>From:    Ferret Rescue of Tidewater <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: inbreeding
It is NOT a commonly known fact that Marshall Farms 'inbreeds', especially
as closely as father/daughter.  The most knowledgable source I've heard
discuss it (Pam Grant) talks about their having several building.  The jills
in one building are bred to the hobs in another.  The next year the jills in
that building are bred to hobs in yet another building.  It would be highly
improbable that jills could be bred to their own fathers.  This could lead
to cases of linebreeding but not in an organized manner.  The jill might be
related to a hob or it might not.  This breeding is not particularly close
so it is not particularly dangerous.
 
It is also widely believed that Marshall Farms in the past few years
revitalized their stock with new English ferrets.  A closed colony that has
operated as long as Marshall's will eventually need such revitalization.
The genetic similarity for scientific research does not need to be as close
as suggested except for genetic research.  I would rather suspect that it is
not desired more than desired.  Testing is over a range of specimins.  If
the specimins were identical than the testing could be seen as less valid
for predicting results over whole populations.  In human experimentation - a
normal phase of research - it is not desired to test members of the same
family.  It lessens the ability to predict results over the whole
population.
 
I personally think the ranting against MF ferrets is over done.  For every
instance of a MF ferret that has been sickly I can point to another that has
not.  My seven year old jill had developed a small tumor on her foot.  Dr.
Kawasaki removed it.  Since seven is beyond the 'natural' life expectancy
for the animal it is actually very likely to get tumors of some sort.  How
many people over seventy have not had some form of tumor?  How many dogs
over some tweleve years old?  Unfortunately ferrets are not long lived
animals.  They will develop problems.  Hooby-breeder ferrets of similar ages
will develop problems.  I do believe that early spay/neuter can contribute
to a lower resistance but it has not been proven.  We have a small sample as
all of the other specific ferret folks on the list so but we have actually
seen as many if not more problems in our non-MF ferrets as in our MF ferrets.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1472]