Spangenberg Elin M F, Keeling Linda J
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lab Anim. 2016 Feb;50(1):30-8. doi: 10.1177/0023677215577298. Epub 2015 Mar 23.
Welfare problems in laboratory mice can be a consequence of an ongoing experiment, or a characteristic of a particular genetic line, but in some cases, such as breeding animals, they are most likely to be a result of the design and management of the home cage. Assessment of the home cage environment is commonly performed using resource-based measures, like access to nesting material. However, animal-based measures (related to the health status and behaviour of the animals) can be used to assess the current welfare of animals regardless of the inputs applied (i.e. the resources or management). The aim of this study was to design a protocol for assessing the welfare of laboratory mice using only animal-based measures. The protocol, to be used as a benchmarking tool, assesses mouse welfare in the home cage and does not contain parameters related to experimental situations. It is based on parameters corresponding to the 12 welfare criteria established by the Welfare Quality® project. Selection of animal-based measures was performed by scanning existing published, web-based and informal protocols, and by choosing parameters that matched these criteria, were feasible in practice and, if possible, were already validated indicators of mouse welfare. The parameters should identify possible animal welfare problems and enable assessment directly in an animal room during cage cleaning procedures, without the need for extra equipment. Thermal comfort behaviours and positive emotional states are areas where more research is needed to find valid, reliable and feasible animal-based measures.
实验小鼠的福利问题可能是正在进行的实验导致的结果，也可能是特定基因品系的特征，但在某些情况下，比如繁殖动物时，这些问题很可能是饲养笼设计与管理的结果。对饲养笼环境的评估通常采用基于资源的衡量方法，如是否有筑巢材料。然而，基于动物的衡量方法（与动物的健康状况和行为相关）可用于评估动物当前的福利状况，而不考虑所提供的投入（即资源或管理）。本研究的目的是设计一种仅使用基于动物的衡量方法来评估实验小鼠福利的方案。该方案将用作基准工具，评估饲养笼中的小鼠福利，且不包含与实验情况相关的参数。它基于与“福利质量”项目确立的12项福利标准相对应的参数。通过筛选现有的已发表、基于网络的和非正式方案，并选择符合这些标准、在实践中可行且尽可能已经是小鼠福利验证指标的参数，来进行基于动物的衡量方法的选择。这些参数应能识别可能存在的动物福利问题，并能在笼舍清洁程序期间直接在动物房进行评估，而无需额外设备。热舒适行为和积极情绪状态是需要更多研究以找到有效、可靠且可行的基于动物的衡量方法的领域。
