Training macaques to voluntarily co-operate during two common procedures: Blood collection and capture of group-housed animals (2002)

Reinhardt, V., Buchanan-Smith, H. M., Prescott, M. J.

Abstract

Ten male, pair-housed rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and six female, pair-housed stump-tailed macaques (M. arctoides) were successfully trained to actively cooperate during in-homecage venipuncture. Training was based on positive reinforcement with food-treats and vocal praise, consistent firmness, gentleness and patience. Total cumulative training time per subject ranged from 16 to 63 minutes (mean = 39 minutes) for the rhesus males; and from 15 to 45 minutes (mean = 34 minutes) for the stump-tailed females. It took 1 to 2 minutes from entering an animal room to the completion of blood collection. Once trained, all animals co-operated during blood collection not only with the trainer but also with the attending caregivers. Endocrine analysis of two 15-minute blood samples taken at fixed times from each of the six trained stump-tailed females showed that serum cortisol concentrations did not increase significantly within the first 15 minutes after venipuncture (28.4 ?g at 13:00 versus 28.5 ?g at 13:15). The training technique has been applied successfully in 33 female and 18 male adult rhesus macaques, and 12 female stump-tailed macaques without any ill-effects. (2) A positive reinforcement training technique was developed in order that a single person can swiftly catch all or selected members of rhesus macaque breeding groups (28-33 animals) one by one without distressing the animals (no signs of physical distress, such as diarrhea, hyperaggression, rectal prolapse). To achieve co-operation of all group members approximately 8 minutes of training time per animal were invested. Several scenes of videotape demonstrate how the macaques respond to non-threatening vocal commands and enter of their own accord a transport cage one at a time. (3) It is concluded that the two training protocols offer methodological refinement by minimizing stress responses, provide environmental enrichment for the macaques and for the caregivers, and substantially increase personnel safety.