Coat color inheritance in American mink

BACKGROUND: Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying coat color inheritance has always been intriguing irrespective of the animal species including American mink (Neogale vison). The study of color inheritance in American mink is imperative since fur color is a deterministic factor for the success of mink industry. However, there have been no studies during the past few decades using in-depth pedigree for analyzing the inheritance pattern of colors in American mink. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the pedigree of 23,282 mink extending up to 16 generations. All animals that were raised at the Canadian Center for Fur Animal Research (CCFAR) from 2003 to 2021 were used in this study. We utilized the Mendelian ratio and Chi-square test to investigate the inheritance of Dark (9,100), Pastel (5,161), Demi (4,312), and Mahogany (3,358) colors in American mink. RESULTS: The Mendelian inheritance ratios of 1:1 and 3:1 indicated heterozygous allelic pairs responsible for all studied colors. Mating sire and dam of the same color resulted in the production of offspring with the same color most of the time. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results suggested that color inheritance was complex and subjected to a high degree of diversity in American mink as the genes responsible for all four colors were found to be heterozygous. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-023-09348-8.