Monitoring results of the numerical and breed composition of fur-bearing animals and rabbits in Russia’s stud farms in 2024

The article presents data on monitoring the numerical and breed composition of the main fur-bearing animal species (mink, sable, polecat, fox, arctic fox, raccoon dog) and rabbits in Russian breeding farms in 2024. The work was performed by comparative analysis of the gene pool of fur-bearing animals and rabbits of the same breeding units and stud farms in Russia in 2023 and 2024 on the basis of developed questionnaires, including information on the species and breed composition of the livestock. The study revealed changes in the number of females in the main herd in 2024 compared to 2023: an increase in the number of female minks, sables, and rabbits - by 3.2%, 5.3%, and 7.0%, respectively; a decrease in foxes by 6.2% and ferrets by 34.0%; and arctic foxes and raccoon dogs remained unchanged. Among the breeds in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2024 the most common rabbit breeds were the New Zealand White, the White Giant, and the Soviet Chinchilla.