in a few hours, but again it may take ©
days, or even a week. If the foxes are inclined to get along well —
together, the breeder may expect a successful outcome. Failure of ©
the breeder properly to choose mates by careful selection and obser-
vation may result in the loss of a valuable breeding fox.
The possibilities of modification or improvement by selective breed-
ing are fully as great with foxes as with domesticated animals, and
it is only logical to believe that selective breeding will in time pro-
duce thoroughly domesticated breeds. Some of the highest-priced
fox pelts ever marketed were produced by animals raised in cap-
tivity.
MONOGAMOUS AND POLYGAMOUS MATING.
Monogamy is the mating of one male with one female; polygamy, —
the mating of one male with two or more females. A beginner should |
handle and breed foxes in pairs. After he has acquired considerable
knowledge and experience it may be found advisable to practice
polygamous mating. :
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 39
Foxes in the wild are said to be monogamous, but it is definitely
_known that those bred in captivity are both monogamous and polyga-
mous. Ranchers who were aware of the necessity of producing more
pups per pair of foxes by lessening the number of shy breeders re-
| sorted to polygamous mating as an experiment. Attempts were
“made to mate one male with several females during one breeding
season. As a rule the results have been satisfactory so far as in-
ereasing production is concerned. This is true of red, cross, and
silver foxes. It is believed, however, that the majority of ranchers
practicing polygamous mating are doing so simply with a view to
increasing the number of pups, and are not paying particular atten-
tion to the individuals to be mated. Polygamous mating should do
_ more than increase production. The vitality and quality of the off-
spring generally should be much improved as compared with that
‘of the parents. These are factors to be given consideration in mak-
“ing such matings, otherwise the progeny may be of inferior type,
thus defeating the primary object—breed improvement.
ESSENTIALS OF FEEDING.
PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING.
The same judgment required in the selection of foxes should be
exercised in feeding them. Intelligent selection will be ineffective
unless the feeding is such that the “animals will thrive and yield a
good increase. The real object is to supply nutritive material for
building and repairing the body and for producing good fur. The
ration must be wholesome and acceptable to the foxes, and at the
same time it must be reasonably cheap. Cleanliness in preparation
and regularity in feeding are important.
To get the best results a feed must be provided that is palatable
and acceptable to foxes. The same feeds and combinations of feeds
should be used steadily, and sudden changes either in the diet or in
the manner of feeding should be ay oided. A feed may be satisfac-
tory in certain combinations, but not in others. While it is not
meant that the same kinds of feed should be given during every Sea-
son of the year, the danger is pointed out that foxes may be “thrown
off their feed” by such radical changes as occur when one rancher
suddenly adopts a new ration on learning of another’s success with it.
Fox feeding has not yet advanced to the stage where the effects
of all feeds upon the animal’s body can be specified, but some are
well understood. For instance, mineral matter is necessary to proper
growth and is found in all cf the vital parts of the body. Young
growing animals require larger quantities of it than those full grown;
hence care should be taken to provide a liberal supply, especially of
calcium and phosphorus. When a ration is deficient in either of
these, the calcium may be furnished in the form of calcium carbonate,
well-slaked lime, or ground limestone. Both calcium and phos-
phorus can be provided in the form of precipitated calcium phos-
hate, bone ash, or very finely ground green bone or rock phosphate.
reen bone and bone ash also supply small quantities of other salts
needed in animal nutrition,
Les
40 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
KINDS OF FEED.°
~ For maintenance and growth three substances are necessary—{ro- -
teins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Proteins.—Strictly lean meat, from whatever source derived, af-
fords fuel in the form of protein. The leanest meat is fish. From
bones gelatine and pure protein are obtained, the latter, however,
not in all respects equivalent to that of meat. Milk and eggs are
particularly valuable for their protein content. Feeds in the protein
class include horse meat, beef, mutton, veal, pork, rabbit, squirrel,
chipmunk, woodchuck, chicken, pigeon, various kinds of fish, lobster
bodies, packing-house offal (such as hearts’ livers, spleens, tripe,
tongues, trimmings, and lungs), eggs, milk (whole, separated, con-
densed, and evaporated), ground alfalfa, oats, wheat, and corn.
Fats are found to a greater or lesser extent in all kinds of meat.
Feeds classed as fats include milk (especially valuable for its fat),
eges, suet, cracklings, oi) meal, and fish meal.
Carbohydrates are contained in wheat, oats, corn, and other grains
and to some extent in all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Feeds
classed as carbohydrates include bread, cracker waste, shredded
wheat waste, rice, ground wheat, corn meal, oatmeal, bran, mid-_
dlings, homemade and manufactured biscuits, apples, raisins, grapes,
onions, and carrots.
Minerals are most easily supphed in a mixed ration. Feeds con-—
taining iron, calcium, and phosphate are milk, dried blood, tankage,
fish meal, and ground raw bone. Water, while not strictly a food, ©
contains some mineral matter, but its chief functions are to help regu-
late the concentration of the food elements, making possible the trans-
portation of various materials to the tissues by holding them in solu-
tion, and to facilitate the removal of waste through the excretory
system.
Aside from the fuel feedstuffs, mineral constituents, and water,
there are substances existing in minute quantities in some feeds and
not in others that exercise a profound influence on nutrition. Only
recently have these been studied, and their exact nature is still under
investigation. They are spoken of as vitamins, or accessory food
substances. Fresh feeds and whole milk, together with some varja-
tion from time to time in kinds of feed, will supply these accessories
in sufficient quantity for all the elements contributing to good
nutrition to be represented.
A ration composed of a variety of feeds will give better results
than a very simple fare, even though the latter supplies the proper
proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals. This
does not imply changes in the ration from day to day. The meat
part of the ration especially should be varied as widely as possible.
Some ranchers feed foxes entirely on meat and, to obtain variety,
give beef one day, horse meat the next, liver the next, etc. The de-
sired end is not thus attained, for the food constituents are prac-
tically the same.
® All the feeds mentioned have been actually fed on ranches in the United States and
Canada.
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 4]
PREPARATION AND METHODS OF FEEDING.
The preparation of the feed and the method of feeding have a great
influence on the breeding of foxes and the production of fine pelts.
Only sweet, wholesome, clean feed should be supphed—never putrid
or diseased material. A few extra dollars spent to obtain the right
kinds of feed may save many hundreds later, for a proper diet and
satisfactory methods of feeding are important factors in lessening
the chances of outbreaks of disease. The general practice followed
on many successful fox ranches is to feed twice a day, morning and
evening, the rations varying throughout the week.
=. -On certain days the morning feed may consist of a stew, on others
it may be rice combined with milk. and on still others oats with milk.
