Owen S, Thomas C, West P, Wolfensohn S, Wood M
University of Oxford, University Laboratory of Physiology, UK.
Lab Anim. 1997 Oct;31(4):289-97. doi: 10.1258/002367797780596149.
A Working Party of the UK group of European Primate Resources Network (EUPREN) considered primate supply for scientific work in the UK. Through a questionnaire, which achieved a very good response, it obtained details of primate use, sources and breeding in the UK and it put forward options to ensure that animal welfare is the best possible whilst ensuring continued supply. The questionnaire showed that contract research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies use about 80% of the 4233 primates used annually at the moment, with the rest accounted for by academic establishments and public sector laboratories. Fifty-four per cent are cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis), of which nearly 90% are captive-bred outside the European Union (EU), the remainder being bred in the UK. Nearly 90% of cynomolgus macaques are used by only five institutions. Thirty-seven per cent of primates used are marmosets (Callithrix jacchus jacchus), all of which are bred in the UK. Most of the rest are rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), about half of which are captive-bred outside the EU, the other half being bred in the UK. Overall primate use has increased from about 3000 per year in 1990 and users predict that requirements for all species except baboons (Papio sp.) will be maintained or increase. Marmoset breeding in the UK is already closely matched to use, and it could be increased reasonably easily if necessary. Some of the existing breeding centres of macaques in the UK would be prepared to consider expanding to supply others, although investment and imported breeding stock would be needed and it is likely that a large investment would be needed to breed a significant fraction of the macaque use in the UK. A further problem is that the users of only about 10% of the cynomolgus macaques said that they could replace this species by rhesus macaques, which are easier to breed in the UK. The questionnaire showed that much of the use of macaques would be transferred to other countries equally remote from the natural source countries of the animals, if constraints on primate use became more severe in the UK. Users felt that it is unlikely that much of the work could be transferred to the natural source countries themselves. A review of the literature revealed a paucity of information on the effects of transport on primate welfare. The importance of obtaining this information before making decisions about alternative means of supply is stressed. Current schemes for the accreditation of primate breeders were reviewed. A list of options is presented for discussion. Users vary so much in their requirements that it is unlikely that one means of supply will be applicable to all. Animal welfare will benefit and supply will be more certain if cooperation between those concerned (preferably through the UK group of EUPREN) is maintained.
欧洲灵长类动物资源网络（EUPREN）英国小组的一个工作小组审议了英国科研工作中的灵长类动物供应情况。通过一份获得了非常良好反馈的调查问卷，它获取了英国灵长类动物的使用、来源和繁殖的详细信息，并提出了一些选项，以确保在保证持续供应的同时，尽可能地保障动物福利。调查问卷显示，合同研究实验室和制药公司目前每年使用4233只灵长类动物中的约80%，其余由学术机构和公共部门实验室使用。54%是食蟹猴（猕猴），其中近90%是在欧盟以外圈养繁殖的，其余在英国繁殖。近90%的食蟹猴仅被五个机构使用。所使用的灵长类动物中有37%是狨猴（普通狨），全部在英国繁殖。其余大部分是恒河猴，其中约一半在欧盟以外圈养繁殖，另一半在英国繁殖。总体而言，灵长类动物的使用量已从1990年的每年约3000只增加，使用者预计除狒狒（狒狒属）外所有物种的需求将保持或增加。英国的狨猴繁殖量已与使用量紧密匹配，如有必要可以相当容易地增加。英国现有的一些猕猴繁殖中心愿意考虑扩大规模以供应其他机构，不过需要投资和进口种畜，而且要繁殖出英国猕猴使用量的很大一部分可能需要大量投资。另一个问题是，仅约10%的食蟹猴使用者表示他们可以用恒河猴替代该物种，恒河猴在英国更容易繁殖。调查问卷显示，如果英国对灵长类动物使用的限制变得更加严格，猕猴的大部分使用将转移到同样远离这些动物自然来源国的其他国家。使用者认为这项工作的大部分不太可能转移到这些动物的自然来源国本身。对文献的回顾发现关于运输对灵长类动物福利影响的信息匮乏。强调在就替代供应方式做出决定之前获取这些信息的重要性。对当前灵长类动物饲养者认证计划进行了审查。列出了一系列选项供讨论。使用者的需求差异很大，不太可能有一种供应方式适用于所有人。如果相关各方（最好通过EUPREN英国小组）保持合作，动物福利将受益，供应也将更有保障。
