Rodent

Noise produced by vacuuming exceeds the hearing thresholds of C57Bl/6 and CD1 mice

Comparison of cage-level spectral analysis results with age-specific audiograms of C57Bl/6 and CD1 mice showed that vacuuming produces frequencies audible to C57Bl/6 mice at 3 and 6 mo of age and to CD1 mice at 1 mo of age. These...

Year Published: 2007Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Naff, K. A., Riva, C. M., Craig, S. L. et al. 2007. Noise produced by vacuuming exceeds the hearing thresholds of C57Bl/6 and CD1 mice. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science] 46(1), 52-57.

Influence of environmental enrichment and handling on the acute stress response in individually housed mice

In this study we investigated the effect of environmental enrichment and handling on the acute physiological stress response caused by short periods of restraint in individually housed female mice. Heart rate (HR) and body temperature (BT) were measured by radiotelemetry...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Meijer, M. K., Sommer, R., Spruijt, B. M. et al. 2007. Influence of environmental enrichment and handling on the acute stress response in individually housed mice . Laboratory Animals 4(2), 161-173.

Physiological profile of juvenile rats: effects of cage size and cage density

Increasing population size and cage density were associated with greater mortality and caused depression in body and organ weights. In general, increasing group size and crowding had more detrimental effects on the growth of females than males. The immune system-related...

Year Published: 2007Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Yildiz, A., Hayirli, A., Okumus, Z. et al. 2007. Physiological profile of juvenile rats: effects of cage size and cage density. Lab Animal 36(2), 28-38.

The effect of cage size on reproductive performance and behavior of C57BL/6 mice

We attempted to determine whether housing breeding trios of mice in cages 50% larger than standard cages would have any measurable effect on reproductive performance or on offspring behavior. .. All cages [530 sq cm and 800 sq cm] contained...

Year Published: 2007Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Whitaker, J., Moy, S. S., Saville, B. R. et al. 2007. The effect of cage size on reproductive performance and behavior of C57BL/6 mice. Lab Animal 36(10), 32-39.

Refinement of rodent research through environmental enrichment and systematic randomization

Environmental enrichment may prevent abnormal behaviours and improve animal well-being, but concerns have been raised that it might also disrupt standardisation, thereby reducing the precision and replicability of animal experiments. In this article, we review the logic and evidence surrounding...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Wurbel, H., Garner, J. P. 2007. Refinement of rodent research through environmental enrichment and systematic randomization. NC3Rs [National Center for the Replacement Refinement Reduction of Animals in Research] 9, 1-9.

Impact of ‘living apart together’ on postoperative recovery of mice compared with social and individual housing

We investigated whether housing two female mice in a cage, separated by a grid partition ('living apart together') counters the adverse effects of individual housing on postoperative recovery. Results indicated that socially housed mice appear to be less affected by...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Social Housing & Companionship, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Kuin, N., Sommer, R. et al. 2007. Impact of 'living apart together' on postoperative recovery of mice compared with social and individual housing. Laboratory Animals 41(4), 441-455.

Tools to measure and improve animal welfare: Reward-related behaviour

This paper presents a descriptive overview of the evidence obtained thus far for the three proposed uses of reward-related behavior. First, it was shown that previous experiences influence anticipatory behaviour to rewards in rats. This natural behavioural response may serve...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Van der Harst, J. E., Spruijt, B. M. 2007. Tools to measure and improve animal welfare: Reward-related behaviour. Animal Welfare 16(S), 67-73.

The motivation of group-housed laboratory mice to leave an enriched laboratory cage

Providing environmental enrichment should improve their welfare, and a consequence of this might be a reduction in the animal's motivation to leave an enriched cage. I examined this possibility by housing laboratory mice, Mus musculus, in a cage that provided...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Sherwin, C. M. 2007. The motivation of group-housed laboratory mice to leave an enriched laboratory cage. Animal Behaviour 73(1), 29-35.

Weekend versus working day: differences in telemetric blood pressure in male Wistar rats

We retrospectively compared Blood Pressure values in adult male Wistar rats during working hours with values from non-working days, using telemetry. Values were obtained at the age of 6 and 12 months during working hours (Friday 10:00-16:00 h, lights on...

Year Published: 2007Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Schreuder, M. F., Fodor, M., van Wijk, J. A. E. et al. 2007. Weekend versus working day: differences in telemetric blood pressure in male Wistar rats . Laboratory Animals 41(1), 86-91.

Study of environmental enrichment for mice using a NestPak TM

This poster details husbandry practices that incorporate environmental enrichment for isolator mice. The study addresses the use of the NestPakTM produced by Datesand. The NestPak is placed into the cage thus providing the mice with their bedding and nesting material....

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Rustell, L. 2007. Study of environmental enrichment for mice using a NestPak TM. Institute of Animal Technology [IAT] Congress, 44.