Cracker waste, stale bread, shredded-wheat waste, home-made or
manufactured biscuits, each in combination with milk, are used in the
same way. Biscuits are also fed alone.
All stews fed to foxes are prepared along one general line, and
contain a large variety of food constituents. The meat or dinarily
used is beef or veal, and is generally from the bony portions. It is
boiled until the meat falls from the bones, and then both the meat
and the bones are removed. To the liquor is added the meat, which
has been ground, and rice, finely ground wheat, corn, or rolled oats—
all these cereals may be used, but one is sufficient. C hopped vegeta-
bles, as potatoes and carrots, are added and the whole boiled until the
cereals and vegetables are thoroughly cooked. Small portions of
ground alfalfa hay, dried blood, ground bone, and salt are then
thoroughly mixed in. This forms a reasonably thick stew for feeding
to adult foxes. When intended for vixens suckling young or for
young foxes milk and eggs should be added and the stew served
warm. The relative proportions of the various ingredients are
roughly as follows:
‘Per cent.
oo Jia! 2 a Se ee ee 40
i a B22 Me DSi ah a Ok Soars PC 25
Vegetables____ of. Natta Slee dD aan 25
Alfalfa hay, blood, and ‘pbone_ Lebel. Derry tee Seb) Bite es 10
While a number of fox biscuits can be purchased on the market,
analyses have shown that the majority are deficient in mineral
material. Biscuits prepared according to the following recipe have
‘been used successfully on a number of ranches and are relished by
the pups as well as by the adult foxes:
Ground whole wheat, middlings, cracker waste, cracklings, baking powder,
and fat rendered from fresh meat are mixed with buttermilk to form a dough.
This is placed in pans approximately 10 by 12 inches in size, 14 inches deep,
and then baked in a slow oven 13 to 2 hours.
These biscuits when thoroughly done are not dry and hard, but
are much like cake. They are not fed fresh, but are allowed to stand
for a day or two, when they may be given either dry or with milk.
The evening meal consists eenerally of raw or cooked meat. cut
up in small pieces or ground. “This lessens the chance that the foxes
will drag it into their dens or bury it, thus rendering the pens
insanitary. The heads and entrails of rabbits, chipmunks, and other
492 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. - .
rodents frequently contain parasites, and for this reason should not
be used. The pelts of these animals also should be removed. Opin-
ions among breeders differ as to the relative merits of cooked and
raw meat, but all agree that on the whole fox ranchers have been
feeding too much meat.
All feed should be given in dishes, preferably of aluminum or
earthenware. Under no circumstances should it be thrown on the-
ground, as such practice renders it practically impossible to keep the
pens and dens sanitary. Bones thrown in the pens for the foxes to
onaw should be removed frequently. (See Fig. 39.)
Fresh clean water should be accessible to the foxes at all times, and
even during freezing weather it should be supphed at frequent
intervals.
1X1" BRACE
"X11" BRACE
8’D/A.
LAR AA:
Ss Ew IO
See ov Ee (3)
Fic. 39.—Satisfactory and convenient device for feeding pups after weaning. The vertical
sliding board holds the dishes in place and also serves to separate the pups feeding
from either side.
AMOUNT AND FREQUENCY OF FEEDING.
The amount of feed supplied depends entirely on the season of the
year and the age, appetite, and condition of the fox. Adult foxes
should be fed fairly heavily just before and during the breeding
season, so that they will be in good vigorous condition. Some breed-
ers believe that heavy feeding of vixens prior to this season will bring »
on the heat period quicker and increase the chance of conception.
Forced feeding has a tendency to make the fur prime sooner than it
would be naturally, but the advisability of practicing this is ques-
tionable, because in many cases the fur thus becomes prime before
the skin.
Vixens suckling young, and pups that have been weaned, should be
fed liberally. As a rule, during the summer mature foxes should
be fed sparingly, but if a vixen is run down she should be given
sufficient to bring her back to a good thrifty condition. In the
majority of cases, however, foxes are being given too much feed at
al] seasons of the year. The appetite is a good index to feeding,
and the amount of feed supplied should be regulated so that the fox
yg
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 43
will remain active and show eagerness to eat at meal time. It should
clean up its feed within 20 minutes and all feed containers should be
collected one hour after feeding, anything remaining in the dishes
‘being destroyed. The amount of feed left in its dish will determine
whether a particular animal should receive a full portion at the next
meal.
Z During freezing weather it is almost impossible to maintain an
adequate water supply in the pens, and stews are apt to freeze before
the foxes can eat them. Every effort should be made to overcome
these difficulties by the use of the homemade biscuits previously men-
‘tioned. Milk is easily provided in winter, as foxes will lick it from
the pans even though it is frozen.
_ Accurate information as to the feed requirements of a ranch fox
for normal development and reproduction is needed, and to obtain it
‘experiments are being conducted by the Honorary Advisory Council
for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ottawa, Canada, and a pre-
liminary report has been made thereon by G. Ennis Smith.’® The
‘substance of his report is contained in the following paragraphs:
While it is not feasible to draw definite conclusions from experiments of a
single season and on a limited number of foxes, the influence of certain factors
is sufficiently apparent to warrant preliminary recommendations regarding
rations. Experiments have been conducted with foxes 2 years old or older
and the recommendations, therefore, would not apply. to yearlings.
The results thus far obtained tend to indicate that continued overfeeding
should be avoided, and that so far as quantity goes the most suitable ration
for a ranch fox is one just a little in excess of the minimum required to
maintain body weight. Only one period has been found when it is advisable
to feed larger quantities to adult foxes, and that is to the female when she
is suckling young. Healthy foxes are seldom indifferent to feed except during
the breeding season, and, generally speaking, the appetite does not become
normal until this season is over. When foxes refuse to eat it is better to give
only one feeding a day until they regain their appetite. It is not necessary to
have them in too good flesh during the breeding season, but simply in vigorous
condition. Fat animals are sluggish and will not breed.
Failure to raise a large majority of the pups whelped is due largely to im-
properly feeding the vixen during pregnancy, and this may also result in
rickety pups. .Rickets may also be caused by a restricted ration or one deficient
_ in protein, mineral material, or other food accessories. It should be borne in
mind that during pregnancy the vixen is doing the double duty of keeping
up her own bodily functions and providing for the development of the litter.
The feeding should be liberal, although not so heavy as after the pups are
whelped. =
Experiments show that in foxes generally. a well-selected ration only slightly
above the minimum required to maintain body weight is sufficient to meet the
-requirements of the pregnant vixen, and that it is very favorable for repro-
duction. During the experiments the foxes fed such rations were eager for
their meals, ate at once, were alert, and appeared to take a great deal of
exercise.
