THE EFFECT OF GENOTYPE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITION ON THE CONTENT OF SOME MINERALS IN THE FUR OF COYPU FEMALES

Six female coypus of different mutations - standard, Greenland, silver and white - were included in a trial conducted in the Research Instit ute of Animal Production at Nitra. The animals were housed in halls, i n one-storey cages with pools. They received granular feed mixture KK, and alfaifa and fodder beet as saturation supplement. Water from pool s was used for drinking. The objective of the trial was to determine C a, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co concentrations in the fur of female c oypus in certain body regions, in the central dorsal and ventral regio ns, and in relation to the physiological condition (stage): 1. primipa ras, age of 8 months - fur maturity stage, 2. females on the day of de livery, 3. females on the day of young weaning. Fur samples were taken by clipping under halothane anesthesia. One sample consisted of about 2 g of fur. Element contents were determined by the method of atom ab sorption spectral photometry. Three measurements of each sample were d one. The results were subjected to mathematico-statistical processing by two-factor analysis of variance. Ca concentrations in the coypu fur were 1 220.45 in the dorsal region and 1 409.07 mg/kg dry matter in t he ventral region. The concentration was highest in standard coypus. M aximum concentrations were observed after delivery. K concentrations a mounted to 404.43 in the dorsal region al-id to 195.01 mg/kg dry matte r in the ventral region. The concentration was highest in standard coy pus. Maximum values were recorded in the dorsal region after delivery and in the ventral region after weaning. Na concentrations were 244.48 and 125.43 mg/kg dry matter in the dorsal and ventral regions, respec tively. Maximum concentrations were observed in white coypus. Na conce ntration was highest in the dorsal region after delivery and in the ve ntral region after weaning. Mg concentrations were 584.50 in the dorsa l region and 601.93 mg/kg dry matter in the ventral region. It is inte resting that the highest concentration of this element was recorded at the age of 8 months while the lowest at the time of young weaning. Fe concentrations were 139.97 and 128.70 mg/kg dry matter in the dorsal and ventral regions, respectively, with the maximum value in standard coypus. Fe concentrations showed their increase in relation to the phy siological condition. Zn concentrations were basically identical, 152. 85 in the dorsa!region and 152.93 mg/kg dry matter in the ventral regi on. The highest Zn concentration was observed in white coypus. Zn conc entrations were also balanced with respect to comparison of physiologi cal conditions. Cu concentrations were 6.29 in the dorsal region and 6 .87 mg/kg dry matter in the ventral region, the highest concentration was observed in Greenland coypus. The lowest concentration was measure d after delivery. Mn concentrations in the coypu fur were 2.46 and 3.9 0 mg/kg dry matter in the dorsal and ventral regions, respectively. A substantially lower Mn concentrations were observed at the age of 8 mo nths. Co concentrations were 0.71 in the dorsal region and 0.65 mg/kg dry matter in the ventral region. These concentrations at the age of 8 months and at the time of delivery were basically identical with the higher values at weaning. It can be concluded from the results that mi neral composition of the fur of adult female coypus varies in relation to age, genotype and physiological condition.