IACUC Learning Module - Sheep
IACUC Learning Module - Sheep and Goats | | Previous Next |
SHEEP AND GOATS HOUSED AT THE FARMS VERSUS UNIVERSITY ANIMAL CARE
Sheep and goats may be used as models for both agricultural and more traditional biomedical research projects. Depending on the nature of the project, these animals may be housed either at the university farms or in one of the animal facilities operated by University Animal Care. Although certain standards are the same, no matter where the animal is housed and for what purpose it is used, there are some important differences. In general, the biomedical standards allow less variation (e.g. more narrow temperature range) and more extensive documentation of housing conditions than do the agricultural standards.
Whenever these animals are housed within University Animal Care facilities, the standards of care to be followed are those established for biomedical projects in the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, even if the sheep or goat might be on an agricultural project and simply housed there. Any sheep or goat housed in University Animal Care facilities will be provided care before, during, and after surgical procedures at the same level of intensity as that provided to dogs, cats, or other more traditional laboratory species.
It will not be tolerated to provide less intensive surgical care for sheep and goats, simply because they are farm species and normal farming practices may not include intensive operative care. For instance, many farmers do not provide analgesic drugs to relieve pain following castration. This fact would not be justification for withholding analgesics following a surgical procedure that is part of a biomedical research project.
Another important difference is that when sheep or goats are housed in University Animal Care facilities, their personnel will provide husbandry care; whereas students and personnel of the Departments of Veterinary Science and Animal Science will provide husbandry for these animals at the farm. The specific animal care policy of the Department of Animal Sciences includes the following important statements:
"It is the policy of the Animal Sciences Department that the use of animals in research requires a written protocol that has been approved by the Institutional Animal Care And Use Committee.
All persons working with animals must attend IACUC training sessions
dealing with those species with which they are working.
The daily care of research animals and attention to their health and well being is provided by the interaction of the primary researcher, involved graduate students, farm managers and the farm animal veterinarian.
The reference standard used to provide animal care is The Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching. Oversight of the total program is provided by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee."
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