For the guidance of fox ranchers the following rations are sug-
gested by Mr. Smith in his report above referred to, Nos. 1, 2, 3,
and 4 being recommended chiefly for use during the breeding and
gestation periods.
* Rept. No. 9, Food Requirements of the Ranch Fox, Ottawa, 1921.
44 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
TABLE 2.—Specimen rations for foxes.
For 10- For 12-
Ration. pound fox. | pound fox. 4
No. 1:
Fat meat or offal....... 54 ounces... .| 64 ounces.
iKox Discuitss.. 2.2 = 1} ounces....} 14 ounces.
Sets Se eres eee “3 pint. -.-53 3 pint.
Lean meat or offal...... 8 ounces.....| 93 ounces.
Smelts or herring....... 8 ounces..... 94 ounces.
oe Bettina ES REA 5 pint. = 2222 4 pint.
| No.3:
| Liver (ampb?s).. .2...:- | 43 ounces....{ 5% ounces.
Hox PISCuIbss.o-~ <= soe | 12 ounces....| 14 ounces.
irs See ee ee ts pinte== = 4 pint.
~ Lean meat or offal...... 8 ounces..... 94 ounces.
Beersuebsn- se 4 ounce...... 7% ounce. °
s Malikperaeg Ses Foo pe A zy pint...... 3 pint.
No. 5:
Lean meat or offal...... 4 ounces.....| 43 ounces.
Cereals, cooked........- 24 ounces !..- 22 ounces.1
woe ee te innen Qoemmet ae vo pint...... 3 pint.
Cereals, cooked......_.-. 24 ounces}... 25 ounces.!
Codihiverioule 33 4 OUNCE... 2. Yo ounce.
Milka See #5 pint --...- + pint.
No. 7:
Smelts or herring--...-. 8 ounces.....| 93 ounces.
Cereals, cooked......... 24 ounces bess 23 ounces.!
MT oo 25) Se PE tae me pint.=.5-: 3 1 pint.
1 Dry weight. F
As the period of whelping approaches, the vixen should be fed
principally mushy feeds in limited quantity and have access to fresh
water at all times. It is advisable to eliminate meat a week before
whelping, with the exception of liver and tripe, which may be fed
two or three times during that week. After the pups are whelped
great care must be taken to feed the mother properly if she is to
raise them successfully. Mineral matter is particularly needed, and
to furnish it the ration should be supplemented with bone meal, fish
meal, or edible tankage. For the first three or four days the feeding
should be light, and then it should be increased gradually until the
vixen is on full feed, at about the end of a week or 10 days, depend-
ing upon the size and thrift of the litter. To meet the require-
ments of a vixen with four pups Mr. Smith suggested the rations
shown in table 3:
TABLE 3.—Ration for viren with four pups.
| First Second Third and
Daily rations. week. week. fourth weeks.
MR Sok tae! ton 2 pint ¥ pints? o> 1 pint.
Meat: 48 tsp. t 8 ounces..... 12 ounces... 12 ounces
‘BISCHILSS. =e Soe 1d OUNCES. F2)..o Fo eee one aoe
oo GS POLI Gen a eee E : ounces. ?. : 3 ounces. 1
MGS: ee So Beha ce ee a
1 Dry weight.
When the pups are about 4 weeks old the vixen begins to carry
meat to them, and it is therefore advisable to eliminate meat from
the ration at this time, feeding only cereals, vegetables, and milk.
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 45
- Rations composed of such feed make the feces very bulky, and to
counteract this cod-liver oil and eggs may be added.
Breeders differ in opinion as to whether pups should be sepa-
rated from the mother at a certain age or be allowed to wean them-
| selves. After the young reach the age of 8 weeks both they and
their mother can be handled to better advantage if fed separately.
Size and development determine the weaning age.
The pups’ feed should be varied as much as possible; that is, it
should not be restricted to one cereal or one kind of meat. Beef
should form a large part of the ration, as this in itself is a fairly well
balanced feed. Bone meal, fish meal, and edible tankage should be
added to insure a supply of lime. Limewater is of no value to offset
a deficiency of lime in the ration, but in counteracting acidity of the
stomach is an aid to digestion. Freshly formed clabber is a good
feed for young pups once or twice a week.
The rations shown in Table 4 have been used successfully on the
Canadian Experimental Fox Ranch at Hull, Quebec, as reported
by Mr. Smith, the pups raised on this feed showing no sign of
rickets and maintaining uniform growth and developing good fur.
Taste 4.—Suggested rations for pups up to the age of 5 months.
Amount per pup, at the age of—
Kind of feed.
2 24 3 4 5
months. | months. | months. | months... months.
10 ae pint 2 4 3 z | 4
Cereals, |
cooked !.ounces 1 13 13 Adal 2
Bread —.- =.=: do... 1 1 | Pee esaascr Beoenose
Meat, ground.do... 1 At ee ee ON bri Bn eae
WDE" Re Re CS oa eae ee 4 6 8
Fat or oil..... Os ral Sees es ean eee see 4 1 1
Be --/a-~5 2-0. 1 2 2 4 | 2 3
1 Dry weight.
VIXENS EATING THEIR YOUNG. aes
Cannibalism among foxes is not natural, and the vixen’s desire
-to destroy her young may result from any of a number of causes.
If constipated, she becomes feverish and develops an abnormal appe-
tite, and in this condition may eat her pups. ‘To prevent this, laxa-
tive feeds, as cod-liver oil, eggs, liver, oil meal, and biscuits, should
-be fed during pregnancy. Undue excitement or injury during preg-
nancy may also influence destruction of the young. Some breeders
have advocated the feeding of salt pork and salt fish to eliminate this
tendency, but this is not always successful. It is not advisable to
‘destroy a valuable vixen because she eats her first litter, but in. case
she continues. the practice with subsequent litters her pelt should
_be taken during the prime season. |
GENERAL MANAGEMENT.
Successful fox farming requires good management in the organiza-
- tion of the ranch, selection of stock, feeding, and breeding, combined
46 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
with an intimate knowledge of the characteristics and behavior of
the fox in captivity.
THE RANCHER.
Many of the failures in fox ranching may be attributed directly
to carelessness and negligence on the part of the rancher. Foxes
will not do well under shiftless management, and a caretaker who
has no interest in the welfare of his foxes need not expect success.
The rancher should handle his breeding foxes in a manner to insure
the highest percentage of increase and should be willing to sit up —
part of the night watching their actions. One who walks through the
ranch without the keen perception to detect a sick fox is by no
means the right type of caretaker, and one who sees the sick fox
but does not care for it at once is even worse. A rancher who likes ©
to be away from his foxes as much as possible has not the thrift and
B21647
Fig. 40.—Foxes appreciate kindness and respond to good treatment on the part of the
keeper.
welfare of the ranch at heart, and a caretaker who is not disturbed
over the loss of a pup should no longer have charge of a ranch.
