Aberrant Iron Metabolism and the “Cotton-Fur” Abnormality in Mink

Abstract

Comparison of blood values for “cotton fur” (CF) and normal mink revealed that CF mink exhibit a microcytic, hypochromic anemia. Supplementing groups of mink fed a CF-genic ration with 11 parenterally-administered B-vitamins, parenteral copper, or oral lysine plus tyrosine, did not prevent mink from developing the CF syndrome. Mink fed a CF-genic ration and supplied with parenteral iron did not develop the CF syndrome. Iron glycinate added to a CF-genic ration was incapable of restoring normal hemoglobin values to anemic, CF mink. The effect of iron on pigmentation is thought to be indirect, reflecting low priority of fur pigment formation in the face of nutritional stress.