Habituating pigs for in-pen, non-invasive biophysical skin analysis (2001)

Chilcott, R. P., Stubbs, B., Ashley, Z.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a method for habituating pigs (Sus scrofa domestica, middle white strain) to enable non-invasive, biophysical measurements of dorsal skin to be obtained on a daily basis over a 7-week period, thus eliminating the need for anaesthesia or restraint. This was accomplished by associating measurements of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin reflectance spectroscopy (SRS) with feeding times, and with positive reinforcement by allowing exercise outside the home pen. ... These data imply that biophysical skin measurements obtained from unrestrained, conscious animals are comparable to those obtained from anaesthetized pigs and therefore, support the use of unrestrained pigs for non-invasive biophysical skin measurements. Habituating animals for in-pen, non-invasive, biophysical measurements has substantial implications for reducing and refining laboratory animal experiments in dermatological research without compromising animal welfare.