One who is not careful to avoid feeding moldy or spoiled feed of any
kind is not a true rancher. He must not share the opinion of some
men that foxes need little or no water, but must supply them with
fresh, pure water every day, for foxes require water just as much
as any other animal. If he allows them to drink old, stagnant water,
he runs the risk of having them infested with all sorts of parasites.
If a rancher fits foxes and goes into the show ring simply to be
there among other ranchers and is not possessed of a strong desire
to win the best prizes offered, he had better stay at home and save
time and money. :
A good faithful rancher looks to every detail of his work and
has his mind and heart with his foxes at all times. He leaves noth-
ing undone to promote the thrift and welfare of each individual
fox. He likes to talk with successful ranchers about foxes, and
tries to learn about improved methods of handling and manage-—
“a
i
d
}
0 tp Satoh me es
een sake ee oe
hee (eit tien eases pal went 2
Diae SS oe
aad
seers ed ater ale ee tae
(Reon Wet
A oeereeh tee itt
SILVER-FOX FARMING, AY
ment. (Fig. 40.) The readiness with which his foxes accommo-
date themselves to a life of captivity depends greatly upon his atti-
tude toward them.
BEHAVIOR OF FOXES IN CAPTIVITY.
Before one can intelligently handle foxes he must know something
concerning their behavior. He must study them at every oppor-
tunity, whether performing his duties on the ranch or observing foxes
from the watch tower. As previously stated, the instant a fox
becomes aware that it is observed it changes its behavior entirely.
I’oxes are naturally active at night but quiet during the day, re-
maining in the den, curled up on top of the den, or in some shady,
secluded spot. ‘They are inquisitive, and their desire to see every-
thing that is going on around them leads them to select advan-
tageous positions for the purpose. (Fig. 41.) Moving objects inter-
Fig. 41.—On the lookout. Under proper Management foxes soon display a lively
interest in their surroundings.
est them keenly, and birds or mammals entering their pens fall
quick prey to their alertness. Asa rule they live peaceably together,
but their treacherous disposition becomes apparent when they can
take a mate or a neighbor at a disadvantage.
The natural instinct of foxes to burrow in the soil seems to be ex-
aggerated in some individuals, and when suddenly frightened they
try to escape in this way or by climbing the walls of the pen.
Excitability is one of the most troublesome traits of foxes, al-
though it is believed that too much stress has been placed on this.
It is not intended to convey the idea that they do not need quiet
or that unnecessary causes of excitement should not be avoided; on
the contrary, the breeder should take advantage of every occasion
to allay their suspicions and gain their confidence. As a rule foxes
are suspicious of strangers and on the approach of a newcomer
frequently sound a warning call and run to cover. On some ranches
this is not the case, and it is believed that lack of fear is due largely
to the method of handling and feeding. It is an established fact
48 BULLETIN 1151, U. §. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
that the number of pups whelped and raised to maturity on ranches
where the policy is followed of leaving the foxes to themselves as
much as possible is far less than the number raised by ranchers
who handle the foxes with the same good judgment used in man-
aging domestic stock. |
Foxes, like other animals, possess a variety of dispositions and
temperaments. No two pairs are exactly alike, and each pair should
receive individual consideration. To study their 'traits and pecu-
liarities should be one of the primary objects of the caretaker, and
his success is determined largely by the use of his wisdom against
the gunning of the foxes.
THE BREEDING SEASON.
Before the foxes have been selected for mating and placed in their
respective pens, the yards should be thoroughly cleaned, the dens
scrubbed with hot water and soap,and sprayed with disinfectant or
burned out with a blow torch, and the nest boxes cleaned and put
in place. Foxes usually prefer no bedding material, but on some
ranches have become accustomed to straw.
As the breeding season approaches, the foxes should be kept as_
quiet as possible and, as a rule, strangers should not be allowed to
enter the ranch, although this ‘precaution may be left to the judgment
of the caretaker. : ;
A shy fox may never appear at feeding time, hence the mate will
gobble up all the feed. Where this occurs feed for the shy fox should |
be placed inside the den. When one is a bully and drives the other
away. from the feed, it will be necessary to separate th€ containers
as widely as possible. It is well for the keeper to jhhaWe ‘d call and
to talk to the foxes at feeding time, so that. they will become accus-
tomed to him. All matings observed.should be recorded, and it is ©
desirable that the rancher spend a large portion of his time in the
watch tower getting this information. :
After the foxes have been seen to breed the dog should be sepa- |
~rated as soon as possible and placed in the quarters built for the
purpose. While a dog may be as devoted to the pups as is the vixen, ©
the care he may give the young is more. than counterbalanced by
the harm he may do to his mate. Dogs have a tendency to injure
the pups by carrying them in and out of the dens, and often kill
them by fighting. The separation of the dog and vixen eliminates —
the possibility of loss from these causes.
PREGNANCY.
Special care and attention should be given the vixen during the
.period of pregnancy. Undue excitement on the ranch during the
advanced stages may cause abortion (premature birth), especially
among the very nervous and excitable vixens. It may be well to
mention again that the feed should be of a soft nature and should —
contain nothing constipating. In the case of a shy vixen that will
not leave the den to eat, the feed should be placed in the outside
chamber of the den. This will enable her to eat before the feed
freezes and will also accustom her to the presence of the caretaker
every day. The caretaker, however, should make sure that the vixen
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 49
is really shy and is not lying in the den because she is overfed and too
sluggish to come out. If the latter is the case, feed should not be
iven until she appears hungry. If vixens are properly handled
‘and fed during this period there should be no trouble during
| whelping.
WHELPING.
-~ On account of the many disadvantages connected with the prac-
tice, it is rare indeed that a vixen is permitted to follow her natural
instinct to whelp her litter in a hole which she digs in the ground.
Aside from the fact that this fosters a wild trait which it is one
of the objects of domestication to modify, it frequently endangers
the lives of the pups, for if the soil is not well drained a heavy rain
may result in drowning them. Another disadvantage is the difficulty
of digging out the
vixen and pups if
for any reason it be-
comes necessary to
treat them. Success
with this method of
whelping is the result
of good luck, not
good management.
During the entire
whelping period the
vixen should be un-
disturbed. The pen
should be entered
only to give her feed
and water or for some
other absolutely Fic, 42.—The cat may be used as a foster mother in emer-
necessary reason. gencies, but she must be free from parasites.
BI994M
.
LACTATION.
After the pups are whelped the feed should be increased gradually.
