EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL-STATUS AND REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE IN FARMED BLUE FOXES

An experimental cage system was designed for evaluating the associatio n of social status and reproductive performance in blue foxes under tu r-farm conditions. The present test cage apparatus consisted of 6 smal l cages and 1 large cage that were connected. The small cages were uti lized for males of different social status and the large cage for fema les coming on heat. The results showed that this type of testing appar atus can be used for evaluating a female's acceptance of males of diff erent social rank. The locomotor activity of males significantly depen ded on their social status; thus the most active individuals in the te st were the most dominant, and vice versa. Females most often accepted higher-ranking males. Juvenile males were the least dominant and also the least accepted by females. Urination activity was not necessarily related to dominance.