STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
View this document in Word format
1. Performance Standard: To provide the appropriate care in compliance with the regulations and guidelines. All animals are checked daily for health, feed and water; and runs are cleaned. Health problems are reported to the Laboratory Animal Technologist, ARC veterinary staff and PI/lab contact person.
2. Protective Equipment: The personal protective equipment (PPE) listed below is to be used as indicated:
- Required for visual inspection:
- Scrubs
- ARC dedicated shoes
- Required for husbandry:
- Scrubs
- ARC dedicated shoes
- Disposable nitrile gloves
- Recommended (to prevent splash in the face)
- Goggles or safety glasses
3. Caging
- Swine, excluding the sow, are housed in the swine runs in the Borwell animal facility. These runs range from 15 sq. ft. to 27 sq. ft. The runs are constructed of stainless steel sides and entry doors. The run flooring is elevated above the room floor and is constructed of fiberglass in a slatted, T-beam design. The spacing between the slats should be 1/4 inch. Doors are located in the side wall between each run. Use a clip to secure the doors in the closed position.
- A mat is provided for each swine, as a resting surface.
- Swine are housed in accordance with the table indicating recommended space for commonly used farm animals, found in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
ANIMALS PER ENCLOSURE |
WEIGHT (KG) |
FLOOR AREA/ANIMAL |
1 |
<15 |
8.0 |
1 |
Up to 25 |
12.0 |
1 |
Up to 50 |
15.0 |
1 |
Up to 100 |
24.0 |
1 |
Up to 200 |
48.0 |
2-5 |
<25 |
6.0 |
2-5 |
Up to 50 |
10.0 |
2-5 |
Up to 100 |
20.0 |
SOW |
w/ litter |
Pen=35 Sow area=14 |
4. Environment
- Light cycle: 12 hours light/12 hours dark (exceptions are noted on the room sign and on the light timer)
- Humidity: 40-60%
- Temperature: 74 F +/- 2 F
- Swine rooms are under negative pressure to the corridor.
- Report environmental problems in the room (i.e. room temperature variations greater than 2*F from 74*F, obvious ventilation changes) verbally to the Operations Manager during the week. On weekends and holidays, report these problems to DHMC Engineering and send a blitz message to the Operations Manager.
5. Water
- Swine are provided water via the automatic watering system. A recoil hose is used to connect the room distribution system to the manifold in the run. Adjust the manifold in the run so that the water valve height is just above the shoulder of each swine, to avoid injury. Manifolds in the runs do not need to be manually flushed daily.
6. Feed
- Each room has its own feed container and feed measuring cup.
- Be sure to check each cage before feeding to see if there is a "FAST" card.
- Place the feed in stainless steel feeder using the chart below as a guide.
NOTE: Mini-pig chow is fed to all miniature swine of weaning age or older, Blue Seal Pig and Sow Pellets (Blue Seal Feeds) is fed to farm swine. Each swine cage card will have a yellow glow dot on it, indicating the number of cups of feed to give the swine at each feeding. The ARC tech responsible for the room is responsible for updating the feed quantity as the swine grows.
|
SWINE'S WEIGHT |
DAILY FOOD |
EACH FEEDING |
22-34 lbs/10-15kg |
2 cups (.42 kg) |
1 cup (.21 kg) |
35-78 lbs/16-35kg |
3 1/2 cups (.75 kg) |
1 3/4 cups (.38 kg) |
79-100 lbs/36-45kg |
4 1/2 cups .9 kg) |
2 1/4 cups (.45 kg) |
101-144 lbs/46-65kg |
6 cups (1.2 kg) |
3 cups (.6 kg) |
145-165 lbs/66-75 kg |
7 1/2 cups (1.5 kg) |
3 3/4 cups (.75 kg) |
SOW -550 lbs/250 kg |
25 cups (10 kg) |
12 1/2 cups (5 kg) |
7. Daily Sanitation
- Runs are hosed daily with tepid water (approx. 110 F) to remove excrement. Before hosing, turn the light timer override knob located in the hallway outside of the room to override the HVAC alarms. Be sure to give yourself enough time to hose the runs. Care should be taken to avoid directly spraying the animal, although some swine enjoy being sprayed. Swine may be removed to a transport or transferred to another run, if necessary, to prevent stress or injury.
- Hose feeders.
8. Weekly Sanitation
- Sanitize stainless steel feeder through the tunnel washer.
9. Room Sanitation
- Room sanitation, including cleaning implements and recoil hoses, is to be done every 2 weeks, and when the room is emptied.
- Swine are moved into transport cages and removed from the room to the hallway, transferred to another room using a transport cage or allowed to walk to a new room. Be sure to remove the cage card and keep it with the appropriate swine.
- See SOP K.2 for details.
10. Cage cards
- Each swine is required to have an ARC cage card, which is placed in the card holder located on the run door.
11. Animal Health
- Observe all animals for health status daily.
- Perform any treatments indicated in the Clinical Incidence Form (CIF).
- Report ill animals using the CIF, or, if immediate attention is needed, verbally to the Laboratory Animal Technologist or ARC veterinary staff and the PI/lab contact person.
12. Daily Activity Log
- Record all animal care and room activities on the Daily Activity Log using a pen with waterproof black or blue ink.
- Comments can be made on the back of the log.
- Record the current ("now"), maximum ("high") and minimum ("low") temperatures and reset the min-max thermometer.
13. Environmental Enrichment
- Kong toys, jingle balls, balls and large Nylabone" (one item per run) are provided for environmental enrichment. These items are rotated weekly.
14. Housekeeping and Room Maintenance
- Feed barrels are taken to the cage wash room at least monthly to be sanitized.
- The animal care technician in charge of the room replaces fluorescent light tubes as needed.