Methods have been fully described under “ Feeding.” The use of
the double-box den simplifies matters considerably at this time. The
feed can be placed in the outer box, and when the caretaker hears
the vixen leave the den to feed he can lift the cover of the other box
to examine the litter and remove any dead pups. No bad results will
occur if the keeper is careful.
Vixens, especially young ones, sometimes fail to produce enough
milk to nourish the pups. If such is the case, or if the vixen dies, a
cat may be used as foster mother, but this practice should be followed
only in an emergency. (Fig. 42.) The rancher should be sure that
the cat is free from parasites before she is so used.
WEANING.
When the pups are about 8 weeks old they should be taken from
the mother and placed in new, clean quarters. There has been a
pron drain on the mother’s system during lactation, and this gives
_ her a chance to recuperate. Another reason for this separation is
50 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
to prevent a tendency on the part of the pups to become wild, caused
by a nervous excitable vixen, for at the least provocation such a
mother sounds a warning call and the pups scamper into the den,
sometimes injuring themselves in their haste.
Separation from the mother also facilitates the proper feeding of
the young. Twice a day is often enough to feed them. In the case
of backward pups a little cow’s milk can be given as a noon feed.
Those showing a disinclination to eat and failing to grow should be
removed to another pen and placed under observation to determine
the cause. Careful feeding is very essential to the satisfactory de-
velopment of the pups. More pups can be raised to maturity if
weaned and fed separately than if permitted to remain with the
mother (see Fig. 39, p. 42).
HANDLING.
It is believed by many ranchers that the only time foxes should
be handled is when they appear to be injured or diseased. As a
matter of fact, they should be handled much more frequently. Final
judgment on a mating shouid not be based on superficial observa-
tion. The foxes should be handled and examined closely to deter-
mine their general make-
up and the quality of their
fur. As many points as —
practicable should be ob-
served during one exami-
nation. For instance, the
ears should be inspected
for mange mites, and the —
Fic, 43.—Diagram showing operations of fox tongs. back of the ears and fore
and hind flanks, which are ~
tender portions of the fox’s body, for parasites. It is usually neces-
sary to handle the foxes frequently late in summer and early in fall
for the purpose of exhibiting to prospective buyers the quality of the
animals on the ranch as well as the color and quality of fur. There
was a time when foxes could be sold without close examination, but
the buyer of to-day is able to exercise more discrimination and insists
upon knowing what he is purchasing. |
Although few expert ranchers use gloves when handling foxes, it
is well for the beginner to do so. He should also use tongs in cap-
turing the animals, such as those illustrated in Figure 43.
When the caretaker enters the pen for the purpose of catching a
fox, the animals invariably run into the den. He then lowers the
slide of the chute, thus shutting them in, and slightly raises the
cover of the den to permit the insertion of the tongs. The fox is
grasped around the neck, and then, the tongs being held with one —
hand and the hind legs and tail of the fox with the other, the exami--
nation can be made.
When it is desired to transfer a fox from one pen to another, or to
remove it temporarily for treatment, a small handling box, such as
shown in Figure 44, may be used. This is ‘made of 1-inch material
32 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 9 inches high. The top board is -
hinged and fine-mesh wire nailed to the box under the cover to per-
: SILVER-FOX FARMING. 51
mit examination. At one end is a slide door and at the other a
hinged wire door provided with a hook-and-eye fastening. The top
cover may be held down by a bolt and lock or by a snap and hinge,
_as illustrated in the figure. A strap handle is attached to the cover -
_ for convenience in carrying.
TRANSPORTING.
Foxes in good condition can be shipped almost any distance, but
if the journey is long or the shipment large it will be well to have
-an attendant go along to feed and care for them. Foxes can go with-
out feed for two or three days with no apparent ill effects. In transit
they have a tendency to lose their appetites, and should be fed care-
fully, although fresh water should always be supplied. Small pieces
of meat, preferably liver or beef, and fox biscuit may be given.
_ It is not advisable to place more than one fox in a compartment
of a shipping crate. A crate containing two compartments, each
B21653
|
; Fic. 44.—Convenient transfer box for handling foxes; it is made of 1-inch boards and
may be 32 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 9 inches high.
_ 2 feet high and having a floor space of approximately 2 by 3 feet,
_is large enough to carry a pair of foxes. It should be made of
wood, with the exception of the door, which should be of wire.
Some ranchers entirely cover the crate with wire to prevent escape
of the animals. In the front of each compartment dishes for feed
and water should be fastened where they can be filled from the
— outside.
_ CULLING.
Every fall before the breeding season begins the old foxes as well
as the pups should be carefully culled and the best ones retained to
improve the stock. This is necessary to maintain the quality of the
_ foxes on the ranch, old, unserviceable animals being replaced by
2 young, vigorous stock. The following classes should be culled:
Yixens that have not proved to be profitable producers, old foxes
_ that have served their term of usefulness, samson foxes (see p. 33),
_ and foxes carrying pelts that are tinged or otherwise inferior.
ee ee
52 ‘BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The final judgment of the caretaker as to which foxes are to.
retained should be based on the records kept of the performance of
individual animals. A ranch owner who inspects the foxes only at
intervals is apt to judge the animals on the basis of appearance
rather than performance, and for this reason selection of the foxes
to be retained should be left entirely to the resident caretaker, who
has had opportunity to study the indiv iduals and to become familiar
with the characteristics of each.
The foxes to be disposed of should be separated and fed sufficiently
to maintain good health. The pelts of fat foxes, however, lack sheen.
and finish because of the tendency of the animals to lie around and
not take sufficient exercise. In order to improve the quality of the
fur it is a good plan to shut the foxes out of their pens on cold days”
in winter, not, however, during wet or inclement weather.
PELTING.
The business of fox raising is based on pelt value. Many of the
most successful ranch owners follow the practice of killing some
foxes every year and marketing the pelts. These are naturally
the culls—that is, the old foxes that have served their period of use-
fulness, nonproducers, and those that have been injured through |
accident. -
It is not a good practice to pelt pups, as their skins lack finish in
the fur as well as in the leather. Genaonalls a pup skin of excep-
tional development sells for a good price, but this is not the rule. It
is better for the rancher to carry the young over until they are a
year and a half old or older and the pelt has developed into a more
marketable skin.
PRIMENESS.
Pelts of foxes become prime in November, December, January,
and February, depending upon the season, climate, and feeding.
In the United States the majority of pelts become prime in December
and January, with a few in February, the exact time varying with
the individual. Primeness is the highest quality of perfection i in a
pelt; when the pelt shows quality “and finish, determined by its
texture and sheen, it is said to be prime.
