To provide a laboratory resource for these programs the NSAC Fur Unit was established. The fur industry has supported this effort financially and with in-kind contributions, including donations of breeding stock. It is managed by Ms. Merridy Rankin and employs two full-time staff, fur technician Ms. Susan Penney and fur worker Ms. Mary Hamilton. Faculty representative for the unit is Dr. Kirsti Rouvinen. The main building provides office and lab space for research and teaching demonstrations in addition to a feed preparation area, freezer and cold storage, metabolism and balance trials rooms and lab space for animal handling and artificial insemination.
Plans are also underway for equipment for pelting and pelt processing.
Course enrolments include approximately 20 technician students and 15 B.Sc. students annually. During their Fur Unit laboratories the students are familiarized with the practical aspects of animal handling, anatomy, breeding work, feed preparation, herd health monitoring, farm management and live animal and pelt grading. These efforts will hopefully in time bring new entrants to the fur industry to carry on the tradition of producing top quality fur in Nova Scotia. The most valuable mice in the world could be coming to the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. About 1200 of the rodents, dubbed the mighty mice because their lives are longer and their reproductive prowess is greater than any other strain, must vacate their digs in Ottawa.