Animal Care
Do we have an SOP for animal husbandry?
Yes, livestock husbandry SOP.
How often are the feed barrels sanitized?
Monthly.
Which scale do we weigh out hay with?
Rice lake.
How often do we perform water testing?
Quarterly
What ratio do we use for rejuvnal?
1:64
How are animals identified at the cage/pen side level? What SOP is this under?
Livestock animals are identified by ear tags or ear notches. Livestock identification SOP.
Are individuals trained on cleaning procedures?
Yes, computerized system or personal training folder.
How often do we clean the scales?
Monthly (at the minimum)
Do we perform air balancing? How often is air balancing performed?
No, a 3rd party vendor is hired.
This is performed annually (at minimum).
Are all of our sheep the same breed?
At this time, yes. But, they are from different vendors.
Vendors: Oak Hill Genetics, New England Ovis
Is there separate housing for animals in different studies?
Yes, separate pens/stalls (unless otherwise approved by DVM)
What husbandry tasks are performed in the pasture?
*remove any waste from the sheltered housing if animals are housed overnight or as needed
*check all heating and cooling measures (fan, heaters) along with lixits and the sprinkler system
*check foliage and pull any necessary weeds/plants
*check the entirety of perimeter fencing to make sure it is secure and electrical fencing (if in use) and snake fencing are in place.
*power-wash as needed
Which scale do we use to weigh animals in the barn?
Health--o-meter
LVS 700XL
What is the target range for water conductivity?
0-2500μmhos/cm (micromhos)
Does your facility provide required study personnel, resources, equipment and other materials?
Yes, the facility provides all study resources.
What GLP document do we use to reference if the climate is appropriate to allow swine outdoors?
GLP livestock heat/humidity chart.
How often do we disinfect equipment? (shovels, trash cans, etc)
Monthly
Do you have documentation of filter changes and temperature, humidity, monitoring in critical areas, heating, ventilation and air conditioning system design? Where?
Yes, all tasks documented in the MMS.
What is the temperature and humidity range the hygrometers read?
25%-95% humidity
32°F-122°F
If humidity/ temperature falls out of this range, the hygrometers will read LL (too low) or HH (too high). The expectation is to only see this in outdoor housing (i.e barn).
How is raw data being corrected; is GDP being followed?
Single line through the error with circled footnote number, corresponding footnote on back with details of the correction, initialed and dated.
How are animals separated, and what information is present in their housing?
Separated by pens/stalls, each animal's cage card which contains study number, implant id number, protocol number, etc.
What 3 cleaning solutions are approved for use?
Re-juv-nal, Cavicide, ProKlenz foam
How often do scales get weight verifications?
Any time the scale is moved.
What do we primarily test for when testing the water supply?
TDS, total Coliform, and HPC count
What additional tests can the DVM request for water quality?
Total coliforms, plate count agar, total organic carbon.