Ability to judge primeness comes only through experience. When
the fur is coming prime it does so rapidly, and after it reaches the
peak of perfection it soon becomes overprime,. losing its sheen and
finish. It therefore behooves the rancher to watch “closely day by
day each individual set aside for pelting.
It is better to take the pelt just before it is prime than to take the
chance of delaying until it is overprime. This is one of the periods
when frequent handling i 1s necessary. .
KILLING.
- In killing a fox the method generally pursued is as follows: The
eehal 3 is caught with the tongs, taken to the killing shed, and laid on
its side. The caretaker then places his foot on its chest and crushes
out the life. This practice his been followed because it does not
injure the pelt. Striking the fox on the back of the head with a club
leaves a blood clot on the pelt and sometimes cuts it. |
[TOM ATpenbo
“ysnaq pure sdoy oy} suTAap osodand oy} 0Ar0S pus od01d OUO Ul OpeUL
Ajysnoaoyy Jo poyjour aodoad oyy suryeaysnqy[y] Q1@ SOUIRAJ OULOS OSPOM O[PpluL JO pvRoySuyT
"AWVYU4 ONIAYG NO SLISd—3 ‘DIS ‘SLTdd ONIAYG YOs AWVYS—"| “DIS
wotoza evgiza
Lu
ke
<x
— |
ale
a
:
oD
<
®
Q
W)
in
Bul. 1151, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. PLATE IV.
B535M
PELTS READY FOR THE RAW-FUR MARKET.
When the drying and cleaning processes are completed, the finished product well
repays the rancher for the care taken in all the stages of management.
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 53
A more humane and ae taebary method of killing is by the injec-
tion of a solution of strychnine sulphate. Objection has been made
to this on the ground that strychnine may injure the pelt by causing
- the hair to fall out. This, however, is not the case. The effect, if
any, of strychnine on the ‘hair follicles is contracting rather than
“relaxing, In any event there would be no ill effect in the case of
foxes in captivity, since the pelt is removed so soon after death.
The operation of injecting strychnine sulphate is very simple.
The instruments used are a small hypodermic barrel syringe, two
reasonably long needles, and a quantity of a 3 per cent solution of
; strychnine sulphate. The syringe is filled with the solution and the
_ gauge set for 1 cubic centimeter. The fox is placed on its right side
and held by-an attendant. The operator places his hand on the chest
to locate the heart, at the same time feeling for a space between the
ribs to avoid running the needle into the “bone. The needle is in-
serted in the direction of the heart and the dose discharged. In less
than a minute the fox dies without a struggle.
SKINNING.
After the animal heat goes out of the body the flesh shrinks from
the skin, permitting the pelt to be removed more easily and keeping
the skin side free from blood. This will take place in about half an
hour, but in this period care should be taken to prevent the carcass
from freezing.
The only tool needed in skinning a fox is a pocket knife, and this
should be kept sharp during the operation. A slit is made up the
_ back of each hind leg, starting at the inside of the paw and running
to the hock, then from the hock to a point just below the root of the
tail. The back of each front leg is slit in the same manner from the
_ paw to the first joint. The skin is then worked free from the flesh
from the first joint to the claws, and the bones of the claws are cut
free from the pelt, but the nails are allowed to remain with the fur.
_ A slit is made from the root of the tail about half its length and all
_ of the bones are pulled out of the brush.
__ The carcass is then hung on a hook or nail by the tendon of the
hock joint and the pelt is pulled down, the knife being used whenever
necessary to free it, until it is removed as far as the neck. The knife
is then used, and careful work is necessary to cut around the base of
_ the ears, including them in the pelt, then around the eyes, and around
the mouth and lips. Carcasses should be disposed of immediately
_« by burning.
DRYING PELTS.
The pelt is placed on a wooden frame for drying as soon as it is
taken from the carcass. (PI. III, Fig. 1.) The frame may be made
of soft wood one-half to five-eighths cee thick. Soft material will
facilitate drying and the drawing of tacks. A board 45 inches long
and approximately 7 inches wide should be used, rounding out a
nose at one end. At a distance of 12 inches from the nose the board
should be 6 inches wide, and at the base 7 inches. Cut the board
in halves, lengthwise, and on the sides of one of the pieces fasten
two pent strips at right angles at i base, so that when the
=
=
54 BULLETIN 1151, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
- frame is inserted into a pelt and a wedge is forced in to stretch i
tight there will be no overlapping of the boards. By varying the siz
of the wedge this device may be used for pelts of different sizes. No
more stretching should be done than is required to bring the skin int
natural shape. Undue stretching detracts from the value of the pelt.
To allow the skin to dry the hind legs and tail are fastened to the
frame, by means of small strips of wood and tacks, and the front
legs are tacked to small pieces of wood, as illustrated in Plate III,
Figure 2.
A tablespoon is used as a scraper to flesh the skin and remove
any excess fat. Scraping should not be so close as to remove not only
all of the fat but part of the membrane also, for this will cause the
skin to shrink from the roots of the guard hairs, permitting them—
to be pulled out, thus limiting the life of the pelt. Fur buyers look
for this defect, and skins having it are severely cut in price.
After the skin has been fleshed and dried on the frame for a
4
4
or so it may be taken off, turned fur side out, and immediately re-
placed. After another day or two it should be again removed and
hung on a rope to finish drying. The drying takes about four or
five days, and should not be hurried by placing the skin near artifi-
cial heat, as this has a tendency to injure it.
After the skin is thoroughly dry it is shaken vigorously and
worked with the hand to make it phable. It is then brushed with
a stiff brush and rubbed with burlap to remove all foreign material.
A comb may be used, if necessary, to remove dead hairs. All clean-
ing is done by hand and no chemicals should be applhed to the pelt.
Frequent handling and brushing at this time does not injure the
pelt, but rather puts it in better condition for the raw-fur market.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PELT.
In general, the main thing to be kept in mind in judging a silver
fox pelt is quality, and this is affected by many factors. First, the
pelt must be prime. This is determined by examining the skin side, —
which, if the pelt is fresh, should be fairly white or cream-colored
and show some “life” when handled. The skin of a fox pelt turns”
vellow with age and loses its firmness. The fur side should be per-
fectly and evenly furred all over, both on the back and on the belly, —
with the fur reasonably long, lustrous, and silky. The brush should
be sufficiently long to maintain a balance with the rest of the pelt and
should carry a white tip 2 to 4 inches long. There should be no~
rubbed spots or defects. :
Clearness of color is the second factor determining the quality of
a pelt. Whether the pelt is classed as black, extra dark, dark silver,
or pale, it must be bright and clear in its color phase, that is, there
should be no tinge or rust to give the characteristic chocolate or
brownish cast. Careful fur buyers make a greater cut in the price
of a pelt having a rust or tinge than for any other defect. As a rule,
more is paid for a clear, bright-colored pelt that is not so well furred
than for a well-furred skin that has a brownish or faded appearance. ©
Size is the last consideration in valuing a pelt. A difference of
3, 4, or 5 inches in size does not reduce the value of a skin, provided —
it has the right quality. An extra-large pelt is not desirable, for
the principal reason that it is not becoming to the average wearer.
