I wonder if they looked at body fat levels which add bouyancy and
therefore possibly alter the comparison, and adjusted accordingly.
If memory serves mink tend toward lower body fat levels than many
domestic ferrets.
 
> Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2006 Jun 21; [Epub ahead
> of print]
>
>
> Energetics of swimming by the ferret: Consequences of forelimb
> paddling.
>
> Fish FE, Baudinette RV.
> Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA
> 19383, USA.
>
>The domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) swims by alternate
>strokes of the forelimbs.  This pectoral paddling is rare among semi-
>aquatic mammals.  The energetic implications of swimming by pectoral
>paddling were examined by kinematic analysis and measurement of oxygen
>consumption.  Ferrets maintained a constant stroke frequency, but
>increased swimming speed by increasing stroke amplitude.  The ratio
>of swimming velocity to foot stroke velocity was low, indicating a
>low propulsive efficiency.  Metabolic rate increased linearly with
>increasing speed.
>
>The cost of transport decreased with increasing swimming speed to
>a minimum of 3.59+/-0.28 J N(-1) m (-1) at U=0.44 m s(-1).  The
>minimum cost of transport for the ferret was greater than values for
>semi-aquatic mammals using hind limb paddling, but lower than the
>minimum cost of transport for the closely related quadrupedally
>paddling mink.  Differences in energetic performance may be due to the
>amount of muscle recruited for propulsion and the interrelationship
>hydrodynamic drag and interference between flow over the body surface
>and flow induced by propulsive appendages.
>
> PMID: 16861018 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
 
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5316]