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The research was carried out on 60 mature individuals of arctic foxes (30 males and 30 females). Not only the length of the intestine was assessed, but also its specific parts. The overall length of the intestine in arctic fox amounted to 3,09 m in males and 3,02 m in females. The ratio of the body’s length to the length of the intestine was 1:4,80 in males and 1:4,73 in females. The rate of the large intestine in an overall length of the intestine was 17,26% in males, 17,80% in females.

It was stated that the biggest influence on the quality of pelts has a reasonable animal nutrition. Suitable feeding should correspond to biological needs of animals, to meet the demand for particular nutritive components and also to provide cover for the energy demand in particular physiological periods. The aim of the work was to study the influence of an addition of the vegetable (rapeseed oil) and animal fat (turkey) to rations used in the feeding of arctic foxes on the growth, coat quality and also the quality of the obtained pelts. The differentiated addition of vegetable and animal fats in the rations did not significantly influence the increase of foxes body weight and dynamics of gains. The addition of the animal fat to the rations had a significant effect on the improvement of the animals coat structure and also the class of the obtained pelts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study compared the osteometric traits of limbs bones of the common fox, Vulpes vulpes (37 females and 40 males) and the arctic fox, Alopex lagopus (41 females and 40 males). The investigations indicated statistical differences between the species and between sexes within a species. Analysed bones of the forelimb was the scapula, humerus, radius and ulna. Bones of the hindlimb selected for analyses was the femur, tibia and fibula. Statistical analysis was performed based on measurements of selected bone traits. Comparative analysis of date of bones of the forelimb in males of both species showed that statistically significant differences at P = 0.001 were found for two measurements of the scapula. When comparing traits of bones of the forelimb in females of both species it was shown that statistically significant differences at P = 0.001 were found for five analysed measurements of the scapula, as well as one trait of the humerus and the ulna. The greatest effect on sexual dimorphism in the common fox was found for such parameters of the forelimb as ŁHS, ŁDHA, RGL and KłDPA, while in the arctic fox sexual dimorphism was connected with ŁHS, ŁBG, RGL, RBd and KłGL. Comparative analysis of results of measurements of the hindlimb in males common and arctic foxes showed no statistical differences at P = 0.001. When comparing parameters of the hindlimb in females of the common and arctic fox four traits of the femur were found to differ statistically significantly at P = 0.001. Sexual dimorphism in the common fox is connected with such metrical traits of bones of the hindlimb as: UBp, UBd, UDC and PiSD. In turn, in the arctic fox sexual dimorphism is connected with the following traits: UGL, UGLC, PiGL, PiBp and SGL. Values of metrical traits of limbs bones may provide species identification of the common and arctic foxes. These animals also exhibit sexual dimorphism identifiable based on some osteometric traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]