]
sa Mics Fie
Seebabtieetet
SILVER-FOX FARMING, 55
) Quality being equal, extra-dark (not more than 10 per cent silver) or
) dark (15 to 25 per cent silver) skins are the most popular on the
/ market to-day and bring the highest prices. (Pls. I and IV.)
SANITATION.
) The greatest obstacles that ranchers have to overcome in the fox
I industry are losses through disease—caused mainly by infestation,
especially of the young, with parasites. Were it not for the fecund-
ity of foxes their profitable production in the face of present heavy
losses from diseases and parasites would be out of the question.
Sanitation is most essential to success in fox raising. In the fol-
lowing remarks no attempt is made to go into the details of diseases
of foxes or their treatment, but attention is merely called to the sim-
ple measures which may be used by any rancher to avoid to a large
| extent the losses of foxes in enzootics. Not only are cleanliness and
rational methods of management relied upon by ranchers to keep
their foxes in health and vigor, but they are the marks of a good
rancher and a successful fox raiser.
DISEASES.
Distemper and other like diseases, characterized by pneumonia,
are highly fatal and may be regarded as identical in character, so
far as the practical management “of the ranch is concerned. “Specific
_ diagnoses of these diseases can be made only by the most careful
pathological examinations and by the assistance of-a fully equipped
laboratory. However, prophylactic measures found to be beneficial
with any one of these diseases will prove efficacious with all. A
rancher must remember that contagious and infectious diseases are
caused by specific germs (bacteria and protozoans) and by parasites,
and that contagion and infection can not be spread from one ani-
mal to another or from one ranch to another except through the
agency of these organisms.
Germ diseases and parasites may be carried in a multitude of
ways—by the foxes themselves, on the clothing of persons, on ve-
hicles, in feed, or by birds, dogs, and other animals. Followi ing
improper breeding and feeding methods does not necessarily cause
‘disease, but careless methods may so weaken the constitution and
vitality of an animal that it becomes more susceptible to disease than
would otherwise be the case.
Since infectious diseases can arise only through the presence of
specific causative agents, it can readily be seen that prevention is
very necessary. It should be constantly borne in mind that diseases
caused by germs may be best prevented or controlled by thorough
disinfection and scrupulous cleanliness.
Many outbreaks of disease on fox ranches have been caused by
infected feeds. Feed poisoning has been responsible for losses among
old as well as young foxes. The preventive for this is to give clean,
wholesome feed and to use clean methods in preparing as “well as in
feeding it. Some of the troubles which may be attributed to a nu-
tritional defect of some sort are rickets, convulsions, sore eyes, abor-
tion, abandoning young or killing young by vixen, premature cessa-
tion or insufficiency of milk supply, failure to reproduce, and imper-
56 BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
fect development of fur. Proper feeding is essential to a building
up of resistance against disease attacks. The thorough cooking of
meat, fish, and offal is an important measure in preventing infec-
tion with many kinds of bacteria, and of various parasites, such as
tapeworms.
PARASITES.
The chief parasites that affect foxes are hookworms, ascarids,
lung worms, tapeworms, coccidia, and mange mites. Sanitation is
just as essential in preventing parasitic diseases as those of bac-
terial or protozoan origin. The droppings of foxes should be fre-
quently and thoroughly removed from the dens and pens, since they |
carry the parasite eggs. As previously pointed out, good drainage
is necessary in the pens and dens, as dryness is unfavorable to para-
sites and other harmful organisms.
Young foxes are very susceptible to disease and should be given the
cleanest possible surroundings in order that they may develop and
attain the relative immunity afforded by maturity.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
In maintaining the health of foxes preventive measures against
disease must be chiefly relied upon. Dry, well-ventilated quarters
are a prime essential, and these must be kept clean. Foxes are natu-
rally clean animals and can not thrive in insanitary quarters.
In addition to cleanliness in pens and dens, close attention should
be given to the feed and methods of feeding. Nothing should be
fed that will convey disease organisms. Animals that have died
from disease should not be fed to foxes unless the meat can be made
safe by thorough cooking. |
Feeding and drinking dishes should be clean, and the water sup-
plied should be pure and fresh. After each feeding all dishes should
be thoroughly cleaned and then boiled.
Holes in the pen soil should be drained and filled up as often as
necessary. Wherever possible the surface soil should be scraped off
periodically and replaced with clean soil. It would be well to spade
up and turn over the soil, stirring it up with a rake to permit the
sun to purify it. At least once a “month during seasons when it is
possible the quarters should be disinfected with air-slaked lime or
a 5 per cent solution of some effective coal-tar disinfectant. These
precautions will be found a valuable aid in the control of various
animal parasites as well as a protectron from other serious troubles.
New stock should be quarantined and examined for infection of—
any kind, and if necessary treated before being placed with clean |
animals or on clean areas. Sick animals should always be isolated —
at once to prevent the spread of disease. Foxes returning from
shows or from neighboring ranches should be kept separate from —
the other animals for at least three weeks. If they have been exposed —
to any disease, it will usually be apparent in that time.
If disease breaks out in the neighborhood, the rancher should
maintain a strict quarantine against it. Dogs, cats, rats, and birds,
as well as people, may carry infection from ranch to ranch, and this —
should be remembered and visiting discouraged and trespassing pre-
vented so far as possible,
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 57
TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
Sanitation and the prevention of disease is a function of the fox
rancher, but for the treatment of disease the services of a compe-
tent veterinarian or specialist should be obtained. The diagnosis
of disease and the administration of potent drugs call for special
training and experience, and the fox rancher who undertakes un-
aided the role of veterinarian is apt to come to grief.
As soon as sickness appears on a ranch it is always advisable to
employ a competent veterinarian. Infected foxes should be re-
moved at once to clean and repeatedly disinfected quarters, pref-
erably small pens (see p. 19, “ Hospital and temporary pens”).
The diet should be carefully regulated and should include milk and
ssome cooked feed. The pens and dens in which the disease appeared
should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected, using air-slaked lime
_ on the ground and one of the effective coal-tar disinfectants as a
spray in the dens and nest boxes. Foxes should not be returned
| to these pens until it is reasonably certain that they are free from
_ disease-producing organisms.
