SCIENTIFIC JUSTIFICATION OF ZOOTECHNICAL MEASURES FOR THE USE OF ANIMALS FROM NATURAL POPULATIONS IN THE BREEDING OF CAGE-BRED SABLES

Abstract

Sable breeding is the only specialization of Russian fur farming that is showing positive development dynamics. By 2025, the breeding stock of sables in eleven sable farms amounted to 47.549 females, ranking second in the industry after mink. Over its nearly 100-year history, three breeds (Black Sable, Saltykovskaya 1, and Saltykovskaya Silver) and one breed type (Pushkinsky Yantarny) have been registered in sable breeding. In recent years, the international fur trade has seen an increasing demand for light-coloured sable pelts. This necessitated the development of a light-coloured cage-bred sable breed. In order to accomplish this, LLC ““Savvatevo” Animal Breeding Farm” in the Tver Region, together with employees from the Department of Zootechnics of Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology – MVA named after K.I. Skryabin” has been working on using natural populations of animals for breeding cage-bred sables since 2019. The research objectives were to conduct a comparative analysis of the results of the valuation of young animals in 2022-2023 (coat quality, colour, tone, shade, greying, and throat spot) and the histological structure of guard hair and fur-fiber in 2025 (the cuticle, cortex, and medulla were assessed) of Saltykovskaya 1, game sables, and their crossbreeds with ½, ¼ and ¾ of game sable bloodlines. It was established that, based on the valuation of young animals, the crossbreeds tend to have lighter coat colour compared to purebred animals. Moreover, crossbred animals have more pronounced throat spots, so that further selection for this trait is necessary. It has been found that game sables have greater height and width of guard hair cuticle scales than cage-bred sables, which may increase the reflective surface of the fur and contribute to greater shine. There is a tendency towards an increase in the absolute thickness of the cortex and the total thickness of the hair in the cage-bred sable.