Coat colour inheritance in American mink (Neovison vison): Pedigree analysis

This work aims to establish a simplified genotype for American mink (Neovison vison), on the basis of a group of basic genes (Asip, Tyrp–1, Tyr, Myo–5a, and Mc–1r) and three modifying genes (fawn, Ednrb, and Kit). The analysis used pedigrees of 61 females of standard brown, palomino, and silverblue colour variations. The database covered 380 offspring in nine colour variations: brown, silverblue, palomino, brown cross, palomino cross, pearl, pastel, silverpastel, and white. The analysis led to a simplified genotype explaining the principles of inheritance of most common coat colour variations in Polish mink farms. Due to the limited number of animals and the limited number of colour variations used, the analysis could not test the inheritance of all colours found in mink. The genotype was constructed on the basis of the homologous genes responsible for coat colour found in most animal species.