Care should be taken to maintain a strict quarantine over dis-
eased foxes, and the same attendant should not feed and care for
both sick and healthy animals. Watch dogs should be confined
until disease is stamped out, and dead animals should be burned
at once or buried deep in the ground.
_ Insanitary conditions cause a large percentage of young foxes to
become heavily infested with parasites. Pups as a rule do not leave
the den until 3 or 4 weeks of age and they often pick up infestation
in the den itself. This indicates either that the eggs or larvae of
insects are widely scattered over the pens and dens or that the
parents themselves are infested.
Fox ranchers have so universally accepted the idea that all pups
have worms that it is a common practice to treat all that are
between 3 and 4 weeks old for worms, whether this is necessary or
not. In many instances it is necessary, although promiscuous dosing
is a very bad practice, for young foxes often do not recover from
the shock of the treatment. If proper precautions are taken to
_ prevent infestation by treating the old foxes prior to the mating
season and then placing the pups in clean surroundings for the
first few months, the young ones will not be so liable to inféstation,
and treatment could be delayed until weaning time.
Treatment for the removal of ascarids from foxes consists of the
administration of a mixture of 1 part of oil of chenopodium and
91 parts of castor oil at the rate of 1 cubic centimeter of the mixture
per pound of weight, the dose being given to an animal that has
fasted from 6 to 18 hours.
For the removal of hookworms from foxes the treatment consists
of the administration of chemically pure carbon tetrachloride in
soft elastic globules at the rate of one-half cubic centimeter per
5 pounds of weight, the drug being given to animals that have
fasted from 12 to 18 hours.
Because all effective anthelmintic drugs are potent poisons, they
should never be used except by a competent veterinarian skilled in
_ small-animal practice.
58 BULLETIN 1151, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
RECORDS.
On every ranch handling pure-bred foxes it is essential to keep
some definite system of records. These should include not only
histories of individual foxes but accurate and complete entries of
business transactions, in order to ascertain definitely at stated periods
the assets, liabilities, and net worth of the business, the cost of pro-
duction, and the profits.
The caretaker should jot down in a notebook memoranda regard-
ing foxes, matings, breeding, whelping, happenings on the ranch,
buying and selling transactions, etc., and these entries should be
transferred at frequent intervals to a permanent record, such as a
card-index file, consisting of one card for each individual fox. In-
stead of a card index some ranchers use a large sheet of paper show-
ing a diagram of the ranch, and indicate on it the foxes in each pen —
and the number of pups whelped. As a separate sheet is used for
each year, in time this type of record becomes unwieldy.
B2139M
Fic. 45.—Live-fox exhibit. The chief value of a fox show is in its educational features—
standards of excellence being thus publicly demonstrated.
The advantages of a card system are obvious. When selections _
are being made for mating the caretaker is not dependent upon his
memory, but has at hand definite records concerning the ancestry of
each individual, including the good and bad characteristics of the
strain. The card-index system of fox records is compact, always
up to date—cards for foxes no longer on the ranch being easily filed
elsewhere, with reason shown—and there is ample space for a sys-
‘tematic history of each individual fox.
Various systems have been advocated for the identification of foxes —
in order to prevent errors in records and facts regarding individuals. -
Some breeders have used ear tags marked with different numbers, |
but these tear out easily and are lost. Tattooing the ear has given
as satisfactory results as any, but no method free from defects has
yet been devised. The most practical method is to number the pens”
(see figs. 17 and 41) and then fasten to the pen a metal tag bearing —
the number of the occupant. When the fox is transferred to another
pen a corresponding change is made in the tag.
napsdazdiin:
SILVER-FOX FARMING. 59
FOX SHOWS.
The chief value of a fox exhibit or show (Fig. 45), whether State,
national, or international, lies in the educational features which pre-
sent standards of excellence to the fox ranchers and the public. The
educational value depends largely upon two things: (1) The classi-
fication of the animals to be exhibited, and (2) the judgment of the
officials who pass upon their merits. These two factors are entirely
‘dependent upon each other in presenting the lessons which an exhibi-
tion should teach. To be successful, fox shows must have the support
of the breeders individually and of their associations.
B2006M
-
|
|
|
|
|
‘Fic. 46.—Well-formed male fox. Stands exceedingly well on legs and is well
balanced with a beautiful brush,
ORGANIZATION OF THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
peereiary of Agriculture ---=- 52 Se HENRY C. WALLACE.
Basisioni- Secrerare o> 8 15 = Eee eee C. W. PUGSLEY.
Hirector of -Sctentific- Werk. 3222 HH, D. Bass.
Director of Regulatory Work_——. = _. ————_.
Wetther Burret] eee ee eae CHARLES F, MaRvIn, Chief.
Bureau of Agricultural Economics________. Henry C. TAytor, Chief.
Bureau of Animal lndtsirg. = = JOHN R. MOHLER, Chief.
Bureau of Plant Indisiry > 2s WILLIAM A. TAyLor, Chief.
Forest Service_.2 > = ee eee W. B. GREELEY, Chief.
Bureos of: Chenistry_ eee ee WALTER G. CAMPBELL, Acting Chie
Butesy Of SOs. 3 Ss ee Ae eee MILTON WHITNEY, Chief.
Buretaof Fintomowgys. = ss ee L. O. Howarp, Chief.
Burcau of Biological Survey__--.-_______-- E. W. NEtson, Chief.
Bureou-of: Public: Roads. 2a eee THOMAS H. MACDONALD, Chief. —
Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory___.__. F. G. Corrrety, Director.
Division of Accounts and Dishursements___. A. ZAPPoNE, Chief.
Division of -Publications._< 2. > =) EDWIN C. PoWELL, Acting Chief.
TACT ORR es ee a eS CLARIBEL R. BARNETT, Librarian.
Siates Relaitons Service. — = = A. C. TRUE, Director.
Federal Horticultural Boards 2 _-~- =~ C. L. Mariatr, Chairman.
Insecticide and Fungicide Board__________. J. K. Haywoop, Chairman.
Packers and Stockyards Administration____- eae Morri.1, Assistant to th
Grain Future Trading Act Administration___ Secretary. ;
Onice uy the -Soucstor = = oan Ae R. W. WrriaMs, Solicitor.
This bulletin is a contribution from
Bureau of Biological Survey_____--~~-- E. W. NEtson, Biologist and Chief.
Division of Economic Investigations. A. K. FISHER, in Charge.
60
ADDITIONAL COPIES
OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON, D. C.
AT
15 CENTS PER COPY
PURCHASER AGREES NOT TO RESELL OR DISTRIBUTE THIS
COPY FOR PROFIT.—PUB. RES. 57, APPROVED MAY 11, 1922
V
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11